Years ago, I began to lose my hearing. It has nothing to do with Myasthenia Gravis; it’s something in our genes. My brothers and sister have it, many of our cousins have it and my mother and grandmother had it. Most of us wear either hearing aids or cochlear implants because of it.
Before I got my hearing aids, I had trouble understanding people talking. Being around people, especially in a noisy environment, was difficult for me as I couldn’t understand what anyone was saying. When someone would talk to me or speak to the group and I couldn’t understand what they said, I had a terrible habit of smiling and nodding my head. Sometimes that satisfied the speaker and sometimes my gesture was simply inappropriate for their comment. When someone asks you a question, they don’t want you smiling and nodding in agreement; they want an answer. My immediate family caught on to what I was doing and would often warn the speaker that “he didn’t hear a word you said.”
I could handle a one-on-one conversation in a quiet room fairly well, but anything beyond that was difficult. It was not only uncomfortable, but it was embarrassing not being able to hear. So much so that I found myself avoiding situations where there would be more than one person or any environment that was noisy. I no longer enjoyed family gatherings. I quit going to restaurants because I couldn’t understand the waiter/waitress. I began isolating myself.
I was reading an article one night about how people with hearing loss have a higher potential to develop Alzheimer’s due to isolation. Isolation can also lead to depression and a host of other problems. That’s when I realized how badly I needed hearing aids.
Isolation can also be the go-to for people with Myasthenia Gravis. You can become so embarrassed of your symptoms, or the possibility that they may appear when you’re out in public, that you confine yourself to your safe spot, you own little world.
Sometimes you need alone time; time to just get away from everyone and everything. Sometimes alone time is an excuse to avoid others.
When you isolate or avoid, you don’t get the physical or emotional stimulus that comes from interacting with others. Alone, you tend to focus more on your problems. With others, you tend to focus on the people, the places and the things around you. You don’t have time to think about your problems when you’re with others because you’re too busy enjoying life.
By the way, when others are around you, they’re not focusing on your symptoms. They’re focusing on the beautiful person you are and how much they enjoy your company. Don’t deny them that opportunity.
Of course, you need to be smart about it. Since our immune systems are already dancing to their own tunes, you need to be careful not to pick up a cold or other viral illness when out in public. Use your head. Wash your hands regularly and use sanitizers. You might even consider wearing a mask if you’re going to be in an environment with numerous people. Talk to your doctor and get his/her advice about the precautions to take when you’re out in public.
I firmly believe the key to managing the mental side of Myasthenia Gravis is to learn how to enjoy life the best way you can. Be around your family. Be around your friends. Go places. Do things. Life wasn’t meant for isolation and isolating yourself means you’ve given up. You’re stronger than that. Call someone. Make a lunch date. Go to a movie with someone. Go visit a museum or park. Do something, anything, with someone you care about. You control your own happiness, so get out there and do something about it.
June was MG Awareness Month. I declare the rest of the eleven months of the year as Enjoy Life Awareness Month. Don’t just sit there, help me celebrate!
One last thing. I’ve been sharing my journey with you in my blogs and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading them. If you’re willing to share some stories about your journey, but don’t care to start your own blog, email me at [email protected] with anything you’d like to share. I may include some of your stories in my blog. Just be sure to let me know if I can share your first name or whether you’d prefer to stay anonymous. I may not be able to include everything you share, but I’ll try the best I can to include as much as possible. Sharing is Caring and your stories will undoubtedly help others as well.