Together - a Column by Mark Harrington

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus, king of Corinth, offends the gods and is sentenced to spend eternity rolling a stone up a mountain, only to have it roll back down just as it reaches the top. The punishment doled out to Sisyphus is horrifying. How awful it is to…

Early this month, I spent the seven most stressful and challenging days of my life. Stress of that sort — financial and physical — can severely affect my myasthenia gravis (MG) symptoms. This column is my call for comfort to those in the MG and other rare disease…

As summer comes to a close, with cooler air just around the corner, it’s a good time to reflect on the past three months and share my experiences. I also have an important announcement. In July, the Republicans met in Milwaukee to nominate their candidate for president. In August,…

I’ve struggled with body image issues since childhood. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t believe there was something wrong with my body. When I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), I viewed the disease as yet another manifestation of my body’s faulty design. I recently discovered…

For the past three weeks, my struggles with fatigue have greatly affected my life. I think others who, like me, have been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), as well as those who care for them, understand this experience. One minute life is rolling along and everything seems…

Soon after I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), my neurologist told me that keeping track of my symptoms could be an important factor in successfully treating it. She recommended I keep a daily journal. She told me that MG is a snowflake disease: Just as…

I was caught off guard recently when a friend asked me what one word describes my ability to cope with the ups and downs I’ve had since my 2020 myasthenia gravis (MG) diagnosis. I asked if I could give my answer after dessert. As we ate, we reminisced about a…

Every year, I reflect on my diagnosis of myasthenia gravis (MG) on June 24, 2020. As I look back on the past year, I see that MG forced me to reconsider my understanding of certainty. I like predictability. Schedules and timetables are comforting, providing an order that appeals to…

June 25 marks four years since I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG). Looking back brings to mind the ancient Greek dramatist Aeschylus, who observed that “he who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain, which cannot forget, falls drop by drop upon the…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with Ultomiris (ravulizumab-cwvz). Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. “I dabbled in words and found they were my life,” Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh once wrote. I get…