Retha De Wet,  —

is a patient columnist from sunny South Africa. When she’s not writing, she is practicing as a speech therapist. Diagnosed with myasthenia gravis just around her twentieth birthday, she has been through several treatment options since then and has been classified as refractory. She hopes her column will encourage its readers to look for the good in life and always keep fighting. She loves her dog an irrational amount and is always willing to share pictures of him.

Articles by Retha De Wet

Ride the Life You’re Given with Joy

I have often felt that despite not having a terminal illness, I was in a certain way born to die. I also believe this is the reason I am able to live a happier life than most of my healthy peers. I know how important it is to appreciate…

Strength in a Time of Weakness

Weakness is not something most people are extremely open about. We tend to hide any sign of weakness or imperfection from the public eye. We choose to keep weaknesses personal — unless you become chronically ill, especially with a disease notorious for causing extreme muscle weakness. That tiny bit of…

Pets as a Source of Healing

I purchased two hand-reared, peach-faced lovebirds during my first round of IV Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide) treatment. Recovery from that treatment can be quite rough. Honestly, I just needed something to distract me from the horror I was facing at that time. And that is what these birds did. I fell…

Love Is the Best Weapon in Our Fight

People have different ways of coping with having a chronically ill person in their life, just as we sick folk have our own different ways of coping with being chronically ill. Some people rise to the occasion, some people respectfully fade away, and some even fall in love with us.