A chat with my brother about his myasthenia gravis and diabetes
My twin brother, Aaron, was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) in 1999. It was a moment that changed both his life and my own. Aaron was 24 at the time and worked as…
Me, My Brother, and MG — Allen Francis
Allen Francis is a New York City native, graduate from Marymount Manhattan College, and a former college advisor. He writes from his experience of having a twin brother, Aaron, who has been afflicted with myasthenia gravis (MG) since 1999. From his perspective of a loving sibling, Allen wants to learn more about MG and advocate for more awareness about the rare and medically unknown condition. Allen is also a lifelong comic book fan dedicated to launching his own company writing comic books with his twin.
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A discussion about getting help from others while living with MG
I abhor asking for help. That doesn’t mean I’ve never asked for help in my life, though. Far from it. As a grown man, I pride myself on trying to do the best I…
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Learning about my twin’s views on myasthenic crisis symptoms
I used to have a quote on my Facebook page that said, “Don’t take life too seriously; none of us is getting out alive.” To my ear the last part of that quote is…
Coping with chronic illness: Who am I to judge?
Along with the certainty of death and taxes, life is mostly about mitigating stress and finding peace within the chaos. As we navigate life, uncertainty abounds, and some of us deal with more of…
Does my twin use video games to escape his MG reality?
Is escapism a way to cope with reality or, as the word implies, an attempt to slowly and permanently escape from it? Does escapism have levels to it, and when is it dangerous? I’ll…
Exploring the mystery of when my twin stopped taking his meds
Talk show host Conan O’Brien, among many others, once said, “When all else fails, there is always delusion.” As human beings, we want to believe what we want to believe, even when red flags…
Why my twin is terrified of myasthenia gravis remission
The writer and editor Christy Leigh Stewart, who lives with a terminal illness, once said, “Remission is not a cure. It’s an adjective of disability.” In other words, remission from a disease refers to…
Why being able to drive isn’t a priority for my twin — or for me
“Failure is not an option. Winning and learning are the options.” I don’t know who said that quote, though it’s been attributed (with slightly different grammar) to the neurologist and writer Debasish Mridha. But…
My twin faces limited mobility, especially during heat waves
Yoga expert Vanda Scaravelli once said, “Movement is the song of the body.” Every person has a rhythm when they walk, move, or use mannerisms to communicate. Since my twin brother, Aaron, was…
Being a homebody suits my twin who’s living with MG
I started traveling as a backpacker when I was 19 years old, back in the 1990s. I spent a semester studying in London in 1997. As a naive kid from the South Bronx in…
My twin explains myasthenia gravis and heat intolerance
When I was a toddler, I tripped and fell into a wall. The impact caused a small wound on my forehead, and I cried out in pain. My twin brother, Aaron, who was napping…
With my twin’s continuing double vision, I don’t know what to say
Do you ever use a phrase often without fully appreciating its meaning, especially its meaning to others? I’ve been thinking about the phrase “seeing double” for some time. My twin brother, Aaron, was…
