Musical birthday memories

“In Xanadu, did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decree…” So sayeth Olivia Newton-John in one of my all-time favorite movies: Xanadu. I love this 1980 film that was billed as, “A Fantasy, A Musical, A Place Where Dreams Come True.” I love its music, storyline, the roller-skating, and its abundant cheesiness. And I love how it takes me back to my childhood. I’ll admit it: The summer my parents first got cable television at our house, I watched Xanadu 21 times. Every time I laced up my skates that summer I pretended to be ONJ’s character, Kyra. The...

Understanding Jennifer’s perspectives

The other day I belted out a line from an obscure Kiss song featured on an album (that’s right, album) released nearly three decades ago. Without skipping a beat, Jennifer followed my lead and piped in with the song’s next line. Yeah, of an obscure Kiss song that I listened to with my friends growing up. I flashed her the how-the-heck-did-you-know-that look, to which she smiled, shrugged her shoulders and said, “I was a good little brother.” Jennifer has a great relationship with her older brother, Steve. She had picked up a lot of his interests and likes, so after...

Moving forward

June is here, and while Jennifer is busy wrapping up her graduate class for Central Michigan University’s first eight-week summer session, I am working to get back into running form for the summer season. I recently had my worst-ever time in a 5K race at the Alma Highland Festival of Races over the Memorial Day weekend, but it’s interesting how I feel it was my best race ever. Guess I rationalize it like this: First off, I was back out there running again; AND secondly, I set myself up to run a season-best time at the Human Race in Mount Pleasant next week! In addition...

Despite MS, I Am a Caregiver

Memories of an old Nike advertisement when Charles Barkley proclaimed that he was not a role model got me thinking of something I am not. I am not a caregiver. I mean, I can’t be. After all, I am the one in the wheelchair. The one who no longer stands without help. The one who says repeatedly throughout a typical day, “Would you help me with something?” I just don’t think of myself in a caregiving role. At least, I never thought of it that way. I imagine there are plenty of us in the MS community who see ourselves the same way; more of a caretaker...

Off to a great start

Taking a quick breath, I look at the calendar and am torn on how to react. In one sense it’s like, “Oh my God! It’s already Jan. 15?” In another sense it’s more like, “Oh my God! It’s only Jan. 15?” Seems like a lot has happened in the first two weeks of this new year. Health Central Jennifer and I are regular contributors to HealthCentral.com, and we had the opportunity to write the first Question of the Week in 2012 on the website. How exciting! Our question – “What Would Make Your MS Life Better?” – has generated some interesting and hopeful...