Friends,
Vacations – I love it when people take them
It always makes me feel good when our friends with MS go on vacation and enjoy it. I really enjoy it when they share experiences that their MS behaved, they didn’t fall, didn’t get so fatigued, was able to do something they didn’t used to be able to do, etc.
I also don’t like it when our friends with MS take vacations. I miss them while they are away. I know, that’s self-centered of me. I’m just saying it the way it is.
MS-Just Keep Moving Phone number: 262-232-8552
We took a leap forward in technological advances and had a land line installed. If you get in the parking lot and need help in, just call our land line. We have four phones strategically placed throughout the gym so someone can hear it. You can let them know you are here and we can come help you get out of your car and come in.
This will also help as people who want to contact us can contact us by phone. We have an answering machine hooked up to the system so if we don’t pick up, just leave a message. Let’s celebrate this milestone 😊
MS-Just Keep Moving phone number is: 262-232-8552
Rebounding (mini trampoline) with MS article by Bellicon
Fayth Caruso from Bellicon shared with me an article about rebounding with MS. Fayth and her team did lots of research about MS and put this article together sharing some of their experience with rebounding and working with us. This article is very well researched about MS as a disease and very informative. Please read it.
https://www.bellicon.com/en-us/magazine/health/multiple-sclerosis/
Christina and her capstone project show last Friday – very nice!
If you were at the gym last Friday when Christina talked about her experience here during her capstone project, you saw for yourself how impactful it has been.
Christina had a very nice layout of many of the projects that were done during her time here. We all got to check them out.
I was amazed at the talent of many of our friends with MS in not only these acrylic paintings but the rest of the projects as well. Even the games looked fun to play.
We will also have an opportunity to witness and support Christina when she presents her summary to Concordia College this Thursday…see info below.
Thank you, Christina, Concordia College and everyone who participated and made this experience possible. We are hoping to keep programs like this going and hopefully, Christina will be back to help. If you are interested and /or willing to help with programs like this going forward, please let me or Kate know.
Thursday morning walking
We will be doing it a little differently this year. Last year, we started at 6:00am so we could be done earlier. Many mornings, it was finally warming up by the time we were done. It was nice to be done early though.
This year, we will be starting at 9:00am and as it gets hotter, we will go a little earlier to beat the heat. We like to start and finish where there are bathrooms and water plus have bathrooms and water on the route. We will be starting at St Anthony’s Church parking lot and walking on the Lake Country Trail to start.
St Anthony’s Church
W280N2101 Prospect Avenue
Pewaukee, WI 53072
We want to be inclusive of people who want to do this so we will all be walking at the pace of the slowest person and when we have issues (falls, fatigue, MS Symptoms, etc.) we will deal with them as they happen and do what we need to do. Nobody will be left out there by themselves.
This will be a gradual build up process. We’ll see how it goes with whoever shows up and build up the mileage week after week as our bodies allow us to. What we’ve learned over and over is that our bodies adapt to what we are able to put them through. If we want to walk better, walking more helps. How far will we walk? We will decide that each week depending upon who shows up and what the ability level of the group is, the weather, etc. If some people want to stop early, we will make that possible. Our goal is to gradually build up each week for the Day of Endurance on August 29th.
Family members, friends, volunteers, etc. are encouraged to join us. We will be starting a separate e-mail list for this. If you’d like to at least be on this e-mail list, please let me know. We’d like to have as many as we can join us so when people go on vacation, can’t be there, etc., the walks still go on.
We will be keeping the people who would love to walk with us but physically can’t in our minds and hearts as we do these walks. Let’s walk for them.
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. 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 – 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 (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 recipes for your GI Tract.
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/1Mbl4eochDRVJ8bovmeqc1CWUgR3Sf2hN/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!
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 this Friday, May 1st, 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 – Ben and Holly
I love it when people buddy up and train together. It’s good to see that Ben and Holly are talking advantage of the nice weather and our nice driveway with a walking path around it get out and walk together. Way to go Ben and Holly! You made my day!
Ed and Adam’s Podcast
Adam and Ed talk with JoAnn and about a recent MS episode Ed had.
Here’s the link:
Talking About An MS Episode by Positive Vibes Living with MS
Thanks Adam, Ed and Ava for doing these podcasts together!
Educational Sessions
STARTING THIS FRIDAY. Clean up your Spring cleaning! Nichole Connolly, one of our members, will host a 4-part series covering simple, non-toxic, swaps to safely clean your home. This series will be held in the break room for education and demos.
May 1st 11:00am- 12:00pm – general cleaning and laundry products
May 8th 11:00am- 12:00pm – the kitchen
May 15th 11:00am- 12:00pm – the bathroom
May 29th 11:00am- 12:00pm – body products (skin care)
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
Last week, we thought we were going to get rained on so we had a little smaller group. We sure had a nice ride together though…and no rain. Thank you to all who came and rode with us. If anyone is capable of volunteering on these rides, we would appreciate another volunteer or two.
Looking at the weather for this Friday, it looks like it might be a little too cold to ride. Watch your e-mail and Facebook to find out if we are riding or not. We will not ride if it is below 45 degrees at 7:00am.
If we 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 – Come next Monday!
Quite a few of us enjoyed the art programs. This coming Monday, 5-4 will be a showcase of the Arts for MS programs that have been going on for quite a few weeks. Come see what this is all about as we are hoping these programs continue into the future and hope you will consider engaging in them.
Come Monday May 4 at Nadiana Art Gallery for our Celebration. There will light refreshments, some dancing and an opportunity to see your art on display. This event is free and we would love for you to join us along with your friends and family!
Feel free to share this FLYER far and wide and stay tuned for our upcoming class schedule.
Sincerely,
Jessica Fastabend
Community Education Director
414.277.8480 x6005
325 W Walnut St. Milwaukee WI 53212
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 reserve your seats
Dr Khatri is inviting all of us to his educational event about living with MS again this year. I would highly encourage you to save the date and join us at this event.
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 685 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. I didn’t get out with the camera much this week but I did have some nice moments out in nature. If anyone goes morel hunting, they are just starting. We ate a few last night…they were good!
The birds are busy building nests
The lily pads are starting to get some color
The red-winged blackbirds are always fun to listen to and watch
It’s always nice to be out in nature with friends. I went for a walk with Cal and Larry at Nashotah Park. They got tired of waiting for me so they sat down and had a little chat. They were probably wishing I would hurry up. I don’t usually hurry when I’m out in nature. They were patient with me.
We had a few raindrops fall while we were out there. The ripple effect of a simple raindrop always amazes me. Let’s think about that for a bit. How different would life be if we didn’t have raindrops?
It’s nice that everything is getting green again
The robins are enjoying our bird bath again 😊
And the turkeys are enjoying their ration of corn they get each day
I checked the river out on Sunday with my Mom and Bonnie. I saw my first egret of the season and then had a sandhill crane fly by as I was taking a picture of it. Not the best camera settings but I was glad they got to see it too.
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.
