MG?

The following are my opinions and my observations, as a mother-in-law, and should not be construed as information from anyone else.

As some of you are aware, my daughter-in-law was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis about 14 months ago.  At the time, she had no job, no medical insurance and couldn’t get government help because she and my son own a home and a vehicle.  She had a large tumor in her thymus gland and would surely die if she didn’t have a thymectomy.

Chronological MG Diary:

2007

February:

February - mid Month - Mild weariness & stiffness in jaws

February - End of the Month - Blurred vision, difficulty focusing & eyelids began drooping some

My caregiver experience began when my husband began having difficulty chewing, seeing, and breathing while we were down in the valley of Texas for a couple of weeks in February, 2007.

When we got home, to Austin, and since his eyes were really distressing, we began with our ophthalmologist. Then he went to our family doctor for help.

My name is Donna Clark and I am 39 years old. I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis in May of 2003 when I was 34 years old. Here is my story.

It was the beginning of a new year, 2003. I was at a good place in my life. I was an RN working in a pediatric unit at Fort Hood Texas. I had just been promoted a few months before to Nurse Manager of the unit. Along with the promotion came many more responsibilities. I was attached to a beeper 24/7. I had a son, Chant, who was 14 years old, and now in High School. My husband Ron was very successful at his job. He was a defense contractor also working at Fort Hood. Then, the Iraq war began. Ron would be deploying with the troops.