How I keep moving forward in life with myasthenia gravis

Athena Sanchez graduates from Northern Arizona University. (Courtesy of Athena Sanchez)

This is Athena Sanchez’s story:

Living with myasthenia gravis (MG) is like constantly fighting a battle, and my body doesn’t always show up. I was diagnosed when I was just 18, barely out of high school, at a time when life was supposed to be opening up with endless possibilities. Instead, I found myself confused, scared, and fighting to be heard.

My body was changing rapidly — my eyelids drooped, my speech slurred, and I felt an overwhelming fatigue I couldn’t explain. Doctors didn’t have answers at first. I was young, healthy-looking, and my symptoms came and went, which made it easy for people to dismiss what I was going through. It took months of specialist visits, tests, and moments where I truly thought I might be losing my mind before I finally received the diagnosis: MG.

Back then, there wasn’t much awareness about MG, especially not in someone so young. I felt isolated. I didn’t know anyone else with the condition. I didn’t know how to explain it to my friends or even to myself. I had to learn quickly how to advocate for my health, how to manage medications, and how to live with the constant uncertainty of flare-ups. College looked different. Working full time was a challenge. I had to learn to pace myself, to rest without guilt, and to accept help when I needed it.

Twenty years later, I’ve learned that living with MG requires strength, resilience, and patience. It’s a silent illness that tests you mentally and emotionally just as much as physically. I’ve had to let go of the life I once imagined and embrace the one I’ve built — one full of hard-earned wisdom, deep empathy, and quiet victories that no one else sees. MG may have changed my path, but it didn’t take away my ability to keep moving forward.

In recognition of Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month in June, the Myasthenia Gravis Community Spotlight campaign features a series of stories highlighting the real-life experiences of people affected by myasthenia gravis, written in their own words. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or X for more stories like this, using the hashtag #MGSpotlight, or read the full series here.