My Bitter & Best Friend: MG - a Column by Sarah Bendiff

I try not to be obsessed with assessing my symptoms of myasthenia gravis every morning. I try to let things be and simply accept whatever my body decides that day. But it always ends the same way. I am in pain, and I am not healthy. A sad reality…

I was recently asked if I choose to protect my loved ones from the reality of my myasthenia gravis (MG) by hiding certain parts of the disease so they won’t worry. The question made me realize something I’d never clearly named before: I wear a constant mask. I cover…

Some days I feel like a vampire, constantly seeking fresh energy to nourish myself and keep going. From my small experience with other people living with illness, I have learned that each of us has a secret book of survival. The following is mine, to help me confront life with…

Some days I wake up feeling surprisingly good. The pain is quiet, my body feels energized, and for a moment, it feels like myasthenia gravis (MG) is taking a break. You’d think I’d simply enjoy those moments, live them fully, and be grateful. But I never do. Instead, they…

I complain a lot about living with an invisible disability, and most of the time, people answer with the same sentence: “I hope you heal one day.” As if healing were a realistic option. This week, my boyfriend asked me a question that shook me much more than those wishes…

Tiredness and exhaustion can often be solved with rest, but constant pain and discomfort steal sleep from my eyes. Doctors keep telling me that myasthenia gravis (MG) doesn’t cause pain, yet my body suggests the opposite. So I keep asking myself: Is MG really painless? I have been…

In many cultures, being a doctor is considered the ultimate sign of success, as is the case here in Algeria. As a child, I looked up to doctors, whom I viewed as heroes, with their white coats and calm voices. These people had the power to save lives. But because…

Sometimes people tell me I should be grateful. I have myasthenia gravis (MG), and when I talk about my chronic illness, some will respond: “But you’re fine; you’re not that sick. There are people who can’t even walk.” My instant feeling in those moments is anger. “How could you…

I cry when it rains, get mad when the wind blows too hard, and dance with joy when spring arrives. I thought for years that these were just part of my emotions and psychology; that maybe I was overly sensitive or simply dramatic. But I’ve realized something deeper lately: Being…

Next week, my boyfriend’s family will come to officially ask for my hand in marriage. Here in Algeria, that’s how engagements start. The groom’s family visits, the parents meet, and the whole thing feels as traditional as it is symbolic. It’s a beautiful ritual, but for me, it comes with…