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Wednesday and Friday Workouts – ‘Thankful for all the Caregivers’!

Friends,

Our Caregivers Retreat
I’m getting great feedback about our Caregivers Retreat again this year.  I’m thankful for all the caregivers that came to this.  It’s important that we are here for the caregivers as well as our friends with MS.  When one person in a family has MS, we all need to deal with it.  Thanks to all who made this experience possible!

How did Rick do last week?
Once again, Rick amazed himself and amazed us.  This time, Rick was able to walk 75 feet when he got here.  Normally, if he walks at all when he gets here, it’s just a few steps.  Rick did the rejuvenation therapy for 20 minutes and then walked 340 feet.  After doing that, he was fatigued at a level he couldn’t lift his feet.  He did the rejuvenation therapy again for 20 more minutes.  He walked another 300 feet.  That’s 715 feet total.  Truly amazing!  Way to go Rick…I know this isn’t easy.

Al worked hard too
Al showed up before 7:00am and road 14+ miles on the bike ride with us.  After that he came to the gym and worked out more until about 11:30.  He was sitting around resting and talking…he’s good at that.  I asked him if he would be willing to do something for me.  Al, being the helpful guy he is said sure.  He didn’t even know what he was saying sure to.

I knew Al was fatigued from everything he did but I really wanted to see if the rejuvenation therapy we’re doing with Rick would work for Al when he’s fatigued.  I couldn’t explain to Al what I wanted him to do all at once or he would have said let’s make it another day.  The first thing I encouraged him to do is walk 50 feet while I timed him.  He walked 50 feet in 28 seconds.  I encouraged him to come over to the table where we’ve been doing the rejuvenation therapy with Rick.  We had him lay on the table, took his shoes off, put on the compression balloons, tilted the table to give his feet some elevation and put the chi machine under his legs to give him some movement.  Al did this for 20 minutes while doing deep breathing.

When he was done, we had Al walk the same 50 feet again.  So how did he do walking the second time?  He walked the same 50 feet in 20 seconds vs 28 seconds the first time.  That’s a 28.6% improvement.  To me, that’s amazing for an 80+ year old person with MS who was already fatigued.  How do you think Al felt after that?  I think this picture answers that question.

Reminder, this was after Al did the bike ride and other workouts he did.  He felt like he could keep right on going and walk much farther.  He walked out to his car quite well.  Thanks for being a good sport and doing this Al!  You’re helping all of us learn while improving yourself.  I hope you can do this more often and other people can do it more often going further as well.  Just think what could happen with consistency.  I hope we learn.

I’m really thankful JoAnn Schmitz came in and taught us about the lymphatic system and what she teaches patients when they come to her.  It’s fun putting her knowledge to use and seeing the results.  Thanks JoAnn!

Nutrition Program
It made me happy this week to learn that the nutrition program is going on even though Janine is not here right now and we still have great attendance.  When we started this, we were hoping we would build a community around nutrition.  I’m thankful to know this is happening.  I hope it continues to grow and more people will benefit from the program and from each other.

This week our nutrition group discussed Garlic.  The benefits and risks of Garlic and how you can incorporate it into your life.  Did you know one of the benefits of garlic is that it repels vampires? 😊  Janine included a recipe for Garlic-Butter Zucchini which sounds really good.

Here’s a link to the handout:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RZtfXem5IfYlA0ebZeH2lgYl6uLgTydx/view?usp=sharing

Janine puts a lot into these presentations.  It’s wonderful for her to share these presentations with those who can’t be here.  It’s even more impactful for people who can be here in person to get the information first hand and be able to get questions answered and learn from others living with MS.

I would highly encourage you to engage in our nutrition program Monday mornings @ 9:00am so you can benefit at a high level.  All are encouraged to come; people with MS, loved ones, care takers, volunteers, etc.

Thank you, Janine!

MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc Experience – Milestones + Gratitude + Vision – Open House November 8th
Date:  Saturday, November 8th
Time: 1:00 – 4:00pm
Place:  MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc.
W228N791 Westmound Drive
Waukesha, WI  53816

Please save the date and plan on joining us for an afternoon of sharing.

Who should come?

Member Spotlights – Holly, Matt and Steve
I just love it when people are out doing fun, active activities together.  There’s that word again…”Together”.  Matt sent me a picture and video of Holly making it to the top of the tower at Lapham Peak on Friday.  It made my day!

Thanks Matt and Steve for helping Holly do this.  Holly…great job!

Ed and Adam’s Podcast
Adam and Ed had some fun chatting with some friends at the gym

Here’s the link:

Adam, Ed, and Friends by Positive Vibes Living with MS

Thanks Adam, Ed and Ava for doing these podcasts together!

Learn more about MS and Living with MS
We have some great learning and engaging opportunities coming up in our area this fall.  I’ve listed them by date with a link to more information.  I would highly encourage you to go to all of them.  These are experts in MS putting these on.  Knowledge is power when living with MS and these are all excellent opportunities to learn more and apply what you learn to be able to truly “live” with MS

Let’s get together!
We’ll be getting together from 8:00am – noon on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at the gym. Plus, Monday evenings from 4:00pm – 7:00pm and Tuesday afternoons for the aquatics program.  I hope you’ll join us!

