When talking MG, pay attention to words, because they matter
Living with myasthenia gravis (MG) has taught me that words are as important as medicine. The language we use to describe illness can shape how others perceive us and how we view…
Together — Mark Harrington
A Boston native, Mark has spent 25 years on the faculty of the Dallas Independent School District. A believer that what Hanna Arendt termed “the life of the mind” is the richest gift we give the young, Mark continues to find inspiration and joy in teaching. Mark has been published in The Dallas Morning News, The Boston Globe, and various professional publications. His classes have been featured on KERA, the local public television station. Mark knows the MG journey is not solitary. Blessed with wonderful, loving family and friends, he hopes his writing will assist others as they navigate life with myasthenia gravis.
Featured Post
Daily declarations of perseverance against the unpredictability of MG
Life with myasthenia gravis (MG) often feels unpredictable. One day, my legs are steady enough to walk Pablo, my French bulldog, around the block. The next day, weakness makes standing at the kitchen counter…
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Why the act of breathing is a profound gift
Six years ago, before my myasthenia gravis (MG) diagnosis, I decided that I wanted to be more focused and intentional. To assist with this, I bought an app for my Apple Watch that…
A frightening choking episode reminded me to live fully
Many companions accompany us on life’s journey, but perhaps the most constant of these is uncertainty. None of us knows what curveballs may come our way from one day to the next. Most people…
Faith keeps me moving, even when the way forward is uncertain
On April 14, 1912, shortly before midnight, the Titanic struck an iceberg that would sink the ship and bring more than 1,500 people down to watery graves. Decades later, on Dec. 28,…
Small victories offer hope amid the relentless struggle with MG
Living with myasthenia gravis (MG) doesn’t always involve big, cinematic moments of triumph. Instead, progress often comes in small victories. Some days, just finishing the laundry or making a grocery run that doesn’t…
When chronic illness thrusts us into a fifth season of life
Carole King gave them a tune. My closet bears witness to their different requirements. Winter, spring, summer, and fall divide our years and give rhythm to our lives. But I’d like to…
A look at Chief Opechancanough, possibly the first known case of MG
Despite being a key figure in early American history, his story isn’t taught in most American history classes. His name was Chief Opechancanough and he played a pivotal role in the struggle between the…
The vicious cycle of emotional strain and physical fatigue in MG
Author and essayist Anne Lamott once wrote that “faith includes noticing the mess, the emptiness and discomfort, and letting it be there until some light returns.” In the five years since I was…
With MG, simply surviving feels like sailing into the wind
Six years ago, I knew little about myasthenia gravis (MG) and nothing about COVID-19. I traveled, drove a high-end German car, and had a cleaning lady who kept things tidy. My lifestyle was…
MG patients must be the final arbiters of their treatment plan
When I was 8, I developed epilepsy and doctors prescribed me phenobarbital. For 24 years, I lived unaware of the drug’s side effects. My childhood and adolescence would have been very different without it,…
Why empathy is important in a patient-provider relationship
Living with myasthenia gravis (MG) tends to make one familiar with the world of medicine. Since my MG diagnosis in 2020, I’ve researched many different aspects of life with the disease. Along with…
