You must love yourself to keep a healthy lifestyle. But I don’t exercise enough; in fact, I have 20-pound dumbbells collecting dust in a corner of my small condo here in Manila, the Philippines. I decided to ask my twin, Aaron, about his exercise routine, partly for inspiration. Aaron was…

June was an intense month for me. With the rising heat, my muscles are growing weaker, and with a packed work schedule, my mental health is starting to fall apart, too. Recently, I shared a story about an experience that made me realize one of the few benefits myasthenia…

My dad was born 100 years ago June 20. It’s funny that June is Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month, as he lived the last 10 years of his life with the condition. Before that, Dad spent 40 years in the classroom teaching English. He was born a teacher. His years…

Healing doesn’t always look like rest and stillness. Sometimes it looks like kicking your legs with wild abandon in a murky lake while your husband looks on amused, wondering how his 41-year-old wife suddenly turned into a giddy 10-year-old. I’ve always loved the water, and it’s where I’ve felt the…

Algerian people are known for their oversized pride and ego. Asking for help — whether it’s about health or financial struggles — is often seen as shameful in our country, or at least it’s frowned upon. But the truth is, how can anyone survive with neither health nor help? I’ve…

Living with myasthenia gravis (MG) means living with a body that doesn’t always cooperate. Muscle weakness, fatigue, and frustration can be daily companions. The support and love of family and friends are crucial. Since my diagnosis, I’ve met people from many backgrounds who’ve become my friends. The strange…

Every parent, partner, and friend wants the best for their loved ones. We hold high expectations for them, wanting to see them become president of the world! But I’ve often felt like I’ve failed to meet those expectations — especially as the oldest daughter, the go-to best friend, and of…

Living with myasthenia gravis (MG) has changed important parts of my life. It has taken things from me that I thought were permanent, such as my physical strength. My previous ability to plan my days with confidence no longer exists. Most difficult of all, MG has made me distrust…

I’ve been in survival mode for so long that I forgot what it felt like to just be. To breathe without panic. To cry without consequence. To feel without falling apart. But over the past couple of months, life gave me no choice but to feel everything. And wow, it’s…

My twin brother, Aaron, was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) in 1999. He told me that he wants to offer advice and ideas to those newly diagnosed with the condition. There was even less awareness about MG in the late ’90s and early ’00s than there is…