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Dr. Ron E Henderson
Searching For a Diagnosis
Dr. Henderson’s story has a unique twist. Not only does he
suffer from Myasthenia Gravis (MG), but he is also a physician.
He negotiated the healthcare system as a patient, and he became
personally active in raising awareness with doctors to help diagnose
his disease. He offers his 12-step plan to help sufferers “take
ownership” and manage their disease.
Early Symptoms
For almost 30 years Dr. Henderson was a practicing physician. For
over 25 years he specialized in obstetrics and gynecology. In 1994
he retired because he was too weak to continue. He was mysteriously
losing strength in his muscles and losing overall stamina. Mysterious,
because for his whole life he had enjoyed a high level of energy
and stamina at his disposal. After experiencing difficulties with
other symptoms such as weakness in his neck muscles and trouble
chewing, he went through a battery of tests concluding that he
did have MG.
Getting Familiar with Myasthenia Gravis
Once his diagnosis was confirmed, Dr. Henderson was anxious to
learn as much as possible about MG. He wanted to be an expert on
his disease. Some of the things he learned early on is that MG
is rare and very difficult to diagnose. It is not unusual for patients
to have a delay of a year or two before getting a diagnosis. The
complexity of the disease and the varied body parts that it attacks
as well as the lack of in-depth education by doctors on the disease
all contribute to this problem. The most important thing the Doctor
learned is that MG is a chronic, incurable, autoimmune disease
which can possibly go into remission for an indefinite period of
time.
Confronting Reality
After a conservative course of treatment with medication it became
apparent that a stronger type of treatment was necessary as well
as an adjustment to his life-style. And he had to accept the side
effects of this stronger immunosuppressant therapy because he knew
that in the long run it was going to help him get better and help
him manage this disease. Eventually this course of treatment was
successful, and Dr. Henderson was able to regain his strength and
get back to many of the activities he was forced to give up.
Taking Care of His Health
Prior to getting MG, Dr. Henderson had a health-maintenance regimen
that kept him healthy. He has added this health regimen to his
MG regimen and the result is a style of healthy living that helps
prevent his MG from being worse than it is. His health regimen
is:
1. Take medicines faithfully.
2. Be careful not to be exposed to infections.
3. Cooperate and interact with physicians to manage your healthcare.
4. Get your rest.
Staying Positive
Dr. Henderson has come to grips with the fact that he has a chronic,
incurable disease. He has learned to ride with it and continue
doing as much as he can in spite of it. It is his challenge to
manage the disease. And he does so with an incredibly positive
attitude. He likes to say that “it’s not so much what
happens in your life; but what you do with what happens in your
life.” And what he has done reaches far and wide – he
has authored a book about his experience with MG (“Attacking
Myasthenia Gravis”), started a foundation for autoimmune
diseases and created a website for the foundation that increases
awareness of these diseases and helps raise funds for research.
He also speaks to MG and autoimmune groups across the country.
It is through these extraordinary efforts that Dr. Henderson has
touched the lives of so many and will touch many more in the future.
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"A Key
in the Battle Against Autoimmune Diseases"
Dr. Ronald E. Henderson, M.D .
Buy This Book Online! Click Here! |
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