Myasthenia gravis does not make us powerless
As a historian and teacher, I often make connections between current events and the past. Because I also live with myasthenia gravis (MG), recent events called to mind a connection between the past…
Together — Mark Harrington
A Boston native, Mark has spent 25 years on the faculty of the Dallas Independent School District. A believer that what Hanna Arendt termed “the life of the mind” is the richest gift we give the young, Mark continues to find inspiration and joy in teaching. Mark has been published in The Dallas Morning News, The Boston Globe, and various professional publications. His classes have been featured on KERA, the local public television station. Mark knows the MG journey is not solitary. Blessed with wonderful, loving family and friends, he hopes his writing will assist others as they navigate life with myasthenia gravis.
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Living with MG can feel isolating at times, but we’re not alone
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with several medications, including Ultomiris (ravulizumab-cwvz). Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Ecclesiastes…
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Being honest is important when someone asks me how I’m doing
If I’m not careful, myasthenia gravis (MG) will take control of areas of my life I don’t want it to. I’m not referring to the daily exercise regimens or the employment challenges, but…
Reframing the question ‘Why me?’ in life with a rare disease
When I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), I thought I understood the illness. The years since have been eye-opening. My MG has spiraled out of control several times. On those trying…
Do you believe in coincidence?
Each day we try to make sense out of seemingly random events. We do this at both an individual and societal level. It’s seen in the creation stories found in all cultures. The Egyptians…
How to enjoy summer despite MG and heat intolerance
On Oct. 10, 1935, the classic of American theater “Porgy and Bess” opened on Broadway. The show was not an instant success. Its first run ended after only 124 performances. Despite this,…
How Ted Lasso’s advice helps me in life with myasthenia gravis
I’ve learned many lessons about living a happy life. Among the most valuable is the ability to recognize the absurdities daily life can toss our way. I believe we can choose to laugh at…
Looking to the future when MG makes me feel useless
“Useless, useless.” Those were the last words of President Abraham Lincoln’s murderer. After killing Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth fled Washington, D.C. A 12-day manhunt ensued. On April 26, 1865, federal troops cornered Booth in…
This year, I’m honoring my diagnosis anniversary differently
Can the French teach us something new today? According to Perspectives on History, “In French the word anniversaire means both ‘birthday’ and ‘anniversary,’ whereas in English the two concepts require separate words.” On…
How MG has prompted me to make Memorial Day a joyful day
As May ends, I, like many Americans, will pause on Memorial Day to remember and honor our sisters and brothers who gave, as Abraham Lincoln put it, “the last full measure of…
How to turn contraction into expansion after an MG diagnosis
After years spent journeying around the world, Ulysses, the main character in Homer’s epic “Odyssey,” reaches the safety of home. Changed by the stimulation of dangerous adventures, he finds the tranquility unbearable.
With MG, I wonder: Does everything really happen for a reason?
In 2020, a myasthenia gravis (MG) diagnosis completely changed my life. According to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, the prevalence of this disease in the U.S. is estimated at 14 to…
‘Whom do men say that I am?’: Redefining identity in life with MG
A recent Washington Post article, written in the form of a multiple-choice quiz, challenges many of the assumptions made about people with “disabilities.” I put disabilities in quotations because my feelings about that…
