Columns

Published in 1759, Voltaire’s satirical novella “Candide” follows the adventures of its protagonist as he travels the world. Along the way, Candide encounters the suffering, misfortune, and ambiguity that is characteristic of human life. A college philosophy course was my introduction to this masterpiece. I can visualize myself walking across…

Living with a chronic illness like myasthenia gravis (MG) is no walk in the park. Sometimes I roll. Some days, just getting out of bed feels like a herculean task worthy of a medal. Yet among the challenges that come with living with MG, I’ve discovered some unexpected…

Sometimes we say so much about unimportant things that we leave the important things unsaid. Or, we talk about important things using codes or euphemisms. After all, some studies suggest that more than 90% of human communication is nonverbal. What is unsaid or implied sometimes carries more weight than…

I must be transparent with you from the start: I’m not writing this because my cat isn’t cuddly and doesn’t love me the way I love her. I’d like you all to meet Philotte, the Persian cat I consider my daughter. I never used to be a cat person, or…

One thing that always amazes me about my twin brother, Aaron, is his drive to stay as positive and active as possible. Aaron was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) in 1999 at the age of 24. It was a heartbreaking diagnosis. Aaron was a young and very active…

I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve seen some version of the following statement in online forums: “I hurt, but my doctors all tell me that pain isn’t a symptom of myasthenia gravis (MG). Does anyone else have pain?” I see it in support groups,…

The day I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), the doctors briefed me on the essentials: symptoms, treatment plans, and what to expect from life with a chronic illness. But what no one mentioned is that one autoimmune disease often acts like a magnet, attracting other conditions like uninvited…

“Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have.” That quote from an unknown author is one of my favorites. Contentment is a mindset we usually acquire after maturity or contemplative loss. After my divorce when I was in my 30s,…

My bitter and best friend myasthenia gravis (MG) takes up a lot of space in my life: in my relationships, my daily routine, and my career choice. I’ve also realized that it’s completely transformed my appearance, as well. Can you believe this disease can affect our sense of style…

Blue used to be my favorite color. After I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), I found myself being drawn more and more to the darker shades of teal. A beautiful blend of blue and green, teal holds a special place in the hearts of many,…