Ashley Brooks is a chronic illness blogger and advocate who was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis at 22 years old. She has since dedicated her life to raising awareness about living with a rare disease and helping other people who are living with the same illness find the strength to keep going. Brooks has a bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy and uses her education and personal experiences to help others. She is passionate about sharing her story, her struggles, and her successes with her community in order to bring hope and support to those fighting their own battles with chronic illnesses. Brooks is also a small business owner. In her free time, she enjoys pouring candles and recording beauty product reviews for her blog.
Sometimes I forget I have myasthenia gravis (MG). It happens when my symptoms are so manageable that I catch myself feeling …good. I have good days, and good weeks sometimes. When my meds do what they’re supposed to, I feel strong. Strong enough to do every day activities. Imagine having this energy and then, one day, it’s gone. Gone because of a flare up.
Sometimes, I feel I’m walking on a tightrope between managing my health and maintaining relationships.
Imagine feeling guilty about resting. That was my experience adjusting to life with a chronic illness.
I recently had the pleasure of something I rarely do, travel. I traveled on a plane for five whole hours to California. If I’m being honest, the trip took a toll on me. I don’t think I was mentally or physically prepared.
It’s no surprise that navigating life with chronic illness is challenging. Even more challenging is living with a rare condition most people aren’t familiar with.
No one talks about your teeth and MG. I wish someone would’ve warned me about the toll chronic illness has on your oral health.