Hi GI,
Welcome to our forum! My, we've had lots of newcomers here lately. That's wonderful, because we all like helping each other and I'm sure we can help you with moral support if nothing else!

I guess I've been very lucky. At times I have wanted to strangle my family for being too protective. They all have always said I don't know when to quit so they have to tell me, but as I explained to them my limits kept changing as I was getting better. I had to test the limits to find out what they were. Of course, sometimes they were right.

Most of those around me took it on themselves to learn about my disease.

The denial I've run into came with this overlapping condition. None of them wanted to accept that I could have 2 things, and what the neuro's were looking at weren't at all good! We thankfully have a very acceptable answer just this week, so all have breathed a big sigh of relief. But this flare had been particularly difficult and they were all having a very hard time understanding that I wasn't giving up - I just physically couldn't get out of the chair/bed for the last 3 months.

My husband was really scared this time - didn't tell me that, I found out from our doctor - and when I got upset because he kept wanting me to go to work and blew up at him for caring more about the money I make than me, he explained that wasn't it. It was because if I could go to work, they would all know I was getting better cuz they know how much I love my job. At the time I was really just concerned about surviving and I told him that.

Sometimes, straight up honesty is the best. I don't think it's right or fair of others to expect us to bare both the physical burdens of this disease and the emotional ones as well. We try our hardest to be positive, but sometimes we need them to be the strong, positive ones for us.

You can get informative brochures that explain MG at MGFA.org. They can be printed and given to those that you are having "difficulty" with. Explain to them gently that you thoroughly intend to master the disease, but you will need their help, understanding and support to do it, and you have this information to help them with that. Give them the information. Maybe when they see that the disease is serious, but with proper management you have a chance at a good life they can calm down, accept, and help you.

If all that fails, feel free to come on here and pitch a hissy fit, vent, whatever you need to! That's part of what we're here for.

Hope to hear more about you soon.