Columns

Six years to a tentative diagnosis. Seven years to a confirmed diagnosis. Eight years to thymectomy. Eleven years to find a treatment plan that worked. These are the landmarks of my myasthenia gravis (MG) journey. The starting point was my medical retirement from the U.S. Army…

When I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), I thought I understood the illness. The years since have been eye-opening. My MG has spiraled out of control several times. On those trying days, I wondered, “Why me?” I think I’ve finally found an answer to this question. After…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with prednisone. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. It’s been a year since I started writing about the weight gain I experienced while taking high-dose prednisone to manage…

The song “Build Me Up Buttercup” always plays in my head when someone tells me to “fill your cup.” But how do we fill our cups when we’re too weak to pour from the kettle? This topic has been on my mind lately as I dive into self-care…

Each day we try to make sense out of seemingly random events. We do this at both an individual and societal level. It’s seen in the creation stories found in all cultures. The Egyptians believed the world was created by the sun god Ra. The Romans believed their…

Can, or should, you get a massage if you have myasthenia gravis (MG)? Will the use of oils or lotions cause a symptom flare? I see these two questions floating around the interwebs frequently. I’m lucky in that my Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits include this thing called…

On Oct. 10, 1935, the classic of American theater “Porgy and Bess” opened on Broadway. The show was not an instant success. Its first run ended after only 124 performances. Despite this, it went on to become an iconic part of American theater. “Porgy and Bess” demonstrates how…

Hey, there! How’s the weather by you? Yeah, it’s a scorcher here, too! No, this isn’t just small talk. If you look at forecast maps across the country right now, there are some crazy summer storms brewing. The temperatures have been above average across the nation (at least according to…

I’ve learned many lessons about living a happy life. Among the most valuable is the ability to recognize the absurdities daily life can toss our way. I believe we can choose to laugh at these absurdities and prevent them from gaining power over us. We can model the queen in…

The sloth and a snowflake. Why in the world would a person, community, or organization choose those two symbols to represent myasthenia gravis (MG)? Surely there must have been better critters or weather phenomena to represent the one-of-a-kind rare disease that makes us … move … slowly. Huh. Then…