Columns

It’s been five years since I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), an autoimmune neuromuscular disease. MG makes me feel tired and short of breath, and sometimes I struggle to speak clearly. It feels like yesterday when I was diagnosed, and I believe I still need to know more…

In the Sept. 24 article “Y’all Vs. Ya’ll: Here’s How To Spell It” in Southern Living, the author Grace Haynes writes, “The South is known for its laundry list of unique, quirky, cultural sayings, like ‘Bless your heart,’ ‘Too big for his britches,’ and ‘Well, I s’wanee,’ to name…

It happened again. I received this comment, intended as a compliment, I think: “I don’t know how you do it.” It was made by a friend of mine who stopped by my business, The Nook, where I said I’d joined the board for a biathlon. I threw my name…

My fraternal twin brother, Aaron, who was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) 25 years ago, underwent surgery last week to correct his crossed eyes, or strabismus, and double vision. I’m glad to report that he’s recuperating at home, happy with the results and doing well. The operation was…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with prednisone. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Do you like roller coasters? I used to — until my life became an emotional roller coaster fueled by health challenges…

Incessant worrying doesn’t eliminate uncertainty about the future, only the peace of the present. I’m a worrier. I’m not proud of that, but it’s an ingrained personality trait. My twin brother, Aaron, who has myasthenia gravis (MG), is having strabismus surgery soon to correct his crossed eyes. I…

Have you ever experienced a period of your life when the universe seemed to be sending signals that were subtle at first, but then — bam! — they were in your face and hard to ignore? That’s been my reality for several months now. Last week, I wrote about indulging…

Most people try to live life as best they can in a chaotic world, but they never have the power to do what they really want to do. As the nondisabled brother of a twin with myasthenia gravis (MG), I feel I need to take my responsibilities as an advocate…

For the first time in a while, I decided to do something that was low maintenance but would help me feel like the “old Shawna.” My thought process was good: I’d practice self-care by taking the afternoon to myself, first going out to lunch and then getting a set…

My husband, Justin, works in fitness. Six months ago he opened a small-group personal training gym in our little Wisconsin town, and he’s been working to grow his membership, which now includes me. Something Justin talks about often with clients — while he’s discussing training, nutrition, or other lifestyle…