Muscle Memoirs:
LGMD Experiences — Patrick Moeschen

Summer is a great time to be outside, travel, attend neighborhood gatherings, and spend time with people you love. But those of us who live our adult lives with chronic illness face challenges…

I believe that many adults living with rare diseases can and do become experts in their conditions, sometimes more so than healthcare professionals. With respect to my own journey with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy,…

In September 1995, I began my first teaching job at a New Hampshire public middle school instructing students about band instruments and music. At the time, I was 10 years into my diagnosis with…

Living happily with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, as I do, requires patience, a positive attitude, and a good support system of family, friends, and a professional care team. But I’ve learned there’s another huge…

I recently penned a column that took a surface look at the history of the disability movement in the United States. As many readers pointed out, my list of world changers and their…

This August will mark 40 years since I was diagnosed with what we eventually discovered was limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. Though it’s taken me many years to accept my condition, it’s progressed…

Each of my writings in this column has focused on living life with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. While the mission of Bionews, the parent company of this website, includes sharing what it’s like to…

A close friend of 30 years recently asked what my life was like before I was diagnosed with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. When I met this man, we were both in college, studying music…

“ICE” is a widely used acronym for “in case of emergency.” In today’s fast-paced world, many people have ICE contacts on their phones and folders on their computers that tell others who to…

I’ve been married for 11 years. Before then, as I grew up with what I eventually discovered was limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, I learned a lot about life, perseverance, and relationships. During my 20s,…

In August 1985, I was diagnosed with Becker muscular dystrophy. At that time, there was no genetic test for the disease, nor DNA sequencing of the blood. Instead, I underwent a muscle…