Welcome to
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS MAKEOVER
Resources, Education, & Wellness Coaching for people living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Because we know that when the Duck’s not happy, nobody is happy.
Why Multiple Sclerosis Makeover?
Welcome to the Multiple Sclerosis Makeover! I'm Janean (Jan) Jenkins and appreciate you stopping by. As both a Advanced Practice RN and a Wellness Coach, my goal is to offer education and support to empower you to strengthen your health and wellness, manage your MS and symptoms, and remain IN CHARGE of your life and your MS.
Some people refer to MS as "A Monster". I learned long ago that fighting it does not work. So I decided to refer to MS as my Duck and learned to live and work with it. This made it less frightening and easier to deal with an incurable and potentially disabling disease, especially in the early days. Read my story to learn more.
I chose Makeover because when one is diagnosed with MS, there are many changes necessary to be successful in managing MS while keeping your life goals and overall health & wellness on track. This is an ongoing process. One of my favorite programs is the One Year MS Makeover. This is an opportunity to explore your unique challenges and work together to set goals and actions to improve your MS, life, health, and happiness one step at a time.
Some of the changes that come with the diagnosis of MS are not obvious or welcomed! It's important for you to remain in charge even when you feel MS has taken over your life. There will most likely be changes needed to manage your MS and build the life and health You want - Your way. Over the years, changes naturally occur with life and health, with aging and with MS. Being prepared for and dealing with the changes can make a huge difference.
Whether MS is new to your life or has been part of life for decades, you can benefit from this makeover coaching process. As I finish my 30th year of life & learning with my Duck, I realize just how much I've learned (sometimes the hard way). By combining the scientific medical knowledge with my real life experiences I achieved success in managing my MS and my life. To be sure, I've worked hard to be successful and still do. Now I want to help others to achieve their highest levels of success in living well with MS, managing their symptoms, and keeping their life going in the direction desired.
A favorite message from some individuals that I've worked with is - "Thank You - I've got my life back"! This makes my heart smile .
About Jan...
I am native Texan and currently split my time between North Texas and Anchorage, Alaska. I love the warmer Texas winters and the cooler Alaska summers. My favorite roles are those of being a mother to two adult children, a grandmother to a wonderful young boy, and a friend to some of the most awesome people I've ever met! In my spare time I enjoy going on walks or hiking in nature, swimming, and spending time with friends and family. I like trying new things and yoga is on the current list. Living close to a lake, last year I learned to kayak and paddle board. I even stood up on the board once for a few minutes just say I did it! I have a cockapoo dog, Stanley, that has been trained to become a service animal so he goes with me almost everywhere.
I'm surrounded by many great friends and family members who have supported me over the years through the often bumpy ride that goes along with a life with MS. This support team often kept me from veering off into a ditch when the road was rough! I am so thankful to have each and everyone of them in my life and know I owe a great deal of my success to their unwavering support.
My next favorite role is that of a professional RN Clinical Nurse Specialist. I'm now in my fourth decade in the profession and continue to be amazed by all of the opportunities that have come my way! My "get it done" approach has allowed me to expand my reach and impact as a CNS to work in clinical practice , research, leadership, and consulting. I will soon be offering education and wellness coaching directly on the website.
Overall, life (even with MS in the picture) has been good and I am grateful for the opportunities, challenges, and successes that have come my way. I'm passionate about moving into this phase of my life and career. I love meeting others with MS to share our experiences and our knowledge. I have never met anyone I didn't learn something new from.
Unique Perspective
What sets me apart from many MS experts, nurses and educators, is my very personal journey of 30+ years living with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS). I have experienced and witnessed first-hand the devastation this disease can bring to your mind, body and spirit while wreaking havoc on your life. I now want to open up to share my knowledge and personal experience in facing the challenges that those who are impacted by this disease know all too well. Through my stories about Life with a Duck, I offer a unique perspective on how to achieve success when facing the challenges of living with an incurable, chronic, and potentially disabling disease. Through what I call the 50:50 Approach, many of those I've worked with are able to take charge and gain control of their MS and the unwelcome symptoms to go on to thrive and achieve many personal and professional goals. My current goal is to share my extensive knowledge and experiences to guide and support others in taking charge and achieving their personal goals for health, wellness, and control of their lives with MS.
There is no need for anyone to try and figure this out by trial and error!
More About Wellness Coaching
Wellness Coaching may be the critical missing link to achieving the life and health you desire with MS in your life. Most of us know what behaviors and actions will impact our health, wellness and our MS (both positive and negative). Even with that knowledge, we often struggle to make needed changes. A few facts we now know from current research: smoking has been linked to MS and it can speed up progression of the disease; nutrition and lifestyle impact MS and its symptoms; staying active has a positive impact on mobility, emotional health, fatigue and can reduce disability; Disease Modifying Therapy (DMT) has been shown to reduce MS attacks and slow disability progression; comorbidities, stress, depression, and aging can and do negatively impact all aspects of MS care; and ultimately, our Quality of Life is impacted by all of the above and more!
Despite all of this research and knowledge, many people with MS struggle to identify what changes to make, where to start, and how to safely implement changes to improve their health, wellness, and gain better control of their MS. MS adds many challenges to all areas of lifestyle and it can sometimes be tricky to change behaviors without impacting symptoms or stressing the MS.
This is where a Wellness Coach can have a major impact. With a Coach, you work together in a safe, judgement free, and trusting space to identify what changes to make, where to start, and how to move forward safely. As a team, we tap into your values, strengths, and passions to promote lasting changes. We find your unique path to overcome barriers to change and open up possibilities for improving your life with MS. You have an accountability partner and a trusted supporter to bounce ideas off of and challenge the 'status quo'. We work together to build success and create the life that you desire and deserve!