Dear ENL Family,
I love retirement and life is good! The summer I was able to spend quite a bit of time gardening, and every week I read 3-4 books. I am in a book club with friends here in Indianapolis. I’ve also spent some time doing some genealogy work and some volunteering at a retirement center.
Although I miss my Notre Dame family, I really didn’t want to do any educational consulting. I was even asked to serve as interim dean of education at Marian University, but I turned it down.
This is my time to spend with Bill and we so enjoy each other’s company. As many of you know, Bill was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Well, here in Indianapolis, a program for Parkinson’s patients started called Rock Steady Boxing. This involves all of the workout protocols and exercises used in the training of boxers, except for actually sparing with others. In addition to the PD individuals, family members are welcome to the gym for this extensive boxing workout program. Bill and I go to sessions at least twice a week for about two hours of stretching, yoga, weights, jump roping, squats, push ups, running, and walking in addition to boxing on the speed bags and heavy bags – just no hitting of other participants. Our class has 25-30 folks, mostly in their 60’s and 70’s but some as young as 30. We all laugh and sweat together.
After a year, Bill has actually improved in balance, fine motor, gross motor, flexibility and endurance. The research being done here has been so positive that folks from all over the country come here to be trained, and the program has now expanded to more than 60 other cities. Earlier this month, the CBS Sunday Morning Show had a segment on it as Leslie Stahl’s (60 Minutes) husband has PD and goes to the Rock Steady gym in Brooklyn. If you have a friend or relative with PD, who could benefit from this, please contact me and I’ll get you information.
As I said, life is good and we look forward to the holidays with friends and family. Please know that if you are ever in Indianapolis I’d love to see you. Have a blessed Christmas, everyone.
Joyce