Tina Hancock, who lives in Georgia, has managed myasthenia gravis (MG) for decades. She reveals her daily strategies for navigating MG fatigue and staying active.
Transcript
I furniture surf. I go from piece of furniture to piece of furniture and touch it so that I don’t lose the ability to walk throughout the house because I’m up a lot walking, and I lose my strength throughout the house.
When I go out, I usually take a cane. I have used a walker, which draws a lot of attention — which I don’t like — but, you know, whatever it takes.
I’ve canceled numerous appointments at the last minute or the day before, so my friends pretty much know I’m pretty much always going to cancel, which is alarming, but it’s the best I can do.
I tell myself the fact that I want to do these things is fantastic because it shows I still have the drive. I push myself to do little things, but then I reward myself for whatever I do. And I make sure that I never plan more than one activity in a day. Like, if I have to go to the doctor, that’s it.
I don’t plan anything else. There’s no dishwashing, there’s no cleaning, there’s nothing.
Because I found out if I try to do more than one thing in a day that takes physical activity, I’m in bed for two or three days afterward, regardless of medication.
And some days, I plan nothing. And that way, when I get something done because I just decided to do it, I’m very happy. Because I’m like, wow, look what you did — spur of the moment. Even though it’s kind of a trick to my psyche, it works for me.
