Friends,
It’s Spring!
Pay attention to the Friday bike ride section below. It looks like we can ride this Friday! We’ve been waiting all winter for this…let’s ride!
We will also be starting our Day of Endurance build up walking soon. Please let me, Joan or Pam know if you would like to join us. These will be on Thursday mornings in two weeks or so.
Christina and her capstone project is making an impact
It seems that everyone who is engaging in Christina’s programs are enjoying them and benefiting from them. We are going to have an opportunity to see some of the projects, hear Christina’s overall presentation and talk with some of the people who engaged in them.
We will also have an opportunity to witness and support Christina when she presents her summary to Concordia College. Let’s thank Christina and Concordia College for choosing to do her capstone project here with us.
Sarah Strauder gave a great presentation
Sarah Strauder, MD, came to speak to us about the wheelchair clinic she jointly runs at various sites hosted by Aurora Health Care and Froedtert. We had so much participant interaction and questions for Sarah, we could’ve gone another hour! Many of our people need help navigating getting the right mobility device for them, whether it’s a manual wheelchair, scooter, or power chair. I’m hopeful that our members will reach out to Sarah’s clinic and seek an evaluation for themselves. This seems like a hard space to navigate with insurance coverage too. Sarah and her team do their best to advocate for their patient’s needs despite limitations and hurdles with insurance. She also offered some additional ideas for obtaining devices without insurance. Thanks Sarah!
Sarah’s presentation from last Friday: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/136YVCysRcifyhFaYrbblai8t5CZHilux/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116069757124832431910&rtpof=true&sd=true
Golf Outing – Friday, June 26th
Here’s a link to more information:
ePH Cares | Involvement In Our Community | ePlatinumHealth
Our annual golf outing put on by our friends at ePlatinum Health is coming up very quickly. This event fills up for golfers very quickly. I know the past couple years, some people were disappointed they didn’t get to golf in it because it was already full. This year, we only have 30 spots left so if you want to golf in it, I would encourage you to get signed up promptly.
We will need to gather some nice raffle and silent auction items for the is event to give our golfing friends a great experience and to raise more money for our mission. If you are willing and able to donate something for the golf outing raffle or silent auction, please let us know. We are hoping for event tickets, experience opportunities, items for baskets, memorabilia, etc.
We are still looking for some sponsors who would get some great visibility and help our mission. If you know someone that would be willing to be a sponsor, please let us know that as well. Here’s a link for sponsorship. https://eplatinumhealth.com/ms-golf-outing/ We are THANKFUL for our sponsors.
Let’s get together!
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 (to start 3/16/25). Feedback welcome to make this as best as it can be!
Nutrition Program
This week, Janine and friends at the Nutrition program talked about the Blue Zones. This is an interesting topic. How many people in your circle live to be over 100 years old? What can we learn from them?
If you are not engaging in our nutrition program, I would highly encourage you to 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/1D9K8mMRq0yIV9FD04z2hBKv9sX3z7Qs9/view?usp=drive_link
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!
Let’s Develop a Cookbook
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, April 17th, 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 – Patrick Coffey
Patrick has already made a huge impact in the lives of so many students he taught through the years. Now he’s found a way to continue following his passion and sharing his gifts of teaching. It’s a true joy to have Patrick with us each week. Thanks for being you, Patrick!
Ed and Adam’s Podcast
Adam and Ed had some friends join them on the podcast this week. I didn’t get a chance to listen to it yet but I’m looking forward to it.
Here’s the link:
Talking With Friends by Positive Vibes Living with MS
Thanks Adam, Ed and Ava for doing these podcasts together!
Educational Sessions
Wednesday, April 15th 9:00am – 10:00am: Let’s Be Safe: tub/shower and bed transfers. Stephanie Wahlen, occupational therapist with experience in home health and safety with ADLs, will provide a safe transfer workshop.
Friday, April 17th 6-8pm. Nyani Berg has invited a Traditional Medicine Doctor to speak with us about Traditional Medicine. A zoom option will be available for those that cannot make it in person. A flyer and zoom registration link will be available in the coming weeks.
Friday, April 24th 11:00 – 12:00pm: Christina, doctoral OT student at Concordia University, and the participants of her leisure activity group will showcase what they’ve been up to the last 7 weeks. We’ll get to see what painting, making, creating and laughing together can do for us living with MS.
