Posts by: Retha De Wet

Retha De Wet

I'm a 24 year old from sunny South Africa. I've been dying with a twist since 2013 when I was first diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. I can speak four languages and I'm a lover of life and all things wild.

February 8, 2019February 6, 2019

Simple Ways to Support a Significant Other Living with MG

A Good Life with Bad Muscles - a Column by Retha De Wet, Columns

I might have been dealt an unlucky hand in terms of my general health, but I believe I was the luckiest of all when it came to assigning significant ... Read more

February 1, 2019January 30, 2019

The Changes I Made to Accommodate MG in My Life

A Good Life with Bad Muscles - a Column by Retha De Wet, Columns

A diagnosis of MG inevitably leads to several adaptations in daily life. These adaptations, in turn, result in functioning that is closer to normal. They also ensure a distance ... Read more

January 25, 2019January 24, 2019

I’m Accepting How MG Has Changed My Body

A Good Life with Bad Muscles - a Column by Retha De Wet, Columns

Being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) is a heavy burden to bear. In the years following my diagnosis, my medication dosages increased and I gained weight. I find it ... Read more

January 18, 2019January 17, 2019

Whatever the Weather, I Am Equipped

A Good Life with Bad Muscles - a Column by Retha De Wet, Columns

Scientific literature clearly establishes that weather, particularly temperature, can influence the severity of myasthenia gravis symptoms. Cold weather is infamous for being worse for pain and hot weather results ... Read more

January 11, 2019January 9, 2019

A Day in the Life of a Person with MG

A Good Life with Bad Muscles - a Column by Retha De Wet, Columns

What is the first thing you do when you wake up? You might have answered, “I take a shower” or “I drink coffee.” However, the first thing everyone does when ... Read more

January 4, 2019January 3, 2019

Why I Am Not ‘Just Tired’

A Good Life with Bad Muscles - a Column by Retha De Wet, Columns

Sleeping is necessary to keep your body functional. Once deprived of it, you learn just how important sleep is to behave how you want to behave. Without it, you ... Read more

December 21, 2018December 19, 2018

Holidays, Planes, Trains, and Myasthenia Gravis

A Good Life with Bad Muscles - a Column by Retha De Wet, Columns

Traveling can be an anxiety-provoking experience. There are so many things to remember, including those that are necessary to board the plane. I recently embarked on a trip to ... Read more

December 14, 2018December 13, 2018

Life with a Suppressed Immune System

A Good Life with Bad Muscles - a Column by Retha De Wet, Columns

Finding a viable treatment option for a rare disease can be a long-term, frustrating struggle. Being rare, the disease itself is often poorly understood by the medical community, making ... Read more

December 7, 2018December 6, 2018

Myasthenia Gravis Taught Me Not to Judge So Harshly

A Good Life with Bad Muscles - a Column by Retha De Wet, Columns

If I have learned one thing from life, it is that people always pass judgment. We judge things we think we understand, and sometimes we judge things we don’t ... Read more

November 30, 2018November 28, 2018

Managing University Life with MG

A Good Life with Bad Muscles - a Column by Retha De Wet, Columns

Life with myasthenia gravis can be incredibly frustrating. At times, it feels like no one understands my battle and what I’m forced to go through just to lead a ... Read more

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