The Whispered Roar – a Column by Shawna Barnes

‘Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby’

“Let’s talk about sex, baby/ Let’s talk about you and me/ Let’s talk about all the good things/ And the bad things that may be.” Am I aging myself by referencing a Salt-N-Pepa song? Maybe. But I think the topic of sex is important to discuss. Yet it often…

Accepting Help and Receiving Kindness

I wrote last week about how the inaction and silence of others can be deafening. The opposite is also true. When help is offered and the offer is followed up on, it can leave you speechless, humbled, and grateful. And those who step up to help often are not…

Setting Realistic Goals and Expectations With MG

Many of my friends, colleagues, and family members set goals for the year in January. Goals can be personal or professional, interpersonal or financial, realistic or not. What makes a goal realistic, particularly for someone with myasthenia gravis (MG)? It’s a tough question to answer, but I’ll do my best.

When a Subtle Voice Becomes a Roar

Welcome to “The Whispered Roar,” a column where I will describe what it’s like living with a neuromuscular autoimmune disease called myasthenia gravis (MG). I was officially diagnosed with generalized MG in 2018, although I had been battling symptoms since 2011. My journey to diagnosis is not an uncommon…