International Tennis Hall of Famer Monica Seles says that she was diagnosed three years ago with Myasthenia Gravis – a neuromuscular car – immune disease that causes weakness in voluntary muscles.
Seles, who spoke publicly about it for the first time, told The Associated Press that for the first time she noticed the symptoms while she waved a racket as she had done so often during and after a career with nine Grand Slam titles.
“I would play with a few children or family members, and I would miss a ball. I had something like:” Yes, I see two balls. ” These are clearly symptoms that you cannot ignore, “Seles said. “And for me, this started when this journey started. And it took me quite a bit of time to really absorb it, openly talking about it because it is a difficult one. It influences my daily life a lot.”
The 51-year-old Seles, who won her first big trophy at the age of 16 on the French Open of 1990 and played her last game in 2003, said she decided to publicly speak about her diagnosis to increase consciousness about what is known as MG.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke calls it “a chronic neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in voluntary muscles” and “usually has consequences for young adult women (younger than 40) and older men (more than 60), but … can occur at any age, including childhood.”
Seles said she had never heard of the condition until she saw a doctor and referred to a neurologist after noticing symptoms such as double view and weakness in her arms – “just blowing out my hair … became very difficult,” she said – and legs.
“When I was diagnosed, I thought:” What?! “” Seles said. “So this is true – I can’t emphasize enough – I wish I had someone like me about it.”
She has learned to live a “new normal” now, and she characterized her health as another in a series of lifestyles that required adjustment.
“I thought, in tennismen, I think, reset – hard reset – a few times,” Seles said. ‘I call my first hard reset when I came to the US as a young 13-year-old [from Yugoslavia]. Did not speak the language; left my family. It is a very difficult time. Then, of course, becoming a great player, it is also a reset, because the fame, money, attention, changes [everything]And it’s hard as a 16-year-old to tackle that all. Then I had to strike clearly – I had to do a huge reset.
“And then, really, diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis: another reset. But one thing, as I tell children that I am mentor:” You always have to adjust. That ball is bouncing and you just have to adjust. ” And that’s what I am doing now “
The Associated Press has contributed to this report.
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