Birds twitter. Tall grasses dance in the wind. Alligators stare intently from the far bank of the creek. I’m in a corner of the earth that helps me escape from all the worries on my mind. My phone stays silent and out of sight, and I carry with me only…
Trauma can result from scary, emotionally disturbing, or threatening events. Any event can be traumatic, depending on how the person perceives it. The effects of trauma Trauma can have harmful effects on health, functioning, and overall well-being. The Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Resource Center website notes that exposure to…
I believe it’s common for those with chronic illness to dwell on the fact that we can feel like a burden to others. Life with a disease, especially right after diagnosis, can make us susceptible to self-condemnation and feeling like a nuisance. Because we suddenly have more needs than we…
Going on road trips is one of my passions. I love it because it is better for the environment than flying, and traveling in a car allows for a healthy mix of adventure and never knowing what you might come upon. Life is short, but road trips were how I…
I don’t recoil at the sight of a scar left by a transsternal thymectomy — the surgical removal of my thymus gland — three months ago. I’d prefer it wasn’t there, of course, but I’m starting to embrace it. The scar reveals a little about who I am, like…
Those of us with myasthenia gravis (MG) sometimes blame the disease for causing negative emotional responses. But this can be an unhealthy and misguided approach. Sure, our adverse reactions to problems associated with MG may reflect our grief in response to…
Like myasthenia gravis, being an introvert is a constant battle. I have been a wallflower for as long as I can remember. I never preferred group settings, particularly ones where I had to interact without my parents. As a child, it was easy to recognize that I was socially distinct.
Lately, with the help of a new therapist, I’ve been making significant progress with my mental health. Looking forward to activities and planning for the future seems a little easier for me now, a year after my myasthenia gravis (MG) diagnosis. Still, as others with MG might understand, our minds…
The most devastating blow since my myasthenia gravis diagnosis a year ago has been the loss of my career path, which was my passion. My symptoms began a month before the last semester of my undergraduate degree. Although I am eternally grateful that I received a rapid diagnosis, with that…
Kindness is not a pass for people to take advantage of us or treat us poorly. We can be compassionate and still say no to being treated inadequately. Those of us with myasthenia gravis (MG) are not responsible for other people’s reactions or their inability to adjust to our boundaries…
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