Reflecting on my past brought light into the darkness of MG
Spring has arrived here in Texas. The trees outside my windows have lost their winter grayness and once again have turned my home into a treehouse. It’s the time of year when poets and…
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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A frightening choking episode reminded me to live fully
Many companions accompany us on life’s journey, but perhaps the most constant of these is uncertainty. None of us knows what curveballs may come our way from one day to the next. Most people…
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Overcoming the shame of prednisone-induced weight gain
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with prednisone. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Living with myasthenia gravis…
Finding a new purpose in life after MG took mine away
Years ago, a colleague shared her morning ritual with me. After waking, she thanked God for restful sleep, the excitement of a new day, and the caring people in her life. I adopted this…
Applying a little Irish humor to the daily struggles of rare disease
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt once said of his fellow Irishmen, “I think there’s something about the Irish experience — that we had to have a sense of humor or die.” The tragic…
Reflecting on history can make living with MG a little easier
The final lines of Voltaire’s “Candide” are some of my favorites in literature. As the story concludes, two of the main characters reflect on the “concatenation of events,” some of which were…
How myasthenia gravis prompted me to embrace change
“No man steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” — Heraclitus “It’s the paradox that the more you allow yourself to…
How US Health Insurance Practices Can Harm Rare Disease Patients
The U.S. healthcare system is broken. There’s nothing earth-shattering in that statement. However, every day, people — our friends, neighbors, and family members — die as a result. Recent events in my life brought…
Lessons in Strength, Dignity, and Laughter From 3 Special Women
“The older people get, the more positive they are about aging and the more adaptive they are to their limitations. Social science tends to define old people by their disabilities. But people don’t define…
Prompting Laughter and Healing With ‘Bob’s Burgers’
“Hearty laughter is a good way to jog internally without having to go outdoors.” — Norman Cousins Jan. 9, 2011 began like any other day. I had no idea that by nighttime, one of…
Holding Out Hope for the Day When Pain Shall Be No More
“Definition of chronic pain: being constantly in pain. Yes, constantly. Every single second. The person is smiling? Still in pain. The person doesn’t mention it? Still in pain. The person says ‘I’m fine.’ Still…
3 Months of Sisyphean Struggles Teach Me About Endurance
“Sometimes you will be in control of your illness and other times you’ll sink into despair, and that’s OK! Freak out, forgive yourself, and try again tomorrow.” — Kelly Hemingway I remember when I…
Why People With Rare Diseases Should Spend More Time With Kids
“But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” — Luke 18:16 As a teacher,…
