Snowflakes and Spoons

Solving Toileting needs at home It is one of our basic needs. When it becomes a difficult or impossible task it can play havoc with your independence, privacy and self-esteem.  Here are some tips that have helped me to keep the personal things personal. Having difficulty standing up from the toilet is often the first indications for me a flare is on its way. I sit down only to find that standing is now out of the question. The first time this happened I dissolved into a puddle of tears, calling my husband to come rescue me. Solutions: 1) The height of the toilet. While you are able to purchase toilets that are slightly higher off the ground than average, unless you're installing a new bathroom this may not be an option. Rather buy a raised toilet seat. This will limit the amount of effort required by the large muscles in your legs to stand. If you have children at home you can also remove the raised seat to allow them easy access. Make sure that it sits...

The second trimester is typically said to be the best time of your pregnancy. For me and my growing belly, I have to agree. With nausea settling and my bump actually starting to be visible, here are some of my second trimester highlights and advice for MG mommies. Appointments: The Gynecologist was very insistent on seeing me every month as to monitor baby and my progress. While at times this seemed excessive it was always worth the sneak peek at our baby and to know that all was well. Our 20-week scan was at a specialized fetal assessment center for an in-depth evaluation. Currently, there are no known side effects of the medication I am on or having MG per say on the baby therefore this was to clarify any abnormailites. When going for any tests relating to abnormalities in your baby it is best to have an idea about what your decision would be if that test comes back positive. This also means that if you are placed in a high-risk category for anything you can decide if you w...

The finer things in life Many tasks that we need to do involve intricate movements of our fingers. Our fingers are controlled by 34 muscles originating in our forearms and palms. These muscles connect to our finger bones by tendons. The fingers actually have no muscles in them! With 34 muscles needed, it’s no wonder that controlling fine motor movements can become an issue when diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. Tips when suffering from fine motor impairment:  ·          Avoid extended use of these muscles and plan ahead When I write, I notice that my handwriting can start out relatively neatly, but then goes downhill into a scrawl. By limiting the use of these muscles, you can preserve them for the things you need. If you know you are going to need your fine skills for a task make sure you doing it your 'strong' times. For some, this is in the morning and for others about an hour afte...

Occupational therapy strives to use a holistic treatment approach to improve a person's day to day functioning. Balancing life and engaging in work, leisure and personal management by teaching new skills or adapting task or environment is a high priority for OTs. By using meaningful activities we encourage clients to live their life to their personal best. This can be done in a group setting or on an individual either on hospital or on an outpatient basis. So what services can an Occupational Therapist offer an adult client with a chronic illness? “As much as 90% of the management of a chronic condition must be performed, not by health care providers, but by the person who has the condition.” ‐ California Healthcare Foundation, 2008 whether it's managing your medication, putting on your own socks or remembering where you left the keys OT is the profession to help you. Here are 10 other topics that an OT can include in your treatment:       1)  ...

Adaptive Reading Strategies  I recently came down with the flu. After a few days of sleep, social media and TV I was frustrated and bored.  I used to love to read. To hold a book in my hands and escape into another world. Having some time on my hands, I was able to come up with several strategies to get back into this hobby and conserve my spoons. I have put together some ideas to help it easier to maintain strength and focus when reading. Visual Fatigue:  Visual fatigue and drooping eyelids are two main symptoms of ocular Myasthenia Gravis. A highlighted reading strip helps you to remain focused and assist your eyes to track the sentences. You can make one by cutting a coloured transparency sheet into strips and taping masking tape along the borders. Alternatively, you can purchase one online. Magnifying glass to enlarge text decreases the strain on your eyes. Double vision can be combated by using an eye patch to cover one eye. Muscle fatigue:...