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

I have sometimes been told that I must be happy to have myasthenia gravis (MG). Maybe this is because I appear too comfortable with it, or perhaps it’s easier to think I’m happy than to face the reality of living with this invisible disability. Hearing such a thing used…

Sometimes, it feels like I’m cursed with an invisible form of myasthenia gravis (MG)  whose symptoms still puzzle doctors, whose presence sometimes makes me doubt my own feelings, and whose complexity is difficult for many to grasp. Even small obstacles can feel overwhelming. No matter how hard I try…

Over the years, I’ve developed an annoying habit of blaming everything on myasthenia gravis (MG). Being aware of it sometimes makes it worse, because I catch myself doing it and still feel unable to stop. It feels like I’m slowly handing control over to MG, one excuse at a…

Any job comes with pros and cons, and working while living with a chronic disease highlights the cons in bright colors. While I often talk about my digital career, I never thought to share one of the most physically challenging jobs I’ve had with myasthenia gravis (MG): teaching.

In Algeria, we say that no one truly feels the pain of lava stones except those who have been burned by them before. It’s our way of saying that pain creates empathy, and that suffering opens the door to understanding others. When I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (…

I love working. I love creating. I love staying active and leaving my mark on the world. But myasthenia gravis (MG) doesn’t always enjoy accompanying me on that path, so I had to come up with a plan to keep going. The struggles are real and concrete. One of…

We exist in a perpetual journey of personal development, always trying to become the best version of ourselves, or at least the most stable one. Yet even people who are not actively seeking happiness may still spend their time running away from their problems. But how can you do that…

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…