Category: Checking in with Michele’s Life and Status
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“Nothing from nothing leaves nothing”
Inspired by Billy Preston’s lyrics, doing nothing somedays is the perfect prescription for my day or at least a part of it. That means I can really do nothing: no tasks, no chores, no appointments, no errors, no nothing! I used to feel guilty about having such down time; now, I see it as a…
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Pleasure in the little things
I find myself reflecting on the kindness of others and then seeking opportunities myself to do random acts of kindness. We live in a violent world, so small acts of kindness can be very helpful for those in need. This summer, I have found pleasure in doing small things for others and with others: Yesterday…
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90 degrees in Seattle
Today, the temperatures in Seattle hit 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat slows me down as the nerves do not make the needed connections for my body to function. Those synapses refuse to snap! I am perfectly fine to tell others, “Hey, I am a little slow and clumsy today.” It took me a while to…
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A Year of Changes
I took a hiatus from blogging as I adjusted to many new events in my life: I retired after teaching 47 years with the past 35 being at the same institution; I had several relapses and new lesions on my spinal cord; my father passed away; my medication changed to infusion as my medications were…
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An MS Apprenticeship for Locals
Most people understand what an apprenticeship is: a system of training in which a person called the apprentice learns a trade or profession through hands-on experience under the guidance of a skilled professional mentor or master. Apprenticeships typically combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction. No Apprenticeship or local mentoring network set up to help people…
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My Final Words to a Dear Friend
Today I went to visit a life long friend who is 93 and very ill. She just wants to go to sleep and not wake up. She has lived a very full life, and she is ready to go. I knew I was one of two people who knew where she was, and that her…
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Celebrate Those Close to Us
I think a lot about those close to me — those who care about me. These people search my face, tap into my voice, review my body position, check my energy level, seeking to see “how I am”. These are the actions of love and care; I understand this all too well. There actions are…
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An Inconvenience
An “inconvenience” is the word I have landed on to describe my daily encounters with MS. That means it is present, but there are work arounds. Because my hands are numb and tingling, I can not use them for fine motor skills. My husband can help with my hair, and he does. He can help…
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Nerves and Getting on One’s Nerves
I have been thinking about nerves and their value to our everyday lives that we don’t often think about. Nerves come in bundles, and not like a baby either. They send and receive messages between the body and the brain making up our nervous systems. Nerve fibers are covered in tissue called the myelin sheath,…
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Musings on Work and Life
I have taught in one form or another since 1977. This has granted me a rich landscape of topics and curriculum. Of recent artifical intelligence(AI) and its tools have been a key aspect of my work and faculty professional development. I originally thought that I would work through age 70, then retire. However, after much…
MS Fortunate 