My Most Difficult Time in Life

Written By Comfort Yaa Solomon

Life brings about a lot of challenges and problems that make us want to give up, but the grace of God who strengthens us helps us to overcome it. I am most thankful for this opportunity to share my experience about my diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis.

My name is Comfort Yaa Solomon, a 20-year-old student of Ahantaman Senior High School. Five (5) years ago, while in Form 3 in Junior High School, I experienced my first symptom of this disease – double vision. My dad took me to the eye clinic where the doctor gave me eye drops and prescription lenses; at this time, he hadn’t yet figured out exactly what was wrong with me. However, even with the prescription lenses given to me by the doctor, the double vision persisted. A month later, I started to experience weakness in my legs but I initially did not take it seriously. My legs got weaker as the days went by. It got so bad that my dad took me to Esikado hospital (a hospital in Takoradi Ghana), unfortunately, no one was able to figure out what was happening to me. My parents then took me to see a pastor because we still had no clue what was wrong with me, and still no solution, so we went back home.  My condition kept getting worse, and new symptoms kept appearing; my hands became so weak that I couldn’t do anything, then I could not chew or swallow food (both solid and liquid) so my father took me to Efiankwanta Regional Hospital where I got admitted.

All these happened just before my Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). I was discharged on the day of the exam so I could partake in it, but I was so weak that my dad had to carry me because I couldn’t walk. When we got to the examination hall, writing was almost impossible for me because of the weakness of my arms but I did my best. God being so good, I passed my exam. When we were to resume school in September, I couldn’t resume with my mates because I had become extremely weak, so I was taken back to the Regional hospital where I was finally diagnosed of Myasthenia Gravis and referred to see a neurologist at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

A week after the referral, we travelled to Accra to see the neurologist but we were given a date that was about 2-3 months away. We couldn’t return to Takoradi so we stayed with a relative in Accra. A month later, I woke up with difficulty breathing. I thought that was the end for me. My father called an ambulance and I was taken to Ridge Hospital (also in Accra) where I was admitted for a week. During my admission there, I was given oxygen and a feeding tube was inserted through my nose. I was then referred to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital where the doctor carried out various examinations and investigations. I was then put on Mestinon, Prednisolone and Omeprazole, and as the days went by, I started to improve gradually. I was eventually able to breathe on my won and eat, so I was discharged and given a review date which was a month away.

I kept on improving while I was on the prescribed medication, and now I have to keep taking the medication in order to live a normal life. Now I can say God has been really faithful to me; and I thank my family for their support, most especially my dad who was with me every step of the way.

In conclusion, I would say that I have learnt a lot from this sickness. I have been able to meet great women like Madam Linda (the Head of Administration in my school), and Dr. Kemi Dampson, who I met through Madam Linda. Dr. Kemi and her Foundation – Living free to live – are supporting me in buying my medication.

It is my prayer that this disease would not affect anyone. I also pray that God would see me through so that I can help others like me buy their drugs as well; this is because there is currently no known cure and we have to depend on these drugs to live a normal life. I know that my experience will let people know that if you have a healthy life, you should be very grateful to God.

Thank you.