Friends,
BikeMS this past weekend
The National MS Society had their annual bike ride this past weekend. I was able to join John Haupt on his adventure. I am so inspired by the effort John has put into doing fund raising as well as doing the ride itself.
John was diagnosed with MS when he was 16 years old. I don’t know how many years John has been using a wheelchair but I know it’s more than 14 years when he started coming to our MS-Just Keep Moving gym. John is now 70 years old and he just rode 50 hilly miles on his hand cycle this past weekend. That’s incredible! Well done, John!
We rode through some beautiful countryside with very little traffic. I understand it rained here all day Saturday. We had a one-hour rain delay and then the rain quit as we started. It ended up being a beautiful day to ride.
I sure was proud of John when we finished and I was thankful to be able to be there with him.
I wish we could have all been together Saturday evening when John received a standing ovation as he was recognized for the well-deserved “Tailwinds Award”.
It was great seeing Shelley and her friend since she was six years old, Steph out there riding together on a tandem as well. They did great all weekend.
Kari sure had a lot of family and friends riding with her again this year as well…Kari’s Kadets. It looked like they all had a great time together. Kari rode extremely well. I was so happy to see that. Well done Kari and team!
It was also nice to see Jeff Reddick out there riding. I didn’t get a picture of Jeff…sorry. Jeff is hoping to ride his first 100-mile bike ride at our Day of Endurance. I’m confident he will do it and have a great experience despite his challenges with MS.
Pete was once again the oldest person on the ride at a very young 83. We are so blessed to have Pete volunteering for us at the gym.
MANY of us met at these rides through the years. These rides raise a lot of money for the National MS Society to fund research and programs for people with MS. They also connect a LOT of people with each other. A big part of their mission is making connections; whether it’s neurological connections in our bodies or connecting people with other people, the connections part of their mission is highly impactful. I am extremely thankful for all the connections that have been made in my life through these rides and other events put on by the National MS Society.
I thank everyone who rode and worked hard to make this ride possible. We had a great weekend of riding with friends and family while raising a lot of money for the National MS Society. We need the National MS Society to continue funding research so we can get this MS thing figured out. THANK YOU to all engaging in this event and supporting all of us who rode.
Thank you to everyone at the National MS Society for the work you do and the connections you make. Like John Haupt keeps saying…”We’re going to BEAT this thing!” If you want to hear it one more time, watch John’s video again.
Here’s the link:
If you’re willing and able to support John on this ride, I would highly encourage you to do so. It’s not too late. We all live with MS and the National MS Society funds much needed research for all of us living with MS as well as makes connections and provides programs and events for people living with MS.
Who wants to practice falling?
We all fall, we might as well get good at it, right? Joy Cohran’s presentation on falling and falling properly exercises were received well and put right to use by many the last time she was here.
Joy Cochran, DPT, will review her demo of “how to fall” safely and effectively. We all fall, so let’s practice how to do it well! In theory, the more we fall, the better we get at it. That is, if we fall the way Joy teaches us to fall. Thanks for joining us again tomorrow, Joy! If you’re at risk of falling, you will benefit.
Joy will be here from 9:00am – 10:00am Wednesday, 8/5/2026
Vacation life is NOT sustainable – for me and my MS
Last week, I had a lot of positive comments about the message I shared. I knew people with MS could relate. I was surprised how many other people could relate. Thanks for your love, gratitude and words of encouragement! That meant a lot to me. I guess I will leave it in the newsletter one more week in case you skipped it last week and went right down to the nature pictures.
The past two weeks, I was sort of on vacation. I say sort of because it was great being away with family and friends where we unplugged a bit from the daily schedules, and enjoyed some vacation time together. Unfortunately, as I live with MS, I didn’t get to take a vacation from MS. That’s the other part of “sort of”.
I have been looking forward to this vacation time all year. We scheduled it in January and were excited when the time finally came to go. We rented a house on a lake up north and it was very relaxing. I got up every morning and went fishing and took pictures of nature each morning. These both are things I love to do. Our family members came up and we enjoyed a lot of relaxing, quality time together. I’m not sure we ate any meals inside. We ate them all out on the deck. It was a great time and I’m thankful for our time together in such a beautiful spot.
My MS however, did not respond to vacation time very favorably. I learned that fishing and nature photography is not exercise and does not have the same benefits as exercise. Even though my diet has a lot of room for improvement at home, I did not eat as healthy on vacation as I do at home. Hey…I was on vacation.
We kept busy during the day and were always doing something; however, it was not the same as my daily 1 to 1-1/2 hours of low impact cardio exercise that keeps my MS at bay. Combine that with not sleeping in my own bed and not eating as healthy as I do at home, my MS started giving me grief again. As the week went on, I got more and more weak and fatigued. By the time I got back home and back into my routine, my brain was foggy and my motivation to exercise again was pretty much gone. I was a different person and I didn’t like it. That sure didn’t take long.
