There’s a huge difference between those two statements. I have a rare autoimmune disease that affects me at times, but it doesn’t own me.
While I can’t control whether or not I have it or what it does to my body, I can control how I allow it to affect my mind. I decide if I’m going to run my life or if I’m going to allow MG to run it for me.
The mind plays such a huge role in any disease and keeping a positive outlook is crucial. Once we take on the role of victim, the disease is in control.
A reader recently wrote to thank me for my blogs. She has battled cancer on three separate occasions. On her third time, she also learned she had Myasthenia Gravis. Think about that for a moment. Three times she’s battled cancer and now MG is thrown on top, yet she takes the time to thank me for my blogs. This is a woman who shows strength, resilience, bravery and heart. She undoubtedly got through the cancer battles because she refused to become a victim and now she is going the fight MG with the same strength and resilience. She has MG… MG doesn’t have her.
It’s easy for me to say “I’m not a victim”. I’m not in a wheelchair or on a ventilator. I can still walk and do most of the things I enjoy doing, but what about those who are in worse shape and can’t take care of themselves?
We all know the story of Stephen Hawking. He was a brilliant theoretical physicist who developed the theory of cosmology explained by coupling the general theory of relativity with quantum mechanics. At the age of 21, he learned he had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) that gradually paralyzed him and left him in a wheelchair. He is probably most easily recognized for the way he rode around in his motorized wheelchair and communicated using synthesized speech.
Despite not being able to control his body, Hawking never allowed ALS to control his mind. In fact, after his diagnosis, he went on to make some amazing and brilliant discoveries. It was his work that solidified the theory of Black Holes. His mind was just as active and brilliant, if not more active and brilliant, than it was before he developed ALS. He could have chosen to give up. He could have chosen to sit in his chair and waste away, but he didn’t. He chose to use what he still had for the good of others.
Now I’m not saying that anyone with ALS who doesn’t discover black holes has given up. Hawking had a form of ALS that progressed slowly, whereas many with ALS see rapid progression. Also, few have the resources that were available to Stephen Hawking that allowed him to continue his work. What I am saying is he was left with the ability to use the talents he was given despite the dark cloud hanging over him. He was provided with a gift and despite the odds, he chose to use it.
Those of us with MG still have gifts. The severity of our symptoms may be different, the rate of progression may be different, the way the disease affects us may be different, but what isn’t different is the fact that when we get up in the morning, we can choose whether today is going to be a good day or a bad day. I don’t mean in terms of symptoms. We can’t control them. I mean in terms of our outlook and how we choose to fight.
When I first began writing MG blogs, I struggled with whether or not I was focusing too much on my MG. Was I becoming a victim? Was I letting MG control my life? I went deep down inside for the answer and asked myself why I was even writing about MG. What I learned was I was focusing on MG, not because it controlled me, but because it was a way I could help others. God gave me the ability to write; the level of talent is debatable, but a talent, nonetheless. He gave me computer equipment, the internet, a place to write and ideas to write about. I could wake up in the morning wondering what symptoms are going to attack me today or I could wake up in the morning with an idea about a blog that someone, somewhere, might like to read. Not only might they want to read it, but they might even get something out of it. Maybe sharing is caring. Maybe this is my therapy. Maybe this is what I’m supposed to do.
You need to find that in yourself. What is it you can still do to turn this lemon into lemonade? Maybe it’s getting involved in MG awareness. Maybe it’s helping others that are struggling or less fortunate. Maybe it’s reaching out to someone who needs to hear your voice or read your message. Maybe it’s just putting on a smile that makes others smile when they see it.
You have MG… MG doesn’t have you. Don’t let it control your life or push you into becoming a victim. You’re more than that. You’re stronger than that. You determine how big of a smile you wear.
To quote a famous song…
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance… I hope you dance.