The Whispered Roar
— Shawna Barnes

Close your eyes and imagine that you’re in a diving suit, swimming in a warm and comfortable lagoon. You find yourself drawn into the depths of the beautiful teal water by a siren. At first you don’t realize how far you are from the surface; you’re too enamored by the…

Do you prefer a window seat or an aisle seat when you travel? Before I got sick during my deployment to Iraq (2009-2010), I used to love to travel. I never had to give much thought to flying. I always went with the cheapest ticket or the best deal.

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…

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…

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…

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…

Snow in September? Last week I got a new tattoo. The session was my husband’s gift for our anniversary this year. I told the tattoo artist that I wanted something to mark my myasthenia gravis (MG): a snowflake with the color teal, incorporated into some sort…

When living with myasthenia gravis (MG), sometimes even the simplest tasks, such as choosing a hairstyle, can feel like climbing Mount Everest. Today, I’m diving into the world of hair — short and long — and how each style can affect one’s daily life. I’ve rocked both —…

I’ve never been one to be afraid of insects of any kind. Growing up as a farm kid and then becoming mom to a boy helped rid me of all “ickiness” factors of the sort. Until the end of August, that is. I was outside The Nook (my business),…

I’m not ignoring you. I’m just ignoring the chance to talk to you on the phone. Cue phone ringing beside me. I look at caller ID and identify that it’s not an emergency. *send to voicemail* Then I wait and see if the caller actually leaves a voicemail or tries…

I’ve never understood how other people with myasthenia gravis (MG) can live in warm climates. One of the things that exacerbates my MG symptoms the most is heat. This summer, I’ve taken it upon myself to use all the tools I’ve acquired over the last 10 years…