Friends,
Are you ready for the heat?
Heat sensitivity is a real thing for all of us living with MS. We’re all so different with our MS as well as how our MS behaves with heat. Our good friend Tom Holtackers is going to do a zoom call specifically on this subject this Saturday. Here’s some information from Tom about it:
Hi MS Zoomers,
Most of us with MS experience an increase in our symptoms when our body temperature increases, which diminish when we cool off. This so-called “pseudo-exacerbation” or false flareup of our disease, is otherwise known as Uhthoff’s Phenomenon named after the doctor who first described it!
Being that we are in the beginning throws of summer heat a discussion related to how we can manage heat is appropriate for our June meeting
So please bring your experiences with heat intolerance, techniques you use to help tolerate this dilemma and questions related to how we can manage this troublesome problem to our June meeting, which is this coming Saturday June 7th at 1 PM. I will send out a Zoom link to the meeting toward the end of the week.
If you know of others with MS who might be benefit from this extremely important topic, please invite them and send them the link or have them email me at mssux@mac.com so I can add them to my distribution list
See you on the 7th at 1…
Tom
I would highly encourage you toe-mail Tom and join in on this call if you experience MS challenges with the heat. Tom has been a physical therapist working with people with MS at the Mayo Clinic most of his career and has had MS himself for 40+ years. Maybe more. He’s also written two books about living with MS. We have them available in our resource center.
Elissa and David Granger
Sometimes in life, we never know who’s paying attention to what we are doing, how it affects them and what they do with it.
My niece Elissa, who is a middle school teacher in Osseo-Fairchild School District by Eau Claire, WI and her husband David decided they wanted to do something for a cause. They decided they would exercise every day for the month of June and they chose to do this for our MS-Just Keep Moving mission.
They reached out to many of their friends and family members and asked them to support them on this initiative. Many of them were happy to do that. They sent out weekly updates on what they were doing and shared how much money they raised each week. They were amazed at how many of their friends and family members not only donated so generously but also shared their amazing stories.
I’m so proud of them for doing what they did at such a young age. They ended up rekindling many friendships, had great conversations with friends and family members, visited some people (including us this past weekend) and ended up raising $1,600.00 for our MS-Just Keep Moving mission.
While they were here on Saturday, we showed them around the gym and had them do a couple rebounding workouts. They got a great workout and really enjoyed their time here. They left feeling good about supporting our mission.
THANK YOU, Elissa and David along with all your family and friends who supported you. Absolutely amazing! We are so grateful.
Ellisa and David wrote a beautiful message to everyone they contacted. I really feel I should share this as they are setting such a great example for others. I wish I had Elissa as middle school teacher. I think we would have got along quite well. I’m thankful she has David as such a loving and supporting husband. Here’s their message:
Together, We Made a Difference
Dear Family and Friends,
As May comes to a close, David and I are overwhelmed with gratitude for each and every one of you who joined us in this journey. What started as a challenge to honor the resilience of those living with MS turned into something far more meaningful—an experience that strengthened our own determination, fostered important conversations, and connected us with so many generous and kind-hearted people.
Together, we raised $1,600 for Dan’s MS -Just Keep Moving Gym! Every dollar will go toward empowering individuals living with Multiple Sclerosis to reclaim their mobility, proving that persistence, movement, and community truly make a difference. Your support has humbled us, and we are beyond honored to pass along this donation. Each contribution will go a long way in keeping this incredible program thriving and the services it provides FREE for those who need it.
Throughout the month, we embraced movement in every form: bike rides, swimming, volleyball, pickleball, weightlifting, and walks with Maverick. Through storms, setbacks, and moments of reflection, this journey reminded us that showing up and choosing to move forward matters. One of the most powerful parts of this experience has been the stories shared with us, stories of resilience, loss, hope, and strength. Those conversations, sparked by this initiative, have been a gift we never expected. Watching this fundraising effort unfold reaffirmed our belief that even in difficult times, when so much stuff going on around us makes us feel helpless and hopeless, we can STILL choose kindness and to create a positive impact, no matter how big or small.
To everyone who donated, encouraged us, shared this cause, or supported in any way, thank you. This journey wouldn’t have been possible without you. If you’d still like to get involved, the Metals for MS program is ongoing, and you can find more details here, and if you would like to donate independently you can send a check to the address below:
MS – Just Keep Moving, Inc.
W228N791 Westmound Drive
Waukesha, WI 53186
Thank you for believing in this mission, for inspiring us with your generosity, and for reminding us that small actions lead to great change. We hope this movement continues beyond May, in big and small ways, for everyone.
With heartfelt appreciation,
David & Elissa
Walking Opportunities
Walking is a very functional and sought after level of mobility for all of us living with MS. For those who can’t walk, my heart is with you. I don’t forget for a minute the days I couldn’t walk and I have you in mind on each walk. I wish we had quicker ways to get people who can’t walk, walking. Let’s keep working at it.
For those who can walk, let’s focus on keeping our walking abilities and try to improve upon them. We have some fun small groups to walk with. Our Monday afternoon hiking group gets out in nature on trails and has a lot of fun together.
Barb and Steve rocked it yesterday. 
