Friends,
Dr Peixun Zheng from University of Illinois – Chicago did a very interesting and educational program last Friday about Healthy Aging Through Lifestyle with MS and shared some information on some very interesting studies they are doing.
Dr Peixun left us some information at the gym in case you would be willing to participate in any of their studies. I would highly encourage you to participate if you qualify and are willing. It’s exciting research…research we can apply today and improve our life with MS.
These studies are funded by the National MS Society. Thanks so much for all who supported us, rode with us and did fundraising for the National MS Society on the bike ride. It’s good to see our fundraising efforts for the National MS Society being put to good use. This research is helping us to “live” our best life with MS when we apply the results of the research into our daily lives.
Cardio and Balance Programs
We will be doing the cardio and balance programs again this week.
These classes are aimed to get everyone exercising together. We’ll need help from volunteers before and after the aerobics class on Wednesday to get members on and off equipment. All are welcome and encouraged to join.
Wednesday 8/9 10-10:30am: aerobic exercise
Location: in the big room using aerobic equipment in front of big TV
Pick your favorite piece of equipment to use, bring a water, and arrive a few minutes early to get the equipment set up to your height.
Friday 8/11: balance training and core strengthening
10-10:30 am: seated balance class
10:30 – 11am: standing balance class
Pick the class / classes you feel most able and comfortable participating in. We will have chairs set up to sit on and/or use for balance support.
Email Kate at kborn1234@gmail.com with any questions.
Friday Morning Bike Ride
Like years in the past, once again, I’m absolutely amazed how much stronger and more efficient everyone is riding as we get further into the season. We’re even getting out of the parking lot earlier 😊
Let’s leave the parking lot earlier again this week. 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. Let’s ride and have some fun!
Let’s meet Friday morning at 6:45 and be ready to ride by 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.
Again, for those who wish you could join us but can’t; please know we have you in our hearts on these rides. We’re riding with you and for you. I hope you too can join us someday. We really need to get this MS thing figured out. Let’s keep working on it together.
Educational Sessions
Friday, August 25th – Picnic / Day of Endurance Pep Rally from 11:00 – noon. I will answer any questions about cheering, volunteering, participating, etc. This is still a work in process from a planning perspective. We should have a pretty good idea of what’s going to happen by the day before 😊
Friday, August 1st – 11:00 – noon. Day of Endurance sharing session. We will share our experiences and accomplishments with each other.
Friday, September 8th – Dr Ian Duncan – 11:00 – noon. Dr Ian Duncan, a lifelong researcher of MS will speak on current and exciting research happening for us living with MS. Dr. Duncan spent much of his career researching re-myelination. Dr Duncan also made a documentary about people with MS and exercise using Nordic Skiing called Multiple Sclerosis, The Vikings and Nordic Skiing. https://www.pbs.org/video/wpt-documentaries-multiple-sclerosis-vikings-and-nordic-skiing/
Future topics could include: emotional health, nutrition, yoga, tai chi, wellness topics, safe use of gym equipment for your body, best exercise for you and more. What topics would you like to see? Please let Joan, Traci, Ricky or Dan know
Picnic / Day of Endurance
Some exciting news! It looks like quite a few of us are engaging and are going to do what we can do on the day of endurance. It sounds like we’re going to have some awesome volunteers and cheerleaders as well! We’ll even have some good food. If you’re willing to bring a picnic dish to pass, please let us know.
If you haven’t already, please fill an index card out at the gym this week and let us know what you will be doing so we can help you do it. The index cards are on the white table.
Volunteers, please do the same. We need cheerleaders, riders, walkers, etc.
We need to know how many people to prepare for and create a great experience for.
When? August 26, 2023
Where? Naga-Waukee Park, Delafield, WI
What? Let’s do what we can. If you haven’t decided what you’re going to do yet, I encourage you to do something. Hopefully, next year, you’ll be able to do more than this year. We will have people swimming, biking, running, walking, rolling in the grit chair, wheelchairs and anything else we can do. We also need lots of cheerleaders and volunteers. Please engage and help make it a fun and inspirational event.
Why? To build friendships and exercise into our lifestyle year around and stay ahead of our MS the best we can. Personally, I know I need something BIG on my calendar to keep me motivated and to give me daily reasons to be with friends and exercise to help me BEAT MS and the emotional ups and downs that comes along with it.
