I’m frequently asked how I remain so positive while dealing with Myasthenia Gravis. Allow me first to explain that each person’s journey with MG is different. Some experience more severe symptoms than others. While I’m not at the level of being confined in a wheelchair or severely limited in what I can do, I have to be careful with what I do and how much. I also must religiously follow my neurologist’s instructions on taking my medications.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s no cup of tea, but I choose to remain upbeat. I choose not to let MG get me down (at least for too long).
How do I do this? My faith in God is my strongest ally. I know He is walking this journey with me because I can see His footprints in the sand beside me. Even when I’m in my darkest moments, when I turn to Him, I always find relief. I’ve learned to count my blessings and appreciate all that God does for me.
It’s so easy to get caught up in thinking you need more. I need to feel perfect. I need to get rid of these symptoms. I need to be able to do all the things I used to do. The reality is we only need God. He will take care of the rest.
When you have MG, it’s so easy to get depressed, lamenting over your symptoms, or wondering why you even have this crazy disease in the first place. We probably will never know or understand the answer to that one, but what we can learn from our situation is to appreciate every good day we have and use the bad days as motivation to appreciate the good days all that much more.
I’ve had days when it was a challenge just getting out of bed. I ached all over. My eyelids were drooping. I had trouble seeing. I had trouble breathing. My legs ached and felt like they didn’t even want to move. When that happens, I remember how much fun it was going to the amusement park with my grandson and granddaughter and watching them on the rides. I think about how beautiful the day was and how nice it felt to be out in the fresh air after a tough winter. As I think about those amazing things, my brain doesn’t have time to focus on how I currently feel. It focuses on how I can’t wait to enjoy those things again. When positive thoughts become your driving force, not much can slow you down.
As tough as a day may feel, it doesn’t take much to get your mind to focus on better things. Once I refocus, for me, the world doesn’t seem so bleak. I have a reason to push through what I’m currently experiencing and get back to feeling better again. It’s not a magic cure, but it’s a magic elixir for me. A shot of positive thoughts makes the negative thoughts go away.
We are so blessed in life and yet we often fail to realize or acknowledge it. Most of us have a roof over our heads, food to eat, and people who love us. Those are blessings. In order to recognize blessings, we have to appreciate them.
That’s how I stay positive. I appreciate my blessings and use them as motivation.
Negative thoughts bring negative outcomes. I choose to focus on the positive and live life the best way I can.
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