I was diagnosed about a week and a half after giving birth to my son in 2014 when I was 18. Before MG, I was a happy go lucky college student, I had many friends, and I was very sociable. After being diagnosed, I became more introverted and lost many friends because they didn’t understand that I was not the same as I once was. They didn’t understand I couldn’t just get up and go like I use to because I tired out easily from too much movement or even the heat.

The night I gave birth, I went into respiratory distress and developed aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia is a complication of pulmonary aspiration, when you inhale food, stomach acid, or saliva into your lungs. I was then placed in SICU (Surgical Intensive Care Unit), where I was incubated, had a feeding tube, and catheter placed. While I was pregnant, I had many symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, chewing, droopy eyelids, I was unable to hold my head up, and I could not swallow my saliva. All the doctors just believed these were related to hormonal changes from the pregnancy. Which were not!

Due to MG I’ve had a thymectomy which has relieved some of my symptoms tremendously. I have had a port placed to receive Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusions. I probably was hospitalized about 6-8 times the first 3 years after being diagnosed.

I believe everyone around me has been affected. They’re all more aware now of things to look out for when they’re with me. They all feel as though they must constantly check on me to make sure I’m alright and not having any flare ups.

I don’t think anyone will ever come to grips with having Myasthenia Gravis honestly. I’ve accepted that it’s something I may face for the rest of my life true enough, but I have not given up fighting. I’m only 23 and there are so many things I want to do, things I love to do such as paint/color, read/write, and will accomplish everything that I want in life.