Returning to ‘academic time’ helps me focus on the present
Many kids hate the end of summer, which brings a return to school. I was never one of those kids. I’ve been a nerd since kindergarten. I loved — and still do — the…
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.
Featured Post
How studying history can help us navigate life with chronic illness
I grew up in Malden, Massachusetts, surrounded by history. According to the City of Malden’s website, “In 1640, the Puritans settled in Malden on land purchased in 1629 from the Native American…
Read more
I’m troubled by the connection between homelessness and disability
The exceptionally hot summer weather in Texas, where I live, has made life for unhoused people more difficult than usual. It’s troubling to see so many people standing outside in the heat at…
Praying that I never lose courage
The limitations and frustrations that accompany life with myasthenia gravis (MG) have dominated my thinking the past few weeks. I wish I could say I’ve gleaned inspiration from the experience, but I can’t.
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…
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…
