Myasthenia Gravis

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    After watching Holly’s story about being diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, it is clear to see how hard she has struggled to advocate for herself. It is very discouraging to go to the doctor only to be ignored and belittled. After years of being told there is nothing wrong, it makes one question their own body. Being a mother of seven children, not being able to simply prepare a meal for your family can be defeating in itself. She lost her independence in every aspect in life. Soon after, Holly started having random spells of choking, double vision, fatigue, dysphagia, and dysarthria. The doctor finally diagnosed her with Ocular Myasthenia Gravis in August 2015, which was later changed to Generalized Myasthenia Gravis. All the symptoms that had progressed are textbook signs of MG that we have learned in our Neurological Aspects course. If the doctor would have spent more time getting to know the patient, Holly would not have had to struggle for as long as she did. 
 
    Listening to all the ups and downs of her diagnosis, makes me happy to know that I am going into the right field to ensure clients like this will have what they need. I chose this topic because I feel like advocacy is going to be a big part of my life/job. I know I will be faced with challenges when figuring out how to handle situations, but I want my client to trust and know that I will be there for them. As OTs, we provide what the client needs and wants. Ultimately, she would have a say in how she wanted to proceed with treatment and would be heard when discussing any concerns. So many people brushed her concerns to the side or said, “Oh, that is just part of getting old.” All healthcare providers should be eager to say, “I know you have all of these concerns and we will figure this out together.” I recommend this resource solely because we are going into the profession where our hearts need to be fully committed to helping others. 
 
Holly. (2017. July 13). Holly’s story: my experience with mg treatments. Raremark Health. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8mF1sL5ZMM

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