Decades Later: A Great Life (And a Small Business) With Myasthenia Gravis

By Chris Boerner

I realized recently that I’ve been sick for more of my life than I’ve been healthy. Many many years ago, I was starting my freshman year of high school—I was 14 and I loved to play soccer and softball and do normal teenage girl stuff. Then things began to change one day, and I had no idea that someday I’d be 33 and the words “Myasthenia Gravis” would be as familiar to me as my name.

The first time I noticed my buddy Myasthenia, I was at the mall with one of my best friends, and I’m sure we were trying to find cute boys to talk to. Emily and I are still friends to this day, and when we’re together we laugh a lot. So there was laughing and talking and more laughing....so much in fact, that when we walked by a mirror, I noticed that I couldn’t smile. That’s right, I couldn’t smile. What the heck?!? We figured we were just having too much fun, and that my face must be tired. Which it sort of was, but it’s not exactly normal for your smile to wear out.

Some time went by, a few weeks maybe, and then I was at school and really conscious of how hard it was to move food around in my mouth. I couldn’t remember if that had always been the case and I just never noticed or if it was different. Then I was playing the piano and my pinky finger wouldn’t move to reach an octave. By this time, I had a feeling something might be going on, but I still hadn’t really talked about it.

A few days later, I saw a commercial on TV that asked “Do you sometimes have trouble moving parts of your body?”And I realized, YES, I DO! According to the ad, I had multiple sclerosis. So that’s what I told my mom. Can you imagine your 14-year-old daughter coming to you convinced she has MS? That was the start of my diagnosis, and I was fortunate to have an absolutely amazing neurologist who figured it out fast.

Once we knew what we were dealing with, it didn’t really get easier. I was taking Prednisone (which gave me a triple chin that was particularly fun in high school) and Imuran, along with a medication called Mestinon. I was at the doctor’s office almost every day after school reviewing how my meds were working and doing strength tests. When I was feeling strong, I could actually raise my arms above my shoulders, or lift my head off a pillow—Definitely not the standard I was used to. My mouth was affected more than anything else, and it was years before I smiled fully again (but I did)!! A lot of the time I couldn’t swallow, and I’d choke on my saliva. Even talking, which is one of my all-time favorite things to do (I think I had an 8-hour marathon conversation with a guy I liked in 8th grade), was too hard, I’d slur my speech. I spent a lot of time in the hospital that year, with a visit to intensive care for a week or so. I also had a thymectomy, where they took out my thymus gland.

I’ll fast forward, but I went through high school and college doing better, but not great. My smile was my barometer, and it was never much more than a grimace. It was so hard, for me it’s difficult to explain what an important thing that is.

Then, a few years after college, I started to do better. My neurologist had said that people sometimes improve about 10 years after a thymectomy, and that was what happened! All of a sudden I couldn’t stop smiling at myself in the mirror!

It’s not perfect, but I’m in a chemical remission where it’s mostly under control with medication. I freak out now when I have the slightest symptoms because I remember how bad it was and I really don’t want to go back. I still struggle with some things, but if you met me, you’d probably have no idea. I feel so lucky everyday, I really didn’t believe it was possible to feel as good as I do today. I’m smiling BIG while I write this.

So the funny thing is that Myasthenia has actually led me to a pretty exciting change in my life. I’ve worked in big corporations for my whole career, and I recently left to try and do something on my own. That something was to start a small company that sells high-quality stainless steel pill holders (link towww.thepillholder.com) to people like me who need to have their medication with them all the time. They’re stylish, discreet, and even crafted in the USA. I’m donating 5% of my sales to autoimmune disease research, and I am absolutely beside myself with excitement for this!! I’d love to ask you for help Cielo Pill Holders is just getting going, and I would love it if you’d check it out (and maybe even buy one?!), spread the word, and PLEASE give me feedback. I’d appreciate it so much.

Honestly, the best part of building this business has been connecting with people who can relate to what it’s like to have an autoimmune condition. When I was diagnosed, it was 1995 and there were pretty limited options to find support, so I never really did. It really wasn’t until a few weeks ago when I started exploring the online communities that are bringing people like us together that I realized this connection was missing in my life! I thought since I was doing better I didn’t need the support, but Myasthenia is such a part of who I am, it doesn’t matter if my symptoms are present or not, I need to build relationships with people who can relate. It’s an amazing feeling when someone gets it without an explanation.

So...that’s where I’m at today. Thank you for sharing your community with me, I truly can’t thank you enough.

About the Author

Chris Boerner lives with her husband and kids in the southeast.  Before beginning her entrepreneurial journey with Cielo Pill Holders, she worked at Starbucks in Global Strategy and Brand Management.  Her true passion in life comes from connecting with others, and she couldn't be happier to be building relationships with people who share her autoimmune history.  

Disclaimer

AutoimmuneMom.com is not a medical practice and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  It is your responsibility to seek diagnosis, treatment, and advice from qualified providers based on your condition and particular circumstances.  Camino Real Ventures, Inc., the company that makes AutoImmuneMom.com available to you, does not endorse nor recommend any products, practices, treatment methods, tests, physicians, service providers, procedures, clinical trials, opinions or information available on this website.  Your use of the website is subject our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

THIS WEBSITE IS NOT DESIGNED TO PROVIDE AND SHOULD NOT BE INTERPRETED AS MEDICAL, HEALTHCARE OR CLINICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF YOUR PHYSICIAN OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTHCARE PROVIDER WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING YOUR HEALTH. NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY IN SEEKING IT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU READ ON THE WEBSITE. IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL YOUR DOCTOR OR 911 IMMEDIATELY.