Columns

Finding Grace When MG Changes Our Plans

The house is quiet past midnight, yet I’m fully awake as usual, thanks to my many health issues. Nighttime is when everything comes alive for me — chiefly my pain and other symptoms, but also my creativity and visions for the MG community, my plans for the next day, and…

Answering the Invitation to Simply ‘Be’

Having a rare disease opens the door to many questions. It also presents the opportunity for well-meant advice that doesn’t always help the way it’s intended.  I get it — when you hear about someone’s struggles, you want to jump in and help fix them any way you can.

Conquering Anxiety and Myasthenia Gravis Together

Struggling with physical and mental health is challenging. In my case, myasthenia gravis shined a light on underlying anxiety, and now I am in a relationship with both. I battle both muscle weakness and my own mind. Often, it’s difficult to determine which of the two is causing my problems.

An Embarrassing Moment Reminds Me How Lucky I Am

Lately, I have been pushing myself beyond my limits. While I’m aware of this, I don’t want to miss out on anything. We recently moved, confronted major life events, and have been crazy busy at work. I haven’t been prioritizing my health, and yesterday, it all came to a head. I…

When Myasthenia Gravis Changes Your Sense of Purpose

Having a sense of purpose is innate to the human experience. It gives us direction, satisfaction, and motivation in the present as we build for our future. Purpose drives innovation, invigorates passion, and stirs the embers of better days ahead. Just as it breathes life into every day, a lack of purpose…

I’m Living My Best Life

When you live each day unsure if it will be your last. If you fear that the next time you walk outside and look up at the sky to feel the sun’s warmth on your face, it’s the final time you will do so unaided. Or if you don’t know…

Hope Is Tenacious in Our Journey with Myasthenia Gravis

Hope is an empowering word with an ambiguous interpretation. For each person, hope might look just a little different, but its crucial need in our lives remains integral.  When I was first diagnosed, I thought of myasthenia gravis and the emotional, mental, physical, and even spiritual journey…

Finding Happiness in the Midst of Sickness

This past weekend, I attended my doctor’s “special patient day,” a morning event with tea, snacks, and entertainment by local musician Joshua na die Reën. The staff from my doctor’s office was there, including the nurses who take care of me during day treatments and chemotherapy, administrative staff, and the women who…