Friends,
Happy Thanksgiving!
As we live with MS, it’s not always easy to stay upbeat and thankful. I know for me, many times I just wish it would go away, leave me alone and then I would be thankful. Well, what if it doesn’t go away? That’s when I do a little reflecting and look for the good about living with MS and having all the love, support and friends with MS I have as a result of living with it.
Do I have anything to be thankful for? That’s a big one…wow! Where do I start? I’m extremely thankful for my family for being so loving, caring and supportive with all my challenges of living with MS all these years. They accept me the way I am and share their love and support so selflessly and unconditionally. I am blessed in so many ways.
I’m extremely thankful for all our friends with and without MS. All my friends at Wisconsin Metal Parts, Lean Manufacturing Products, MS-Just Keep Moving, Westwood Health and Fitness running group, National MS Society, etc., etc. I sometimes wonder what life would be like if I never got MS. What type of person would I be? What kind of bad habits would I have by now? What other health challenges would I have? Who would my friends be?
MS has certainly help to keep me humble and I feel that’s a good thing. MS has challenged me mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually at times. In an odd way, I feel it’s helped strengthen me in all those ways. Not because I wanted to but because I needed to.
MS is not easy to live with but since we have it, we might as well make the best of it. As we go through this Thanksgiving Season, let’s do our best to reflect on the blessings in life that we have despite of living with MS and as a result of living with MS. Just think about it, would we all have each other in our lives if we didn’t have MS? Perhaps, but likely not. I’m thankful for you!
Happy Thanksgiving! -Dan-
Oh, people have been asking if we will be here this week with Thanksgiving. The answer is yes, we will be here Wednesday and Friday. We’ll be exercising on Wednesday so we can eat a lot on Thursday. We’ll eat a lot on Thursday and enjoy our Thanksgiving and then we’ll need to work it back off on Friday. So yes…we’ll be here Wednesday and Friday 😊
Please keep sharing
So many of you have been sharing the progress you have been making since Kate started the classes and working with people on an individual basis. I have to agree, it’s absolutely amazing. While it’s hard for me to share everyone’s progress on a weekly basis, I encourage you to continue sharing it with me and each other. The progress you make might be just the inspiration someone else needs at a low time in their life.
We all agree, Kate is doing wonderful things with each of us. Thank you Kate! We also need to give ourselves a little pat on the back as well because we’re the ones engaging and physically doing the hard work Kate is leading us through. We can’t delegate exercise, we need to do that ourselves in order to receive the benefits of it…which there are MANY.
I hope you’ll continue to engage in the activities, make personal progress in many ways and…share your progress.
Anonomous Donar – Matching Opportunity
So many people, myself included are amazed at how many programs we are able to offer for free for people with MS. Many times, I hear comments like “What’s your magic sauce? That’s not sustainable”. I would say our magic sauce is love and love is sustainable. It’s people helping people for the right reasons. We have been getting together as a group for almost 11 years now every Wednesday and Friday and we keep doing more and more together.
We have been extremely fortunate and grateful through the years that people and organizations have supported us financially. We ALL thank you! We are very frugile and cost conscious with the financial support we receive.
We would appreciate your help! Recently an anonymous donor has stepped forward to provide an end of the year donation challenge. The donor has agreed to donate dollar for dollar up to $5,000 matching donation for all the yearend donations we receive for MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc.
Please consider MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc in your end of the year charitable donations. Help us reach our goal of making this $5,000 donation a $10,000 aggregate donation.
You can donate one of two ways:
1. Go directly online to our website: www.msjustkeepmoving.org
a. Just click the “Donate” button on the landing page
2. Send a check to:
MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc
W228N791 Westmound Drive
Waukesha, WI 53186
Through your financial support we can continue to keep our gym open at no cost to our friends with MS!
Cardio and Balance Programs
These classes are aimed to get everyone exercising together. I like that word “together” 😊. We’ll need help from volunteers before and after the cardio class on Wednesday to get members on and off equipment. All are welcome and encouraged to join.
Wednesdays 10-10:30am: Cardio 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 bottle, and arrive a few minutes early to get the equipment set up to your height.
Fridays: Balance training and Core strengthening. Kate will not be here this Friday so you’re on your own. Perhaps one of you who have been doing the classes can lead them.
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
It’s going to be too cold this Friday…no ride. We’re probably done riding until spring. Let’s work hard indoors all winter so we’re ready to ride again in the spring.
Educational Sessions
Friday, December 8th 11:00am – Noon. Sheri from UW Stevens Point – here to present on proper body mechanics with transferring.
Sheri agreed to do an in-service/ educational session on Friday, December 8th from 11am – 12pm on proper body mechanics with transferring. This is geared for people with MS, their caregivers, and volunteers. She is a physical therapist who specializes in neuro-rehab and currently teaches at UW Stevens Point.
Friday, December 15th 11:00am – Noon. Carol Anderson will be coming here from Cincinnati, Ohio to teach us about Myofascial Release and show us how to do it on ourselves and others. This will be very interesting for all of us living with MS as well as all our volunteers, caregivers, etc.
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
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 Friday, December 1st. 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 455 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 with 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’s 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, loving and smiling 😊
In God We Trust…we are in good hands.
Dan
P.S. The woods are getting pretty brown and bare looking these days.
I was out in the woods before daylight and I saw a pair of owls sitting I a tree together. Unfortunately, the camera didn’t have good enough light to get a good picture but it was still cool to see and to hear them hoot together.
As the sun came up, the beauty started to shine
The American Bittersweet plant was probably the most colorful plant in the woods
I guess we can find beauty in the brown woods after all
I sat there quite a while and then this little squirrel came up next me and showed me how he enjoys an acorn.
I learned from Cal that if you take time to look a little closer there’s beauty to be found. That works for people too.
Many of you know that I like to feed the birds. Our cat likes it when I feed the birds too. The only problem is, she’s sitting on the bird food.
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.