Keep On Moving - February

[agate]

Here is our Sunshine 2's message for this Keep On Moving thread:

MS creates some real challenges to keep on moving. It helps to inspire each other on how to find ways to move.

Did you stretch in your bed, swing your arms, roll side to side today? Or perhaps you did housework? Or exercised in a pool? Tracked your count of steps? Chased your cat around the home? Pushed the wheelchair wheels with your arms at the store? Post them here and we can support and egg each other on.

REMEMBER: this is a keep on moving thread, not keep on exercising! Any moving is important it doesn't have to be exercise! Even Science proves that.

I'm sorry to report that my average step count for January hit a new low: 1,179 steps/day based on 26 days. There is no excuse for this except laziness. I've thought of a reason for needing to walk all the halls of this building instead of just the first floor hall: I really need to know if there are cameras installed on the other floors. They are on the first floor but the question came up about the other floors.

Another reason for needing to walk all the halls is to see what plants people have in their entranceways. The last time I did this I found only one African violet. Some of the plants are artificial but look very real.

The entranceway each person has here is a great opportunity for people to express themselves. Some have barstools or other small stands with plants or small items on them (figurines, Mickey Mouse dolls, toys). Some have surrounded the doorway with small photos and other pictures. Some change these displays regularly in observance of holidays. A walk around the halls here can be far less boring than you might expect.

So what is everyone else doing for exercise? Even just fixing a meal is exercise, of course. Anything involving the use of muscles.

[Virginia]

I've decided getting in and out of my shower is exercise. I am always so skittish when I do it. I will admit that the chair rather than the stool I had makes it easier. Today I dropped the soap, the soap dish and the top off the hair conditioner. I managed to get the soap by sliding it over close to my chair with a back brush. I have now decided to try a liquid soap and see if it is easier to hold on to. The soap dish and the top off the conditioner, I just waited until I got out. I knew I could get those with a reacher.

Agate, I think your step count is still good. You only counted 26 days.

[agate]

Virginia, I know what you mean about the bathing. I'm so uneasy about getting in and out of the bathtub that I often postpone bathing. I tell myself I couldn't possibly be so very dirty since I don't do anything. I'm not even outside getting rained on, or at least not very often. I use a couple of types of wipes as a kind of sponge bath instead of a bath on those days.

Have you heard about "soap on a rope"? I've seen this mentioned, sometimes as an aid for people with MS. I haven't ever used it but probably should. I went looking for some on Amazon but they were all ridiculously pricey. I'm sure I saw it advertised somewhere at a more reasonable price but unfortunately I can't remember where.

When you drop the soap in the bathtub, the surface of the bathtub or shower floor just gets more slippery by the minute while you chase around trying to get it--I know the experience all too well.

[Parsi]

Soap on a rope! I remember those when I sold Avon!

What about wall dispensers? You know the ones you see in public restrooms. My sister-in-law at one time had a multi-dispenser in her shower with a place for soap, shampoo, and conditioner.
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[Parsi]

Exercise? What is that? I've done almost zilch since stopping cardiac therapy. I might do a couple minutes here or there, but not worth counting.

[agate]

A wall dispenser sounds like a great idea--thanks, Parsi! Simple and straightforward, with no electronic bells and whistles.

I had to get a new electric toothbrush recently as the old one died. I got the cheapest decent one I could find and even so it doesn't just plug in--it has to have a USB port. And you don't just turn it on or off--there are lights that mean important things and beeps that mean even more important things.

Three beeps going high-medium-low mean one thing but three beeps going low-medium-high mean another. Etc.

I'm disabling most of these features as fast as I can.

[Virginia]

The dispenser that Parsi talked about sounds interesting even though I am not sure I have room for one.

[agate]

I've been busy adjusting to the higher-tech toothbrush and trying to sort out this insurance coverage issue but yesterday I opened up one of those little candies that have a message on the inside of the wrapper, like a fortune cookie (sort of), and this was the message:

Small steps can still walk miles. Go at your own pace!

Those candy-wrapper messages are usually fairly silly but this one seemed appropriate for people with MS.