Category: Checking in with Michele’s Life and Status
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Fall is in the Air
Relief is around the corner as the days cool, and the breeze is a little chilly. For those changes, I am happy. This summer’s heat has wrecked havoc with my body. Aside from the downright misery of my extremities’ numbness, burning of nerve endings, and fatigue, the sun is beautiful and life giving. Yes, I…
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Bye Bye Buttons
When it comes to buttoning shirts, I have given up. Most of my button downs are heading to the Goodwill donation bin. This is definitely easier than fighting the mismatched buttons and the frustration of feeding the buttons into the tiny holes. I have been thinking about this for weeks. I have decided that slip-on…
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Living Intentionally Takes Practice
At my last visit with my neurologist, she reminded me to do “one task at a time” and stop trying to multi-task, which I used to have mastered as an art form. This takes slowing down and being intentional. That is really hard for a “Duracell Bunny” who was all over the many tasks I…
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The Consequences of Costco Observations
Last week I went to Costco with my husband. He was waiting in line for an ice cream swirl. Meanwhile, I pushed my cart with my requested “small boxes” of items to my car. I specifically ask for small boxes because I can not pick up the larger and often imbalanced larger boxes–it is a…
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Why I Track My Step Count
I started focusing on my step count as a goal in a clinical trial. I set my goal at 20,000 steps daily. That seems reasonable. So I had some busy days that I did not hit the goal; in retrospect, I decided that, like many tasks and goals, looking at my step data by the…
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Handling the Heat
Heat simply shuts me down. Don’t get me wrong; I love sunshine and the warmth of spring and early summer days. High temps send me running for shade and ice water. MS makes nerves lose their myelin sheath, which is their protective covering, and this loss of sheath makes the nerves more susceptible to heat…
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Change Your Mindset to Change Your View of Movement
“I am not an exerciser. I am not an exerciser. The gym smells of sweat and the soles of heated up tennis shoes.” My train of thoughts ran over and over for all the reason why I never exercised. But I can walk, I can stretch, and I can do yoga. The self-efficacy behind supporting…
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Stayin’ in Bed Today…Nope!
Some days if I wake up and still feel tired and the fatigue weighs me down, I consider staying in bed for just a half an hour longer. I try to do so; honestly I have tried. Then, my metacognition kicks in, and I think: “If I stay in bed today, what about tomorrow and…
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How I Know I Am “Adjusting” to my MS Diagnosis
When I had my annual check up, my neurologist noted that it appears that I am adjusting quite well to my MS diagnosis. My first thought was “Really?” Some days, it does not feel like it. I initially had a steep learning curve, and still some times I feel very impacted by my low energy…
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Kids Just Want to Know
I walk between 10 and 12 miles a day in my neighborhood. This is a great time for reflection, planning, and reenergizing myself. Recently, I took a fall and had to live for two-weeks with two very black eyes. Now, I have returned to walking with either one or two poles depending on my strength…
MS Fortunate 