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In the novel “Till We Have Faces,” C.S. Lewis wrote, “Don’t you think the things people are most ashamed of are the things they can’t help?” These words resonated with me as I began to understand how shame was a silent and unwelcome part of my myasthenia…

“Breathe in. Hold the ball. Breathe out. Stroke the horse’s mane. Breathe in. Repulse the monkey.” OK, so maybe it wasn’t exactly like that, but last week, I tried tai chi for the first time in more than 20 years. I was in high school the last time I’d done…

If you grew up in New England, you’ve most likely heard about a fictitious exchange between a tourist in need of directions and a reticent Mainer. When asked the best route to the tourist’s destination, the Mainer replied, “You can’t get there from here.” What an absurd response! However, the…

“Maybe if you just exercised, you’d feel better.” “You look tired today.” “I don’t know how you do it.” Mental health, particularly how we feel about ourselves, is a touchy subject, especially when you’re battling a chronic and debilitating illness like myasthenia gravis (MG). Friends and loved…

I’ve had epilepsy since I was 9 years old. Because of this, I’ve spent part of my life around hospitals and doctors’ offices. I became aware of the pitfalls that can arise in patient care, and how they can be avoided. I learned early in life the importance of patient…

Feeling so, so tired — the kind of fatigue that makes me wonder if I’m going to fall asleep standing up. Adjusting medication routines because the old timing no longer works. Questioning my sanity as my libido skyrockets. These are all things that have happened since I began experiencing…

People tend to take certain abilities for granted, refusing help even if the need arises. Call it pride, embarrassment, stubbornness, or denial, but the result is the same: Some tasks may not get done if the person doesn’t request assistance. That includes activities of personal hygiene, such as bathing…

Do you ever just sit there, staring into space, wondering which diagnosis you can attribute your latest symptom to? Maybe you don’t even bring up new issues with your doctor, simply chalking them up to whatever health condition you know you have. I’m guilty of doing both. As a former…

In his book “Change or Die: The Three Keys to Change at Work and in Life,” Alan Deutschman presents his belief that humans are resistant to change. According to Deutschman, even when we know that our behavior will lead to death, change is so difficult that most of us…

On many weekends when I was a kid, my parents would take the family to the Boston Public Garden. We loved the iconic “Make Way for Ducklings” statues, inspired by the children’s book of the same name. During good weather, the gardens would fill with color, and no child could…