Siblings' myasthenia gravis undiagnosed for years

In 1963, I first heard the words "myasthenia gravis," and I was happy to add them to my vocabulary.

For eight years or more before then, "MG" already had been a part of my life, but I mistook it for laziness, awkwardness and clumsiness.

The words come from both Greek and Latin and translate into "serious muscle weakness." I was all too familiar with serious weakness, but I didn't know there was name for it.

Current literature on myasthenia gravis will describe a rare neuromuscular disorder causing rapid fatigue and muscle weakness made worse by activity and improved with rest. It results from an autoimmune attack against...