One question that occasionally comes up when people learn about my diagnoses is:
“Why don’t you file for disability?”
It’s a fair question.
After all, I live with two chronic autoimmune diseases that can impact nearly every aspect of daily life. Myasthenia Gravis affects my muscle strength and energy levels. Crohn’s Disease brings its own unpredictable challenges.
The reality is that there are days when simply making it through the workday requires more effort than most people realize.
Yet every morning, I continue to get up, get dressed, log into meetings, visit properties, lead teams, and push forward.
Not because it’s easy.
But because, for me, continuing to work remains the right choice.
“Work reminds me that I am more than my diagnoses.”
The Reality of Living with Invisible Illness
One of the hardest parts of chronic illness is that most people only see the version of you that shows up.
They see the Regional Manager.
They see the leader.
They see the woman running meetings, solving problems, and supporting her teams.
What they don’t see are the infusion appointments.
They don’t see the specialist visits, the medication schedules, the insurance battles, the exhaustion, or the mental calculations that happen every single day.
They don’t see the mornings when fatigue feels heavier than the weighted blanket on my bed.
They don’t see the days when walking a property feels like running a marathon.
What they see is the finished product.
What they don’t see is the fight behind it.
The Benefits of Disability
I believe it’s important to acknowledge that disability exists for a reason.
For many people living with chronic illness, disability benefits provide critical support.
It can allow individuals to focus on their health without the physical and emotional demands of maintaining employment.
It can reduce stress, provide financial assistance, and create space for treatment, recovery, and symptom management.
There is absolutely no shame in utilizing disability benefits when your health requires it.
In fact, sometimes applying for disability is the strongest and healthiest decision a person can make.
Why I Continue to Work
For me, however, work provides something that goes beyond a paycheck.
It provides purpose.
Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to mentor others, develop leaders, solve complex problems, and make meaningful contributions to the communities I serve.
Those experiences matter to me.
Work reminds me that I am more than my diagnoses.
Myasthenia Gravis may affect my muscles.
Crohn’s Disease may affect my digestive system.
But neither condition defines my value or my identity.
When I am helping a struggling employee grow into a leader, supporting a property through a challenge, or coaching a team toward success, I am reminded that I still have something meaningful to contribute.
And that matters.
“I am still here. Still working. Still leading. Still living.”
The Challenges of Continuing to Work
That doesn’t mean continuing to work comes without sacrifices.
There are days when I have very little left in the tank.
Days when fatigue follows me from the moment I wake up until I finally collapse into bed.
Recently, during my scheduled time off Rystiggo, the exhaustion became almost overwhelming. It was a reminder of how much the medication helps and how quickly symptoms can return when treatment pauses.
There are times when I have to choose carefully where my energy goes.
I have learned that I cannot do everything.
I have learned to prioritize.
I have learned to give myself grace.
And perhaps most importantly, I have learned that asking for help is not weakness.
If My Path Changes
One thing chronic illness has taught me is that life can change quickly.
The decisions that make sense today may not be the decisions that make sense tomorrow.
If a day comes when my health requires me to step away from work, I will make that decision.
Not because I gave up.
Not because I failed.
But because adapting to reality is part of living with chronic illness.
Disability is not surrender.
It is simply another tool that exists when people need it.
Final Thoughts
Today, I continue to work.
Not because Myasthenia Gravis and Crohn’s Disease aren’t difficult.
Not because I don’t struggle.
Not because I never wonder what life would be like if my body wasn’t constantly fighting itself.
I continue because work gives me purpose, connection, and fulfillment.
I continue because there are still goals I want to achieve, people I want to mentor, and experiences I want to have.
Most importantly, I continue because I refuse to allow my diagnoses to become the entire story.
They are part of my journey.
But they are not the whole journey.
And as long as I am able, I will keep showing up, keep leading, and keep proving to myself that chronic illness may change the path—but it does not have to define the destination.
“Chronic illness may change the path—but it does not have to define the destination.”
Living with Myasthenia Gravis and Crohn’s Disease has taught me many things, but perhaps the most important lesson is this:
“We do not have to choose between acknowledging our limitations and pursuing our purpose.”
Some days purpose looks like leading a team.
Some days it looks like making it through an infusion, a doctor’s appointment, or a difficult flare.
Both require strength.
Both matter.
And both deserve to be celebrated.
For now, I will continue showing up, continuing to work, continuing to lead, and continuing to build a life that is defined not by what my illnesses have taken from me—but by what I continue to do despite them.
Living with one autoimmune disease is challenging. Living with two requires resilience. Welcome to The Dual Diagnosis Diaries, where I share the realities of navigating life with Crohn’s Disease and Myasthenia Gravis—one day, one treatment, and one lesson at a time.
The Dual Diagnosis Diaries | Kia’s Journey 💜 
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