My Bitter & Best Friend: MG - a Column by Sarah Bendiff

For surviving summer heat, the basics work wonders for me

Heat and cold are some of the most common triggers for flare-ups in people living with chronic illnesses. For me and my myasthenia gravis (MG), summer has always been the toughest season. Almost all of my breathing difficulties have happened during hot months. Over time, I realized I couldn’t…

A fear of being paralyzed makes me push myself too hard

Note: This column was updated July 31, 2025, to clarify that the author fears temporary paralysis caused by severe muscle weakness, as opposed to a permanent paralysis. Yesterday, my brain and body collapsed because I was too tired and exhausted — not due to a myasthenia gravis (MG) flare-up…

Working through myasthenia gravis, one story at a time

It’s been 10 months since I started writing this column, and I can honestly say that it’s changed my life. My mindset, my emotional health, and even my relationship with myasthenia gravis (MG) have evolved. Writing hasn’t cured my condition, of course, but it’s helped me live…