So, what did I do? I didn’t want to exercise with the people I normally exercise with because I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep up. I went out for a bike ride by myself and rode as slow as I wanted to. I didn’t feel like riding fast. I did some two-to-five-minute bounces on the trampoline…not hard, no videos, I just bounced and did a few jumping jacks. I started to get my motivation back and finally got back out on the bike with the guys I usually ride with. I was right, I couldn’t keep up. They were patient with me and I have been back on the bike and short rebounding sessions for a week now. I’m back to my baseline…thankfully! I’m thankful I had a strong base going into this.
This just goes to show me personally how important daily exercise, eating healthy and getting some good rest is for my MS. I’ve been through this before so it didn’t surprise me. I guess I just have to realize that if I’m going to go on vacation, I still need to exercise daily while I’m on vacation or be prepared to go through a tough time mentally, emotionally, motivationally and physically. Is it worth it? For me, it definitely is. This vacation showed me how life changing it can be…both ways.
So, what’s the moral of the story? If we live with MS, we need to “Just Keep Moving”. At least I do.
Day of Endurance – Saturday, August 29th
Last Friday, we went over information about the Day of Endurance. I know how hard you all have been training for this event. I hope we all have made improvements in some way over last year and we get to bang on the GONG.
Please be sure to invite your family and friends to come join you and support you. We will have plenty of inspiration, encouragement, energy and love to share. If everyone brings a dish to pass, we will have plenty of food as well. Please plan on bringing a dish to pass and bring your own drinks.
Day of endurance presentation:
You will need to get a park pass for the park for that day if you don’t have an annual pass. You cannot get this at the park.
Here’s a link:
Thursday Morning Walk – Back at St Anthony’s this week
We will be back at St Anthony’s again this week. It might get a little hot, so come prepared with plenty of water and dress appropriately. It’s good to train in the heat but we need to listen to our bodies because our MS can be heat sensitive.
The long-distance walkers will be starting at 6:30 am. The rest of us will be starting at 9:00am. We will be starting from St. Anthony’s parking lot.
St Anthony’s Church
W280N2101 Prospect Avenue
Pewaukee, WI 53072
Come a few minutes early so we can start walking as close to the starting time you choose as possible. It’s going to be warm by the time we are done so bring water and dress accordingly.
For those who wish they could walk but can’t, we are walking for you and have you on our minds and in our hearts.
Friday Morning Bike Ride – Back at Nettesheim Park this week
Looking at the weather for this Friday, it looks like another beautiful morning for a ride.
We’ll 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.
Volunteer needed for bike maintenance
If you have the skills to do adjustments to brakes, derailleurs, tighten loose nuts and bolts, etc. We could use your help. The trikes need quite a bit of tender loving care. Please let me know if you are willing to help…thanks!
Educational Videos
More of our speakers and educational presentations are being uploaded on our YouTube channel. Here’s a link, check them out.
https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UClvyB43uSl1wJSoGBJkSeCw
Let’s get together – Open Gym plus programs!
We’ll be getting together from 7:00am – noon on Monday through Friday mornings at the gym. Plus, Monday and Wednesday evenings from 4:30pm – 6:30pm 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
Email Dr Kate Kern at kborn1234@gmail.com with any questions.
Exercise class schedule Feedback welcome to make this as best as it can be!
Nutrition Program.
Janine and friends talked about Tomatoes this week. There are lots of reasons to eat tomatoes.
If you are not engaging in our nutrition program, I would highly encourage you to do so. At least read the handouts that Janine prepares for us each week and apply the information into your lifestyle.
Here’s a link to the full handout:
Nutrition: https://drive.google.com/file/d/165dzYwGDcNJ5Sk3AMvbabTbuP7DfT38K/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!
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 go 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 7th, 2026. 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!
Member Spotlight – Andy Minster
It’s been a pleasure having Andy at the gym since he started coming earlier this year. Yes, Andy has MS yet he wants to help us at the gym and help others with MS. He fits in quite well. I love the progress he is making with his MS as well. Let’s thank Andy for all he does for us. Keep up the great work, Andy…thank you!
Ed and Adam’s Podcast
Adam and Ed made a new podcast this week talking with Todd about his RAGBRAI bike ride across Iowa on his handcycle.
Here’s the link:
Bike Ride by Positive Vibes Living with MS
Educational Sessions
Wednesday, August 5th 9-10:00am: Joy Cochran, DPT, will review her demo of “how to fall” safely and effectively. We all fall, so let’s practice how to do it well! In theory, the more we fall, the better we get at it…if we fall the way Joy teaches us to fall. This event was rescheduled.
Friday, August 7th 11:00-12:00pm: Ava Govek, MS, RDN, will present on her findings on the connection between MS and anti-inflammatory foods with emphasis on the Mediterranean diet.
Wednesday, September 9th 9:00 – 10:00am: Independence First is a resource organization for people with disabilities located in Milwaukee. They will share information related to their services and their assistive technology program https://www.independencefirst.org/
Friday, September 18th 11:00-12:00pm: Lauren E. Shuda, MD, Assistant Professor Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Medical College of Wisconsin, will talk to us about spasticity management.
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.
