I spotted an alligator yesterday in the pond across the street from our house. I’m estimating he was about 6 feet in length. At this length, he’s probably not going to cause any problems, although I would hope people keep their small pets away from the waterline. Once they get 8-10 feet in length, animal control will come and remove them from our pond. That’s the size when they start to become a threat to young children.
Gators move into our pond as they travel through sloughs running through the sugar cane fields. Since they’re native to the area, there’s really no good way to keep them out of the pond; we just have to be cautious and take steps if they get too large. The current 6-footer may just move on or he could take up residence. Only time will tell.
Some people are quite afraid of gators. The rule of thumb is just ignore them because they will do their best to stay away from you. It’s only when you corner them or they feel threatened, do they become concerning to people. Granted, I wouldn’t want my young child playing near the shore, but being cautious, gators and people get along pretty well.
I remember one day when my grandson and I were over by the pond playing. I noticed bubbles rising to the surface of the water near the shore. That could be a sign that a gator is under the water nearby. That was also our signal to go home. It’s a matter of respect, not fear, that help gators and people get along.
I thought about how that applies to Myasthenia Gravis. If we have it, we shouldn’t fear it; we should respect it. Fearing it means we’re allowing MG to control our lives. Respecting MG means we know our boundaries, we know what to watch for, and we get on with our lives the best way we can.
I realize I can’t do some of the things I once did, but there are still plenty of things I can do. I enjoy mowing the grass, but it zaps me of strength and I usually don’t feel good for the remainder of the day after mowing. I could choose not to mow, but that’s giving up something I enjoy doing and giving in to MG. Instead, I find a way to work around it. I don’t plan anything special for the afternoon or evening after I mow. I know I will be hurting and I’ll need time to take it easy and recover. That’s respecting MG, not fearing it.
I know we have gators living in our pond. I know I have MG living in my body. I choose not to let either of them frighten me. I choose to respect both and we’ll get along just fine.