If there’s an event I would like to see grow year after year, it would be our “Day of Endurance”. It’s a little strange to say that because we haven’t even done it yet and there’s not another event out there anything like it. Let’s create it!
Please share your progress by recording it on the board at the gym. We have some amazing and inspirational progress being made physically along with mentally and emotionally.
Each two-week period, let’s record our longest distance or time of each event we’re working toward for the “Day of Endurance”. Along with that, let’s share a few words about how we felt after our long event for the two-week period leading up to the day of endurance on August 26th. That’s it!
Each two-week period, let’s try to do just a little more than the last two-week period and record (share) it again.
Let’s enjoy our journey…together!
Let’s get together!
We’ll be getting together from 9:00am – noon on Wednesday and Friday mornings at the gym. I hope you’ll join us!
Wisconsin Metal Parts – Westmound Building
MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc.
W228N791 Westmound Drive
Waukesha, WI 53186
Prayer Group We’ll be having our prayer group Wednesday @ 11:00am.
I just love the way we share, pray and laugh together while we witness prayers being answered weekly. It’s truly amazing!
Thanks goes to God and to everyone that joins us. Let’s get together to share, listen, talk, give thanks, and pray however God leads us.
MS Just Keep Caring – Our Caregivers support group will be the first and third Friday of each month from 10:00 – 10:30am. The next one will be this Friday, August 18th. If you’re a caregiver of someone you love with MS, please join us and share your experience of caring for your loved one. This has been very helpful for many. Thanks to all who participate!
Our Facebook page is private. That means you’ll need to join if you want access to all our fun and progress. We’re now up to 410 members. That’s awesome! https://www.facebook.com/groups/2639832389489709
Our Facebook page is very active and fun. Lots of people are doing more and sharing their journey on Facebook. Feel free to join, post and share your experiences and comments.
There were some awesome pictures, videos and comments shared again this past week. Thank you to all who are sharing!
Thai Massage with Ricky Heldt
Ricky will be here Wednesday and Friday doing Thai Massage.
Many continue making great progress with chronic pain relief, range of motion, walking better and a new sense of hope when Ricky works with them. Please keep in mind that consistency is key. Not only with Ricky…with exercise too. We need consistency to realize the benefits long term. We want you to have long term benefits and relief.
Ricky has a sign up board based on first come first serve. You can pick the time slot that works for you. I highly encourage you to take advantage of Ricky’s Thai Massages each day and sign up for your time slot as soon as you get there.
Reiki with Linda Linda will be here on Fridays doing Reiki. Many people say Linda’s Reiki work is “magical”. We’re thankful for Linda sharing her gifts and talents to us. Feel free to let Linda know you’d like to do Reiki with her. She also has a sign up sheet.
Inspirational Humor with Adam Wollert
We’ll be having our inspirational humor zoom call with Adam again next Tuesday. Adam is a gift to all of us. Thanks to all who joined us today!
Please join us if you can.
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
Let’s reach out
I encourage you to share a smile and encouragement with someone. Perhaps you could call someone that you have not talked with for a while just to say hi and see how they are doing. We all could use a little extra love and encouragement.
MS is tough. Let us have faith, remain calm, be flexible, help each other and learn as much as we can about the challenges of each day as we make good choices.
Let’s keep moving and smiling 😊
In God We Trust…we are in good hands.
Dan
P.S. This has been a busy week for me. I didn’t get out with my camera much this week but I did get out for a 15.4 mile walk with Cal and Larry Saturday morning. That’s my longest walk so far on this journey of training for and getting to the Day of Endurance. I’m thankful to have friends like Cal and Larry to walk with.
As you recall, my MS flared up after just a couple miles early in the year. It still flared up on this walk but it was not until mile 13 or 14. I could have gone farther but Larry was getting tired 😊. Just kidding…I thought I better quit while I’m ahead. My MS was flared up the rest of the day but I was fine the next morning.
We’ve never had geese in our yard. All of a sudden, geese have been showing up and getting very comfortable.
They seem to like eating the mulberries. At least they’re sharing with the sandhill cranes. I like it when people share and critters share 😊
For those who can’t get out and enjoy nature due your challenges with MS…my heart is with you. You are with me every time I’m out there. I enjoy being out there and I also enjoy sharing with you. I know how hard it is not to be able to get out and enjoy nature. Let’s enjoy nature and God’s beauty together this way.