“I went through diagnosis pinball,” Liz says as she describes her journey of numerous doctor visits, tests and misdiagnoses. Ultimately, Liz was referred to a neurologist who diagnosed her with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), a rare autoimmune disorder.1
Liz was shocked to learn she had a rare disease. As a physical therapist, she remembered hearing a little bit about gMG in her training and she dove back into her old textbooks to learn more.
She also felt a sense of relief to have an answer. And although the physical challenges of gMG required Liz, her husband, and their children to adjust their lives in many ways, she wasn’t going to let it hold her back.
Liz’s family, doctors and counselors have been essential in helping Liz manage her condition. Once dependent on a power wheelchair, Liz now uses only a set of forearm crutches for long distances. She says, “I am in a much better place now physically than I was when I first started this journey.”
Liz is grateful every day for the support of her loved ones in helping her adapt to life with gMG and urges others to “keep your support network close.”