Where:
Wisconsin Metal Parts – Westmound Building
MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc.
W228N791 Westmound Drive
Waukesha, WI 53186

Exercise 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 Wednesdays and Fridays to get members on and off equipment. All are welcome and encouraged to join…friends with MS, volunteers, and caregivers.

Monday Mornings
8:00am – Rebounding Class
9:00am – Nutrition Program – Friends with MS, caretakers and volunteers are encouraged to engage.  Here’s last week’s presentation:
Nutrition link: MS 2025.08.11 Seasonal and Local.pdf

Monday evenings (open from 4:00pm – 7:00pm)
5:00 pm: High intensity interval training (HIIT)
5:30 pm: Standing balance
6:00 pm: Seated balance

Tuesday afternoons
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm:  Aquatic exercise program held at Wildwood Lodge – Pewaukee
2:00 pm – 2:45 pm:  Aquatic exercise program held at Wildwood Lodge – Pewaukee

Wildwood Lodge has a lift available to get people in wheelchairs in and out of the pool safely

Wednesdays
8:00am – Rebounding Class
8:30am – 9:00am: 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.
9:30am – 10:00am:  Seated Balance
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.
10:30am – 11:00am:  Seated / Standing Stretching Class

Thursdays
6:00am – 10:00am  Outdoor walking  – contact Joan, Pam or Dan to find out where we’re walking.  You can meet up with us at any time within this time period

Fridays:
7:00 – 8:45am:  Bike Ride from Nettesheim Park – Pewaukee – see address below
9:30 – 10:00am: High intensity interval training (HIIT) body weight circuit class. Great for those who aren’t attending Friday morning bike rides and want to get their heart pumping! Geared to intermediate to advanced ability level. Class may be indoors or outdoors depending on weather. Find Dr Kate at the start of the class time.
10:00 – 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 Dr Kate Kern at kborn1234@gmail.com with any questions.

Friday Morning Bike Rides
We will be riding Friday morning as long as it’s not raining and above 45 degrees.  As we get into October, every Friday morning ride is a bonus.  It looks like it will be a little chilly when we start this Friday but let’s ride!  Dress warm 😊

We will be meeting Friday morning 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 7:00am as possible.  We’ll ride until about 8:45.  Let’s ride and have some fun!

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.

Educational Sessions

Friday, October 10th 11:00 – 12:00pm: Gregory Borden presents the difference between a Million, Billion, and Trillion (a sense of scale).

Wednesday, November 12th 11:00 – 12:00pm – Joy Cochran, PT, DPT Founder & Owner of Joy Explorations Joy is a credentialed balance and falls professional will present and demo how to safely fall to the ground.

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 Dr Kate, Joan, Traci, Ricky or Dan know.

Prayer Group  We’ll be having our prayer group Wednesday from 11:00am – noon.
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, October 17th, 2025.  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 at 651 members.  That’s awesome!   https://www.facebook.com/groups/2639832389489709

Our Facebook page is 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!

Metals for MS

Thank you to all who brought in aluminum cans, gutters, copper, brass, etc.  Please keep bringing them in…you are helping us.

Parking
If there are able-bodied people willing to park across the street in the Acuity lot so people with mobility challenges can park in our lot, please do so.  We want to make it easy for people with mobility challenges to park and get into our building safely.  Thank you for doing that!

Gym Open and Close Procedure
If you’re the first to come or the last to leave the gym, please use this procedure for opening and shutting down.

Open and closedown procedures.docx

Thai Massage with Ricky and Nyani
Ricky will be here on Wednesdays doing Thai Massage.
Nyani will be here on Fridays doing Thai Massage

Our goal is to serve as many people who come to the gym consistently as we can with these Thai Massage services.  Going forward we will be doing a rotational schedule to accommodate as many people as we can who need and want a massage.

There are some guidelines written up at the gym.  Please respect the guidelines so we can serve as many people as we can.  Please sign up according to the guidelines.

Here’s a link to the guidelines:  Thai Massage at MS-Just Keep Moving

Reiki on Wednesdays and Fridays
Reiki is available at the gym, for FREE, on Wednesdays (Mary B, Jill K) and on Fridays (Linda C and Mary R), 9:30am until noon. Sessions typically last 20-30 minutes. Sign up for a session on the white board.

Reiki (ray-kee) relaxes the body so that healing can occur! The “magic” of Reiki has helped some of our members with pain, insomnia, constipation, and so much more! Try it the next time you are at the gym!

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 and take action.

Let’s keep moving, smiling, and loving 😊  It helps!

In God We Trust…we are in good hands.
Dan
Our Website:  http://msjustkeepmoving.org/

P.S.  Cal and I got out for a walk at Nashotah Park this week.  We didn’t know what we were going to see but was happy with the colors and variety we saw.  This little squirrel was playing peek a boo as we started our walk.

It thought it was hiding pretty well 😊  I see you!

The little flowers are still colorful

Sometimes, a simple leaf is worth stopping to look at.

Colorful leaves catch my eye in the fall

When we look up, we get a whole different perspective

When we look down, we can take in the simplicity of the forest floor

Sometimes we come across some mushrooms with some nice patterns

And some that stand tall

Gotta love the fall colors in the woods

This leaf found a cozy spot on another leaf.  I wonder if they’re related.

We got pretty close to this Downy Woodpecker

It wasn’t bothered by us…just busy

This one was on an interesting stump

On our way out, I just couldn’t pass up this milkweed

Have you been watching the moon this week?  It’s been close and interesting.

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.