- Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy
- Interviews
Michael Atchison's interview
How did all start?
Finding out from my Aunt
Do you already have a diagnosis? How long did it take you to get it?
Yes I did, once I talked to the doctor with in one mouth
For what medical specialties have you been treated? What has been the most useful specialty for your?
Getting eye lid surgery twice, now have cords in my eyelids
What has been the most useful thing for you so far?
Still learning
What have been your biggest difficulties?
Not being able to do the things that I used to do, and can’t do them anymore
How has your social and family environment reacted? Have your social or family relationships changed?
Don’t have much of a social life,
What things have you stopped doing?
I had to leave my job earlier, couldn’t be a Volunteer Firefighter anymore.
What do you think about the future?
Not sure what that might look like.
So far, which years have been the best years in your life? What have you done during them?
Being a Firefighter
What would you like to do if you didn’t have your condition?
Would have worked longer, and being a Firefighter
If you had to describe your life in a sentence, what would it be?
This sucks, not being able to do things that did before
Finally, what advice would you give to a person in a similar situation?
Trying to stay positive, but it’s hard, but you must stay strong
