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It’s difficult to explain to a 20-something in perfect health why raising rare disease awareness is important. However, I had just turned 20 when my entire life was turned upside down by a myasthenia gravis (MG) diagnosis. Illness does not discriminate — anyone can be affected by it at…

When I discuss myasthenia gravis with new acquaintances, I usually get shocked faces and confused looks. I don’t blame them — MG isn’t exactly one of the most well-known rare diseases. I would even say it’s the Jan Brady of rare diseases: It’s always been there, but no one…

It is entirely typical not to feel fearless during health tribulations. I am confident in my decision to have a thymectomy in a few short weeks. Nevertheless, I am incredibly anxious and hyperfocusing on multiple days in the hospital and an unpleasant recovery. Myasthenia gravis warriors are brave…

Exercise and I have never been the best of friends. I would make a commitment to work out more, which included buying new sneakers, workout gear, and equipment that I absolutely did not need. And what did I do with all of these new purchases? I completed four…

At the end of last June, I began experiencing a health crisis provoked by hydroxychloroquine. I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) in the emergency room after a month of worsening symptoms, including double vision, sudden slurred speech, a drooping eye, difficulty swallowing, and overall weakness. Three weeks before my…

My health seems to follow a pattern: I’ll start a treatment plan, it’ll go well for a little while, and then I’ll suddenly experience an uncontrollable flare. I’ll stubbornly suffer until my body decides that I should stop. I’m currently at the beginning of that cycle once again after recently…

Unlike most people, I’m torn between loving and disliking the summer months. On one hand, as a teacher, I enjoy the time off. On the other hand, temperatures in my home state of Texas are almost unbearable.  But my favorite thing…

I’ve always been a bit of a loner. Even before I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), I tended to keep to myself. As I stated in a previous column, privacy has always been important to me. We could dive…

For most of my life, I have been a private person. Most of the time, I keep things close to my chest, because some people tend to be nosy. I purposefully keep parts of me closed off from others, and one of these is myasthenia gravis (MG). …

Today, May 5, is widely celebrated in the U.S. as Cinco de Mayo. As a proud Mexican American, I never ignore this particular day. While I don’t party hard like others, I do take a few minutes to acknowledge the meaning of the…