Jenny Knipfer–Author

Life With MS:

Lately, life has been reverting back to simple things. My days play out in a pattern dictated by my body, what it can tolerate and what functions it needs to perform. I have learned to adjust, but living with MS is a constant adjustment and forever a lesson in patience. Nothing stays the same for very long anymore. 

Each day presents a battle to not be overcome with how I feel. The muscle spasms, general tightness, and weakness, burning or prickling pain, and the frustration over the lack of being able to do simple tasks or perform autonomic functions can easily become too much to handle if I don’t try to stay positive. 

A Blessing:

I have had a little help from an electric wheelchair that has been loaned to me, and it has made life easier. Hopefully, I’ll get my own soon if it goes through insurance. I use it mostly in the morning when I have more pain and feel weaker. It has really helped me get around. 

My days are pretty simple. I’ve established a new schedule, factoring in my decreased ability and fatigue. It seems to be working for me.

My Rough Schedule: 

• getting up 4-6:00 AM
• resting for a bit and slathering my back and calves with magnesium and essential oil rubs 6-7 AM
• Breakfast and watching a little TV 7-9AM
• showering and getting ready 9-10:30 AM

(Morning is the most difficult part of the day for me, thus everything takes longer than it usually would.)

• sitting in my wheelchair in the sun with Ruby, my mini Yorkie, for a bit and praying 10:30 to 11:00 AM
• working on my social media posts and author business 11:00 AM-12:30 PM 
• lunch and a rest time 12:30-2:00
• more author business, writing, or a small household task I can manage by myself 2:00-4:00 PM
• Rest 4:00-5:00 PM
• supper and time with my hubby 5:00-7:00 PM
• Exercise 7:00-7:30 PM
• Rest 7:30-8:00 PM
• getting ready for bed 8:00 PM
• reading 8:30-10:30 PM
• bed 10:30-11:00 PM

Not too glamorous, but that’s how my days usually roll out, more or less. 

Looking Ahead:

I’m slowly working toward getting three more books published this year. My second book, Violet’s Vow, in my novella series, Botanical Seasons, will be released this spring. Each book in the series takes place during a different season of the year. I plan to release the next two in 2022, provided I am able to do so.

This summer, I plan to release my third book, On Bur Oak Ridge, in my Sheltering Trees series, and this winter, the fourth, By Broken Birch Bay, will hit the press. 

Currently, I am finding pleasure in writing a fairy tale called The Regal Pink, based on an old Grimm’s tale entitled, The Pink. I plan on sharing more about this one soon! So far, it’s shaping up to be a story with a little adventure, romance, inspiration, and a few twists.

As an independent author, it’s a big undertaking to get a book ready for market and a hefty expense. With my health changing, I’ll most likely be needing to pay for personal care soon, and my publishing money will likely have to be reallocated for that. But that’s tomorrow, and this is today. 

For Today:

So for now, I take joy in the simple things: warm sunlight streaming into my window, colorful orchids and violets blooming nearby, my sweet dog curled up on my lap as I sit in my wheelchair, the fragrance of ground coffee beans, the love of God in my heart, my fingers to tap my stories into my iPad, a warm cup of tea, and a good book in my hand. 

Hope for Tomorrow:

None of us know how many tomorrows we have. I’m beginning to think that I might not have all that many left, but that’s okay. I fix my eyes on what’s ahead—a far better place than this one. 

❤️ J