[AnnieB3]

Hi, and welcome, WOIK. That made me giggle. Woik sounds like work with an accent. Do you have an informal name we can call you.

Does your employer have short term or long term disability? Not that taking a break would be a good answer.

I can't work. I found out early on (10 years ago) that I can't push my body that hard. I even tried part time consulting work but I couldn't manage even that. Unlike some other people I know, I can't take the drugs like IVIG or Cellcept that might make working feasible. Drugs bring with them some pretty awful side effects, so it's a really tough decision to make.

Maybe it would help to write down some "what ifs." What if you applied for social security disability? Do you know the amount you would get from them if you got approved? What if you don't get approved for two years, like it happened with me? What if you can tolerate an added drug at a low dose, like Imuran, and can still work? Or the big MG what if, what if you push too hard and end up somewhere unable to move or breathe?!

I know how hard this is to face. I couldn't have done so without my family. And friends. Maybe sit down and discuss this with them.

How do you describe MG? Most people "get" how cars need gasoline to "go." It's the same with MG. Most normal people have a full tank of acetylcholine (ah-seat-ill-co-lean) every day. Tell them that acetylcholine is everyone's muscle gas. Normal people have a full tank of it every day. People with MG only have about 1/3 of a tank. And our muscle gas runs out faster. So, the more we do, the less we have. It could run out at any time during a given day, and our muscles won't "go" anymore.

Anyone else have a good analogy or way to describe this? It's really hard for some people to get. I lost a friend because she simply couldn't get her mind around it.

Because you have MG, it is possible to have other autoimmune diseases. Do you get your thyroid checked yearly? B12 level? It's easy to check for those and celiac disease. It's always a good idea to make sure there isn't something else making your MG worse.

I hope you can figure out what is best for you to do. I'm sorry you ended up in the hospital. Be careful! It's so darn hot down there and that makes MG much worse, as you know. Good luck.

Annie