A connected couple talks about their sex life and how their intimacy has changed in the three years since they tied the knot.
Shane and Hannah Burcaw, of Minnesota, aanswered fans’ questions about the sexual aspects of their relationship in a new video shared on their popular ‘Squirmy and Grubs‘ Youtube Channel.
The pair have long documented the dynamics of their romance after coming under scrutiny when Hannah began dating Shane, who was born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a neuromuscular disease that causes muscles to weaken over the course of the pregnancy. deteriorating over time, and has been in an electric wheelchair. since he was two years old.
Shane, 31, explained that while he can barely move his hands, arms and legs, he has “normal sexual function,” which many people don’t realize.
Shane and Hannah Burcaw, from Minnesota, talked about intimacy in their marriage in a new video shared on their popular YouTube channel, “Squirmy and Grubs.”
Shane, 31, was born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a neuromuscular disease that causes muscles to deteriorate over time, and has been in a power wheelchair since he was two.
Hannah, 27, first contacted the writer and speaker seven years ago watch a documentary that ‘The Office’ actor Rainn Wilson made about his life.
In the email, she complimented him on his sense of humor and his writing before admitting that she thought he was really cute. They got to know each other through FaceTime calls and text messages and eventually fell in love.
Shane and Hannah launched their YouTube channel to better educate people about interconnected relationships, and they’ve filmed a number of videos about intimacy.
“Without a doubt, our intimacy is different in ways than when we met,” he said in their final Q&A round.
“When Hannah came to visit on her weekend visits from college, the urge and need to just be physically close was palpable. Now we live together. We’re together all the time… So the urgency isn’t the same as it used to be.’
Shane noted that the benefit of being together for so long is that their comfort level is “much higher” with each other.
He recalled “the feeling you have in the back of your mind when you get intimacy early on (in a relationship).”
“You think, ‘Is this okay?’ and “Does she hate it? Is it okay? I hope she’s happy.” And you’re so nervous about that.’
The writer and public speaker explained that while he can barely move his hands, arms, and legs, he has “normal sexual function,” which many people don’t realize.
“I don’t think I ever assumed it wouldn’t work,” Hannah told her husband. “I just didn’t, because I knew you had multiple previous relationships. I knew you had written about this’
Shane said Hannah knew that his disability doesn’t affect his sexual function from reading a blog post in which he explained that “sexually everything works.”
“I don’t think I ever assumed it wouldn’t work,” she added. “I just didn’t, because I knew you had multiple previous relationships. I knew you had written about this.’
They explained that over the years they have learned to deal with their differences in libido through constant communication.
“We’re not always going to be on the same page at the same time, and that’s not cause for annoyance or anger or anything like that,” he said.
Shane and Hannah also received a question from a mother who wanted to know what to teach her 10-year-old son with muscular dystrophy about sexual health.
“My sexual health education was standard growing up, and that’s what got me to where I am today,” he explained. “Obviously I can’t draw a direct line from that to where I am now, but I took health classes with my peers and learned about puberty and stuff like any other student did.
“My parents never really talked about, ‘This is how it can be different’ or ‘This is what you should think about (with) your disability.” Since I have normal sexual function, I guess it just wasn’t a topic.
The couple added that over the years they have learned to deal with their differences in libido through constant communication
Shane and Hannah’s latest video about intimacy in their marriage comes months after they revealed they had begun the process of vitro fertilization (IVF)
“I think it’s more important to encourage your child to see themselves as valuable and worthy of relationships, just like everyone else,” he concluded.
Shane and Hannah’s latest video about intimacy in their marriage comes months after they revealed they had begun the process of vitro fertilization (IVF).
They said they had “casually tried the old-fashioned route for two years,” with no success.
“We’ve known for three years that the medication Shane takes for SMA can affect sperm health,” she said. “We kind of knew that, it was in the back of our minds, so we had his sperm tested about a year ago and found out it was terrible.”
Shane jokingly interjected, “Excuse me, my sperm isn’t terrible…my sperm doesn’t exist.”
Hannah continued, “It’s very affected, not just by the medication. We don’t actually know how much that plays a part, but also by the fact that Shane sits all the time, which is a huge factor.
“There’s heat and pressure and everything you don’t want.”
The couple opened up about Hannah’s egg collection in June, saying they have 22 eggs but zero sperm after their first round of IVF.
They added that this was difficult to discuss and they wanted to keep their plans to move forward private.