Country Life with Myasthenia Gravis

The temperature is about 72 degrees with soft breezes today as I sit here on the deck in my rocking chair overlooking the backyard. Streaks of brilliant orange, yellow, black, and white glimmer in the pond as the giant goldfish swim on the surface.

Songbirds are singing in the trees. My chickens are running around the yard to find what they might eat for a snack. Worms are their favorite! Contrary to common belief, chickens by nature, are in no way are vegan.

A hummingbird just came to check me out, as I am sitting close to the feeder. This would be a good day to have the hammock set up.

The simple life

I love living in the country! No heavy traffic. If 3 cars pass by, that is a lot for the day (minus the mail carrier and school bus.) The closest neighbor is 1/2 a mile away and the only time we hear them is when they are mowing their lawn.

Now for some, this might seem boring and lonely. But for me, it is simply like being on vacation all the time. Oh, I have lived in town and in a large city. It's ok and has some advantages, like getting food delivered.

But the funny thing is I have less dust in my house living on a gravel road than I ever did in a town or city. So, less housekeeping to do. That works well for me.

More time outside

The other day, 2 of my grandsons came to spend the night. We went out on the deck to look at the stars. From the deck, the stars seem so close. So close that you could just reach up and take one from the sky.

The next morning they skipped breakfast to go outside and ran the full 2 acres of the yard that we mow. The other 18 acres are all wooded with trails running throughout.

Those boys had water everywhere between the hose, balloon, and the stock tank they filled for a makeshift swimming pool. The longer the hose ran, the colder the water got because it must travel over 30 miles underground just to get here. But they did not figure that out until they climbed into the stock tank.

Finding joy

Then, there were all kinds of screaming and howling going on out there! I just sat on the deck, in my rocking chair watching and laughing. Then in the house, they came, completely dressed (including socks and shoes) yet soaking wet.

But the giggles and laughter out of those 2 were well worth any mess that could have been made. Kids, and even adults today, do not take the time to experience the simple pleasures that life has to offer. Look beyond the immediate circumstance to find some joy. So, I thought I would share mine.

A good distraction

Now, you might wonder what any of this has to do with myasthenia gravis (MG). Well, I have MG and this is what keeps me going, for now. From feeding the rabbits, the turkey, and the chickens. To gathering the almost dozen fresh eggs each day.

Right now, my daily exercise includes going outside twice a day for about 10 minutes, all in the shade of big trees. We have it set up so that everything is watered using a hose, and the feed to carry is very minimal right now (only 2 ice cream size buckets).

I might not get anything else done for the day. And some days, not even this. But that is okay. When I can, this is my getaway from MG. What is yours? Looking at the good stuff in life is a form of support.