Dr Khatri’s Living Well with MS Conference – Saturday, August 22nd, 2026
We have all been invited to Dr Khatri’s event. I would highly encourage you to go to this. They are always educational and beneficial for us living with MS.
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Day of Endurance Training
Event is Saturday, August 29,2026 – Training is now
What: Do what you can
- Consistent Daily Exercise
- One long day per week – increase each week – no more than 10% per week
- Buddy up and exercise together
- Enjoy the journey 😊
Shoe Donations
Do you have any shoes you can donate? Becky Thomas is collecting old or new shoes supporting Soles for Jesus. These shoes will be distributed to people in need of shoes in Africa. Becky dropped off a box for us to drop them in. Please bring in shoes if you have any extras.
Coughs, colds, flus, etc. – Let’s not share
There are a lot of bugs going around. If you are experiencing any symptoms, please stay home and recover from them instead of sharing with the rest of us at the gym. We look forward to you getting over it and having you back quickly.
Research Needs us!
Marquette University, UW Milwaukee, University of Illinois, and Carroll University have research opportunities they would like us to engage in. We have flyers and more information about these opportunities at the gym. Please engage in these opportunities if you qualify. You could make improvements yourself and you could be helping so many other people with MS as they face their challenges. We really need to get this MS thing figured out and you can help by engaging in these research opportunities.
Dr Alex Ng from Marquette University reached out to me this week with this message. I would highly encourage you to participate in this research if you’re able to.
HI Dan,
I want to resend our study recruitment notice for our “singing study”. We actually have two studies going and we can sort eligible participants into the best one for them. Note that our age range has expanded to 20 to 80 yr. Still not completely inclusive but a step in the right direction. Any help you could give us to help get the word out would be appreciated! Thanks for what you created for the MS community.
Take care,
Alex
Alexander Ng, PhD, FACSM
Professor Emeritus
Program in Exercise Science
Department of Physical Therapy
Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881
414-288-6209 (ph)
414-288-6079 (fax)
Here’s a research opportunity that Marquette University is doing for all of living with MS. I would highly encourage you to engage in this if you qualify.
Health and Wellness Massage Opportunity – Carroll University
Our Facebook page is private. That means you’ll need to join if you want access to all our fun and progress. We broke 700 friends! We’re now at 701 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. We took some more in last week and received another $136.40. Our total up to $2,437.19 so far. That’s really good…thank you!
Parking
If you are able-bodied and willing to park across the street in the Acuity Foam 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.
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 Fridays
Reiki is available at the gym, for FREE on Fridays with Linda C, 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!
Here’s a Link to information about Reiki: Reiki at MS-Just Keep Moving
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 many ways!
In God We Trust…we are in good hands.
Dan
Our Website: http://msjustkeepmoving.org/
Phone: (262) 232-8552
P.S. I didn’t get out with the camera much this past week so I don’t have as good of pictures to share this week. Last Thursday when we were on our walk together, I had a couple flowers leaning over the trail that wanted their picture taken.
As Joan and I were finishing our walk, we saw a cute little deer.
Last evening, I knew I didn’t have many pictures to share so I went to Lapham Peak to see what was happening. I had no plan of what I would be taking pictures of. As I was walking in, I saw a flower that was lit up kind of nice. It needs some words added to it. Perhaps you can add some words and send it back to me 😊
I walked for quite a while and didn’t see any birds or critters to take pictures of. This bench looked pretty inviting though. Lapham Peak is certainly a gift to us that live local to it.
I thought well, perhaps I’ll need to create a little something to take a picture of and share. So, I gathered some pine needles, a couple rocks and sticks. I laid them together like this.
As I was taking a picture of them, a guy came by and was asking what I was taking a picture of. I showed him my little collection and he asked me if he could also take a picture of it. I said sure, go for it. He took a picture of it with his phone and then he told me he’s six months sober and lost 65 lbs in the past six months. He was probably 35 – 40 years old. He told me it took him quite a while to get on the right track but he’s really happy he is on the right track now. I shook his hand, congratulated him and shared that I’ve been sober for around 37 years now and have no regrets. We had a moment together. I’m confident God brought us together in this way as part of His plan. I have no idea what His plan is but I left my little collection there in place. I hope someone else has a moment with it.
As I was walking back out of the woods, I saw a couple more flowers that caught my eye. They could use some words too. 😊
When I got back to the parking lot, there was a man with his lawn chair sitting outside his car. I asked him if he enjoyed his evening in the park. He said he did. He’s 77 years old and walked up and down some of the hills. He asked me if I got any good pictures tonight. I told him I didn’t really see any critters so I just gathered some rocks and sticks and showed him that picture. He said it’s amazing how people have a spiritual connection out here in nature. I agreed. Then he said, yeah, I threw my TV away. I got sick of everything that was on it. I didn’t expect to hear that.
He asked me if I ever see any Great Horned Owls out here. Oh boy, that took a while to show him some of my owl pictures and have a chat with him about them. It was quite an evening. 😊
For those who cannot get out and enjoy nature due your challenges with MS…my heart is with you. You are with me every time I am out there. I enjoy being able to share 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.