If you’re interested in hiking with the Monday hiking group, let Steve Schwan know and he will include you in the location, time, etc. We usually hike somewhere between two and five miles and start at 2:00pm on Mondays.
We also have our endurance walking group training for the Day of Endurance. These are on Thursday mornings starting @ 6:00am. Last Thursday, we walked 9 miles and are shooting for 10 this Thursday. We stopped for quite a few stretches but not for a lot of pictures. Joan got really close to this friendly deer. We had to stop for a picture so we could share that moment.
We passed another spot on Mill Rd that just couldn’t be passed up. Joan, Pam and myself all continue to improve each week as we build up for the Day of Endurance.
We are walking different segments of the Lake Country Trail. Whether you have MS, are a family or friend, a volunteer, etc. if you want to join us, please let me know and I will include you in the communication of where we will be walking. We are hoping to gradually build up from 7 miles to 15-18 miles as we train for the Day of Endurance on August 23rd.
Nutrition Program
This week, the subject was oils used in our food. Janine wanted to make a correction to the conversation. Here’s a message from Janine:
“When talking about oils this week, there was a question about canola oil. Janine notes that she unfortunately misspoke when saying that canola oil is the same as grapeseed oil. She meant to say that canola oil comes from the rapeseed plant. While grapeseed oil has a high smoke point of 485°F, canola oil has a lower smoke point of 400°F. Grapeseed oil is made from seeds left from winemaking. Canola oil is made from the rapeseed plant. Rapeseed oil can be turned into oil for cars and industry, or it can be made into the variety that we eat. One concern with canola oil is that much of the oil comes from plants that are genetically-modified. Some people wish to avoid genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). Also, like other “seed” oils, canola oil is highly processed, thus it has lower amounts of nutrients than were present in the seeds themselves, and refining may add unhealthy chemicals.”
Here’s a link to the presentation: MS 2025.06.02 Oils.pdf
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!
Member Spotlight – Jerry Huhn
Jerry is always behind the scenes doing something for us even when he is recovering from a back surgery. He never asks for anything in return nor does he want recognition for it. Let’s thanks Jerry for all he’s doing for us. THANK YOU JERRY!
Golf Outing Donations
Thank you to all who donated and helped us gather donations for our golf outing. We’re in a good spot and will be putting the baskets / silent auction items together this week. Thanks so much!!
Day of Endurance – Saturday, August 23rd 2025
I hope your training is going well. I know some are hitting it hard and are well ahead of where they were last year at this time…good job! We get out of it what we put into it. I hope you’re feeling good!
Let’s make this journey and experience the best yet and have some fun…together. As we train, let’s enjoy each day and record what we do on the packet we put together for you. If you didn’t get a packet, please see Dr Kate or me for your packet. Please turn your progress notes into Dr Kate bi-weekly. We’re trying to make it really easy for you to record what you’re doing on a daily basis. These will be interesting for you to look back at a year from now. Hopefully, you can do more next year than you do this year.
Remember, try to do daily workouts and just one LONG workout each week. It’s on the one long workout that you want to do just a little better than the week before and gradually build up each week.
Ed and Adam’s Podcast
Adam and Ed had an interesting conversation with friends last week.
Here’s the link:
Adam, Ed, and Friends by Positive Vibes Living with MS
Thanks Adam, Ed and Ava for doing these podcasts together!
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: MS 2025.06.02 Oils.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
8:30am – 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.
Fridays:
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 had a nice ride together last Friday. I’m really pleased and excited about how well everyone rode last week. Now that we had the bikes running better and everyone was ready to go fairly early, we have a great ride and covered quite a few miles already. Let’s have a great riding season together .
We will be riding this Friday if it’s not raining. If it’s raining, feel free to come to the gym early.
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 7:00 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, June 13th: 11:00 – 12:00 pm: Physical Therapists, Kimberly Sawall and Emily Hill from ProHealth Care will talk about the balance triad and how this plays a large role in dizziness and imbalance with mobility.
Friday, Friday, June 27th 11:00 – 12:00 pm: Faith Zahorik, pelvic floor physical therapist from ProHealth Care will talk to us about the anatomy and function of your pelvic floor and core musculature, and the interaction of MS. You will also take home the initial tools to build strength and strategies for optimal pelvic floor health.
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.
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. 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 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, June 6th, 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 615 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!
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. Did you know Wauwatosa has a brand new park that just opened this past week? It has a troll that likes to collect lamp poles from the same park. It’s a big troll, Sam and Caleb look pretty small underneath it. Here’s a link if you want to know more about the troll, the artist who made it or the park. https://discoverwauwatosa.com/wauwatosa-troll/
While we were in the same park, we saw this cute little frog
And this beautiful flower
We had a turkey dancing in our yard this week. Do you recognize the move?
We sure had some nice lighting one evening at sunset
I love it when they strut their stuff
Some people say turkeys are ugly, I think they’re beautiful. Your thoughts?
The sandhill cranes sure stick together like they are in love
We got some rain and wind this afternoon. A leaf blew off one of our hosta plants. I wasn’t too happy about that. It blew upside down and collected some raindrops. I guess it could have been worse.
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.