Friday, May 22nd 11:00am – 12:00pm: Dr. Obeidat, MD, PhD, at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, will share with us what being creative can do for brain physiology. Great follow up to Christina’s talk!
Wednesday, July 1st 9:00-10:00am: 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!
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.
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 😊
Friday Morning Bike Rides
Ready to start riding again? I’ve been watching the weather and as soon as it is 45 degrees or above at 7:00am, we will start riding. Looking at the weather for this Friday, it looks like it will be 47 degrees to start and warm up from there. Let’s 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.
Arts for MS Program – Let’s engage!
Quite a few of us enjoyed the art program last night.
If you want to see some amazing art, go to Nadia’s art gallery.
The next class in our series will be held at:
Nadiana Art Gallery 4818 S 76th St ste 6, Greenfield, WI 53220 on April 27.
Classes will take place beginning at 6:30 and end at 8:00 to allow more time for art making.
These classes are always free for all participants and we encourage you to bring along friends and family members to enjoy the class. Due to the nature of the classes please let us know you are coming using THIS LINK* this way we can ensure there will be enough supplies for everyone.
*If you already RSVP’d for the art classes you do not need to do so a second time, you’re all set.*
Please feel free to share the info flyer far and wide and I look forward to making art with you in April.
Sincerely,
Jessica Fastabend
Community Education Director
414.277.8480 x6005
325 W Walnut St. Milwaukee WI 53212
If anyone wants to carpool for these events from the gym, please let me know. Let’s do our best to make it easy for as many people as possible to take advantage of these wonderful opportunities for us, our family members, and friends.
Shoe Donations
We already filled four boxes and quite a few bags. 😊 Thanks to everyone who is donating their shoes!
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. She 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.
Special Educational Event for us – Save the date and register
Nyani is here on Fridays, offering Thai Massage. She is a licensed massage therapist, practicing only traditional thai therapies. Every year Nyani invites her teacher to Waukesha, to share the teachings she so passionately believes in. This year, she has requested Somananda Yogi to the gym to check the work she does and see what she can do to better benefit those she works on while being here. Nyani has also invited Somananda Yogi to do a private talk, just for the members (and family and friends).
Traditional Medicine: In this talk, being held for members of MS Just Keep Moving, Inc, we will take an introductory look at the body, health, disease and longevity from the perspective of South and South East Asian medical traditions. The incorporation of traditional medicine and lifestyle habits is a longstanding option to bring benefit to our daily lives. This event will be led by a traditional medical doctor and practitioner of Buddhist sciences with time for questions at the end. There is a zoom option for those who cannot attend in person. If you are attending via zoom, you will be provided a link in your email after registration.
Link to register for zoom attendance: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/kDXdKS2iT2-fbeForqr9Sw
About Somananda Yogi:
Somananda Yogi has dedicated his life to the study and practice of buddhadhamma and traditional medicine. He has spent most of his life studying throughout Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, Burma, India, and Nepal, where he focused on Thai and Lanna Medicine, as well as Ayurveda and Yoga. Though he has completed medical training in formal curriculum, much of his medical education and yoga studies consisted of apprenticeships with experienced teachers and practitioners. Somananda Yogi now travels the world treating patients, helping those in need, instructing, lecturing, writing and serving his teachers.
Dockhounds Game to benefit our MS-Just Keep Moving Mission – Save the date and get tickets
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.
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.
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 683 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. Our total is $1,926.63 for the first year. That’s really good! We’re getting ready to take another load in.
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.
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 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!
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/
P.S. This last week, I was fortunate enough to sneak away for a few days to Orange Beach, Alabama. We had a nice sunset as soon as we got there.
The next morning, I got up early and went for a walk on the beach. It was good to see a few other people enjoying such a beautiful morning
They have a different kind of wildlife on the beach
The Jelly fish in the sunrise make for interesting pictures
This Starfish looked a little more familiar
You don’t see critters like this in Wisconsin
It was fun watching these birds run in and out with the waves
The beaches were very white except when the sun was coming up. The orange glow at sunrise was beautiful
The seagulls were fun to watch too
We sure had some beautiful sunrises
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 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.
