Columns

The first time we noticed our daughter Grace exhibiting symptoms of what we now know to be Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS), we were in the airport traveling to Texas for Christmas. Our three kids were dragging their suitcases through the parking garage to the check-in counter. Suddenly, we…

All of my babies have been little since birth. My two biological children weighed 6 pounds or less when they were born. Even our daughter Grace, who was adopted at 13 months old, was a tiny little thing when she came home to us. Except for Grace, food just didn’t…

It had been a good day. My daughter Grace and I accomplished things I never thought she’d be able to do again. Her diagnosis of Lambert-Easton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) several years earlier had upended our world and everything she had known. But with the right treatments, Grace…

For women with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS), it’s concerning that there are little to no data on pregnancy and LEMS. That’s why I’m thrilled to introduce Kristin Williams, a 31-year-old registered nurse from New York who has firsthand experience with both. Kristin and I met through the…

When our daughter Grace was diagnosed with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) at age 15, I didn’t think anything good could come of it. However, as time has passed and her health has improved, I’ve found that some things have changed for the better. One positive result is Grace’s…

I grew up in a little town tucked away in northeastern Pennsylvania. Every Wednesday and Sunday, my family members would wind our way down the mountain on a stretch of narrow roads. We’d head through the countryside to the majestic steepled church, with stained-glass windows and family surrounding us. If…

None of us want to become a part of a statistic like the number of people with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS). Odds are that most of us won’t, considering that there are only an estimated 400 known cases of LEMS in the United States. The disease’s prevalence in…

Note: This column describes the experiences the author’s daughter had with various medications. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Five years ago, our daughter Grace began her journey with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS). She was diagnosed…

Our family has eclectic interests. These differences have been amplified by our middle daughter’s diagnosis of Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) when she was 15 years old. That daughter, Grace, is a homebody. She’s always been content within the four walls we call home. Understandably, LEMS has intensified her…

Some memories are indelibly scored into the fabric of our being. For me, one such memory is the first time I pushed my daughter Grace in a wheelchair. She wasn’t yet diagnosed with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) at the time, but her symptoms had left her incapacitated.