Wednesday and Friday Workouts

Friends,

We’ll be getting together from again from 9:00am – noon on Wednesday and Friday.  I hope you’ll join us.

Let’s talk about the heat and living MS since it’s been getting hot quickly.  Let’s face it, the heat can just zap us and cause our MS symptoms to flare up, especially fatigue.  I know, it got to me last Friday.  Don’t worry, I recovered by Sunday.

So how do I deal with the heat and my MS?  I don’t have a lot of science behind these suggestions, only personal experience so take them for what they’re worth.

  • I get out in the heat often early in the season and allow my body to gradually get used to it.  For me, it adjusts slowly as the summer goes on.
  • I try to keep my feet ventilated and cool.  It seems like if I keep my feet cool, my MS behaves much better in the heat.  If they get trapped in hot shoes, I’ll get neurological sensations, pain and I get zapped of energy pretty quickly.  I take my shoes off every chance I get in the summertime.  It almost gives me instant relief.
  • I’ll take a frozen water bottle and roll it under my feet.  Believe it or not, that feels really good.
  • When I’m driving or riding in a car, I take my shoes off.  Taking my shoes off can be the difference if I can walk when I get out or have to wait a while until my legs find themselves again.  I know, only people living with MS will be able to relate to that.

How much exercise is too much?  Is there such a thing?  Yes, we can do too much.  I know, many of you didn’t think you’d hear me say that.  It is however scientifically proven that too much exercise will not make our MS worse.  We’ll recover to our baseline.  I’ve certainly experienced that first hand along with many of our MS Just Keep Moving friends wth MS.  We need to gradually build up.  Our bodies will just plain shut down when we’ve had enough.

We really need to pay attention to how we feel after we exercise.  Remember, we’re exercising to “feel good”; not drained, exhausted, wiped out, etc. and we’re all different.  Let’s pay attention to our recovery time.  We should be recovered and feeling pretty good within a couple hours of exercising.  If it’s taking us two days to recover, we’re doing too much too soon.  Let’s be patient and work up to it.  Even with MS, our bodies will adjust to what we put them through.  It takes consistency, time and patience.  All three are tough for us that are willing to do the hard work and want instant results.  I highly recommend doing what you can consistently.  Consistently to me means seven days per week unless my body says it needs a rest day.  When that happens, listen to it and give it a rest day and then get right back at it.

We realize the virus is not gone yet but it looks like the numbers are way down and many of us have either had COVID or have been vaccinated.  We’re going to back off on the mask wearing request and leave it up to you to make good decisions about wearing a mask.  If you have concerns, please wear a mask.  Either way, please be respectful.

One of the most important things you can do is to stay home if you have any symptoms or know you’ve been exposed to someone with the virus.  Please don’t come until your symptoms go away.  Let’s also give each other some space when talking to one another and continue wiping the machines down before and after you use them with disinfectant.  Let’s stay safe!

Dr Becky Thomas and her PT Assistant student volunteers will be here again this Wednesday.  We’re fortunate and grateful to have them!  Please come and allow them to help you.  You’re aslo helping them by sharing your challenges of living with MS.  It’s win / win!

Ricky Heldt will be here on Wednesday and Friday again this week.  Again, keep in mind, consistency is key.  I know many have been relieved of chronic pain and have more range of motion, walk better, etc. as a result of Ricky working with them.  We need consistency to realize the benefits long term.  Ricky will have a sign up sheet based on first come first served.  You can pick the time slot that works for you.  I highly encourage you to take advantage of Ricky’s Tai Massages each day and sign up for your time slot as soon as you get there.

Have you been to our MS-Just Keep Moving website lately?  Mike and Cal continue to add new content each week.  If you ever need a little inspiration, you can resort to some of Cal’s beautiful and amazing photography and inspirational messages by clicking here.  If you want to know more about any of Cal’s images, just ask him.  He personally took all the pictures himself.  He loves sharing his experiences.  Did you see his post from Friday?

It looks like we’ll have nice weather for our Friday morning bike ride again this week.  I hope you’ll join us!  If it’s raining, we won’t be riding.

We’ll be meeting Friday at 7:00am at Nettesheim Park in Pewaukee.  It’s on the SE corner of Hwy SS and Oak Street.  The GPS address is:  N26W27495 Prospect Ave, Pewaukee, WI 53072.  Come a little early so you can get your bike out of your car and be ready to ride as close to 7:00 as possible.  We’ll ride until about 8:45.

If you need me to bring a trike or a tandem for you, please let me know as soon as you can so I can bring them.

If you’d like to ride but don’t know how you’d do it, please let me know.  We’ll do our best to figure out a way to get you riding.  We get pretty creative😊.

Last week, our prayer group was once again…powerful!  I just love the way we share, pray together and witness prayers being answered weekly.  Thanks goes to God and to everyone that joins us.

Our prayer group will be in person starting this Wednesday @11:00 with a zoom option.  Let’s thank the Good Lord we can get back together safely again.   We’ll get together and share, talk, listen, give thanks and pray however God leads us.

MS – Just Keep Moving Prayer Group
Wednesdays @ 11:00am in person or…
Join Zoom Meeting with this link

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82689557013?pwd=NzNEL0ExYkpSdnE5RllCQXlJeVo1UT09

Meeting ID: 826 8955 7013
Passcode: keepmoving

We had another fun inspirational humor zoom call with Adam this afternoon.  We’ll be doing it again next Tuesday.  Please join us if you can…thank you!

Inspirational Humor with Adam Wollert
Tuesdays @ 1:30PM
Here’s the link to join us…I hope you do!
Join Zoom Meeting with this link

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9431389152?pwd=bWlYbFNaazVnM1M1cWxWMitlODdXUT09

Meeting ID: 943 138 9152
Passcode: 3qP2hu
Phone:   1-312-626-6799
Meeting ID: 943 138 9152

I encourage you to share a smile with someone.  Perhaps you could give someone a call that you haven’t talked with for a while just to see how they’re doing.  We all could use a little extra love and encouragement during these times.

MS is tough.  Let’s stay calm, focused, healthy, flexible, have faith and learn as much as we can about the challenges of each day as we make good choices.  Better days are ahead.

In God We Trust!
Dan

http://msjustkeepmoving.org/