Columns

One of the hardest things about living with a chronic illness like myasthenia gravis (MG) is the dialogue that doesn’t happen with people we know. The eye rolls we perceive when we try to update loved ones about our health status — whether they’re real or not. Or the phone…

A powerful imagination can be both a gift and a curse. On one hand, it can be a way for us to brainstorm and envision ideas. In a way, it can help us make a plan for the goals we want to reach. On the other hand, it can…

Many of my friends, colleagues, and family members set goals for the year in January. Goals can be personal or professional, interpersonal or financial, realistic or not. What makes a goal realistic, particularly for someone with myasthenia gravis (MG)? It’s a tough question to answer, but I’ll do my best.

Welcome to “The Whispered Roar,” a column where I will describe what it’s like living with a neuromuscular autoimmune disease called myasthenia gravis (MG). I was officially diagnosed with generalized MG in 2018, although I had been battling symptoms since 2011. My journey to diagnosis is not an uncommon…

Like many others in the past two years, I’ve become a first-time houseplant owner. After “extensive” research, which involved perhaps a couple Google searches, I bought a Calathea ornata, or pinstripe Calathea, a beautiful plant with thin, pink-striped leaves. I wish I could say I chose it for…

New Year’s seems to hold a different meaning for everyone. Some see it as an opportunity to chug champagne, while others dedicate their time to brainstorming resolutions. I’ve never been very excited about the holiday. I’m not a big drinker, and have failed at too many resolutions…

As a young teenager, I had a very specific vision for my college years. I imagined nonstop parties, long nights spent studying in the library, and failed attempts at trying to use the washing machine. But I couldn’t have imagined how different my college experience would be. My first year…

I’ve never been the most positive person in the world. I’ve discussed in previous columns how my negative tendencies have affected my life, but I’ve since made progress in becoming more positive. The journey has had its hurdles, though. In the early years after my myasthenia gravis diagnosis,…

Throughout the year, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy alcoholic drinks. But I’ve always felt that the holiday season offers the best cocktails and treats. I could blame it on the colder weather or the festive atmosphere, but the month of December always inspires me to look at the…

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…