Jennifer Crow, an MG patient advocate, shares how myasthenia gravis changed her role at home and required her family to reorganize everyday chores and responsibilities.
Transcript
In my family, we had to reorganize — a complete reorganization of our household in the way our house operated.
Household chores, responsibilities, had to be given off to somebody else. I could no longer grocery shop independently. I couldn’t go to the store, go grocery shopping, unload the car, bring it into the house, unload the groceries, and put them all away.
That was just too exhausting. So, obviously, that was a test that had to be put out. Doing laundry, I couldn’t really do anymore because the clothes are too heavy when they’re wet, and then the repetitive action of taking them from the washer to the dryer — that was too much for me.
And so, as my symptoms ebb and flow, how I can participate in the household changes. And so, on my good days, I could unload the dryer and fold up the dry clothes because they are lighter weight.
And, like, at dinnertime, depending on my symptoms, I could help clear the table. But there’s no way I could prepare dinner, serve dinner, clean up dinner. I could not do all of that. I could just, like, clear my plate and put the lighter things, like salad dressing or butter, back in the fridge.
