Author Archives: Retha De Wet

Around three years ago, I welcomed home an Italian greyhound puppy named Pablo. He changed my life for the better. Now, my boyfriend, Tom, and I have adopted another 1-year-old Italian greyhound. Blitz with a goofy grin. (Photo by Retha de Wet) His name is Blitz, which means…

I try to be honest about my shortcomings, but I have always struggled with asking for help. If you frequent my column, you may have realized that I’ve been missing in action. I was struggling and pushing my body to the extreme, when all I needed to do was stop…

Life with chronic illness is a constant game of comparison. I either compare myself with my healthy peers, or with other medically complex young people. Recently, I’ve found someone new to compare myself with: the healthy version of me that lives in a parallel universe. I’m currently responding well to…

Pain is a big part of my life. I have been in daily pain for the last 10 years. The only medical reason I have for it is myasthenia gravis (MG). I highly value science. When I was diagnosed in 2013, there was still little evidence online that pain was…

I started working as a speech therapist at a large academic hospital in January 2020. I was excited to start, and my passion for the job was coming out of my ears. But lurking behind the joy of getting such a thrilling job was a buildup of anxiety, shame, guilt,…

Shortly after I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), the neurologist suggested I have a contrast CT scan of my chest. This would determine whether or not a thymectomy was necessary. My only memory of the CT scan was that the contrast made me feel like I’d peed my…

I tend to laugh a lot, which can serve many different functions. A nervous giggle can indicate anxiety, a belly laugh may follow a moment of hilarity, and sometimes laughing is the only way to deal with an overwhelming or uncomfortable situation. My name, Retha, is derived from Margaretha, which…

My boyfriend, Tom, and I are finally moving back in together after 15 months of being in a long-distance relationship. While that in itself is amazing, it involves one terrible part: the physical act of moving. Although moving is a myasthenic’s nightmare, packing up my whole life again has…

Time has been my greatest teacher. She has taught me patience, resilience, and true commitment. She has taught me so many things I would love to share with my younger self. If my myasthenia gravis diagnosis has taught me anything, it’s to appreciate movement. Go for every run I can.

During a consultation with my psychiatrist, she told me I have a Type A personality. “Me?!” I thought. That can’t be right. However, I have tremendous respect for her as a medical specialist, so I took her word for it. The more I read about Type A personalities,…