Being back in the routine of work has been both great for me and also quite a challenge. I love getting up and getting at it, I know most people hate the grind but I like doing my part. While I was off work I felt like I was aimlessly floating and not doing anything purposeful. I was recovering and taking care of myself but I missed contributing to the well-being of others.

Now that I have been at work for a while I do miss the peace and quiet but I’m having a great time teaching kids how to read and do math. Also I have started a pretty neat writing program that is teaching kids to have a voice as a writer; it’s going pretty well so far. Also I have been spreading the word about MS both to kids and the staff. I’ve learned that I have a parent of a student with MS and some staff members that have family members with the disease. Everyone has been very supportive and interested thus far.

Being back at work I have been more tempted to fall off of my diet as there is the endless supply of birthday treats offered up daily by happy little students! Not to mention bagels and treats in the teachers lounge. I haven’t slipped up yet but I can’t say that I’m not temped.

Packing lunches has been like having a second job at this point, my salads do get many envious glances in the lounge. I can’t blame the gawkers as my creations include nuts, fruit, chicken and bacon lately along with a pile of spinach, arugula and anything else green I can cram in there!

This year’s annual Michigan MS Society meeting was very exciting, my wife was honored along with other top fundraisers in the state! Way to go Jill!! This week is MS awareness week...do you have any plans? Keep up the fight!!

Be a Warrior Today,
Donn

A Bit About Donn:  Donn is 38 years old and was diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS in 2010.  He lives with his wife and son in Plymouth, MI.

After the mono episode in September my journey has taken a better course, I’ve changed my diet and my outlook has brightened. I was gone from work for about four months, September through January, the longest time in my life that I wasn’t working. Over that time I got my body back into shape and really started the assault on my MS. My goal was to get back to work and continue on with my life.

Being in the education business, more specifically the special education business I had to make sure that my energy level was going to sustain me throughout what is generally a strenuous day. I didn’t want to go back to work unless I could do a great job, there’s no such thing as an easy day and I had to be sure I could do it.

The last few weeks before I returned to work I really hit the exercise bike hard doing 30 minutes a day to regain some stamina and strength in my legs. Yoga was also a big key for me; now that I’m back to work I’m really missing my adaptive yoga courses. Yoga helped with my mind body balance and I try to implement controlled breathing throughout my day, “relax your shoulders and breath in deep.”

Now that I’m back to work I’ve been doing great, I pack a huge lunch with a few pieces of fruit and a massive salad each day. It hasn’t been easy by any means, and I’m tested nearly every day, being one of the only male teachers in my school I get a cupcake almost every day! I work on stretching whenever I get a chance and drinking water while I snack on some veggies.

It’s been a long hard struggle to get back to where I am but I’m feeling great about myself and I’m looking forward to continued recovery.

Be a Warrior Today,

Donn