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Before my diagnosis, I was perfectly healthy. Even childhood ailments like chicken pox or mumps didn’t inflict me. In fact, I had never even had the flu! I was an extremely active girl and am proud to say that I even had a six-pack from all of my competitive dancing. At…

Chronic illness holds a lot of bittersweetness in its grasp. It takes away, and it gives. It teaches, and it humbles. One of the best opportunities it offers is the chance to give the gift of empathy and understanding to another. In suffering I have learned how to laugh…

No one will ever fully understand what you go through, but I am pretty sure you have figured that out already. People are going to surprise you in the best and worst of ways, but you will grow from it. Unfortunately, you have been dealt a poor hand of health —…

This year I turned 30. For most of my friends, their 30th birthday meant they could have a big party and use it as an excuse to get together. For me, it was more of a celebration of life and the fact that I am alive. Over the past year,…

Myasthenia gravis has managed to take away quite a few important aspects of my life. These are the things I continuously reminded myself of in moments of self-pity. However, today I possess a few skills and traits that stem from my disease. I’ve refused to let this disease take…

Medical science is ever evolving. There are more diseases being discovered, advances in medical technology, and changes in perceptions of medications and their effects on the human body. Humanity has definitely come a long way since believing that drilling a hole in a patient’s skull would rid them of evil…

When you first get sick, it’s difficult to keep up with the number of cards, bouquets of flowers, and hospital visits you receive. Every day someone comes to visit you in the hospital, and you run out of space to display all of your gifts. However, as time goes on,…

I was never gifted with numbers, but I always felt confident when it came to languages. When my emotions are too overwhelming to comprehend, I look for answers in written work, or I simply start writing down how I feel. It helps me deal with big emotions and determine why I…

Living in a developing country influences my view of the world. I come into contact with the poorest of the poor, yet I can attend world-class private hospitals because I am fortunate to be able to afford medical insurance. We live in such a busy and fast-changing era that we…

Once upon a time, I was healthy and vibrant, reveling in the promises of the future. There is something so delightful about the naivety of youth. It is unspoiled and untainted by the stains of this world. It thrives in the dreams of tomorrow and the wondrous audacity…