According to a story from Find Me Cure, June is myasthenia gravis awareness month. Dr. Kemi Olawaiye-Dampson was first diagnosed with the disease after she gave birth to her first child. From then on, she struggled come to terms with what her diagnosis meant but ultimately learned to make the best of it. Dr. Olawaiye-Dampson would ultimately write a book about her experience as a patient called “Living With Myasthenia Gravis: Finding Hope in Life’s Challenging Crisis.”
About Myasthenia Gravis
Myasthenia gravis is a long term autoimmune disease that is most characterized by weakness of the skeletal muscles which can affect a patient’s ability to move and breathe. An an autoimmune disease, myasthenia gravis is ultimately the result of abnormal immune system behavior in which the system attacks normal body tissue. In this disease, the immune system produces antibodies that inhibit regular neuromuscular function. Symptoms of the illness include muscle weakness that worsens after activity and gets better after resting. This weakness may affect the face, eyes, neck, breathing, and limbs. It may cause speech and swallowing difficulties, eyelid drooping, shortness of breath, and blurred vision. In severe cases, patients may require breathing assistance with a ventilator. Treatment options for myasthenia gravis include immunosuppressive medications, thyroid gland removal, IVIG, and plasmapharesis. Most patients can effectively manage the condition with treatment. To learn more about myasthenia gravis, click here.
Dr. Kemi Olawaiye-Dampson’s Story
Myasthenia gravis hit Dr. Olawaiye-Dampson hard from the beginning in 2013. She had just had her first child, concluding a pregnancy that had been difficult for her. She was afflicted by a myasthenic crisis, which is an episode of severe symptoms that may require hospitalization and more rapid intervention. Soon she needed help doing practically everything; her symptoms were severe to the extent that they were completely debilitating. This is a devastating feeling for a new mother that wants to focus on the care of their child.
Dr. Olawaiye-Dampson believes that she had been living undiagnosed with mild symptoms for as much as 19 years. For a time, she suffered with depression and struggled to regain her function. However, she had successfully found a treatment regimen that works for her, and her myasthenia gravis is currently in remission. She was eventually discharged with a combination of IVIG, prednisone, and Imuran. The last drug that she used was Imuran, but she hasn’t been on treatment for over a year. She still experiences occasional fatigue, however.
Dr. Olawaiye-Dampson says that her faith has helped her immensely on her journey to recovery.
She also has established the LivingFreetoLive Foundation, which is committed to spreading awareness about myasthenia gravis. Learn more about its activities here.
