2019 Was Rough, So I’m Embracing a New Year

With 2019 behind us, it’s time for everyone to start anew and welcome 2020 into their lives.

It’s hard to be fond of 2019 considering the impact my chronic illness had on my life. I spent practically a third of the year on bed rest because of severe bleeding episodes. My health suffered a bad blow, and my muscles atrophied.

But there’s no use crying over spilled milk, even with all the health setbacks. The best thing to do is move on, make the most of the new year, and resolve the many catastrophes that occurred in 2019.

However, that’s easier said than done.

It’s not easy to juggle the responsibilities of providing for a family, managing a household, and being a father. It’s even harder with chronic illness in the equation. My wife, Cza, and I have had our struggles, but we pray we can get through these tribulations and emerge as more mature and responsible individuals.

It wasn’t all bad. In 2019, I became a father to Cittie, the most perfect child in the world. She advanced in many ways during the holidays. She can perform basic sign language when she wants her bottle, and she’s already taken her first, precious, unassisted steps. These milestones are truly a joy to witness, but it’s hard not to feel the pressure of parenting. Cittie is growing up. We’ll need to do better so that we can provide for her while also managing my chronic illness.

The pressure is healthy, though, and encourages us to be more proactive and engage in the things that we know are best for us. For example, I’ve learned how to self-infuse. I’m barely an expert, but at least I know how to tame a vein. That simple freedom means I can relieve Cza of the hassles of blood transfusion, allowing me to be more accountable for my illness.

The road to recovery from muscular atrophy is an arduous journey, but it’s something I have to face. Fortunately, a love for exercise keeps my spirits up. My slow recovery let Cza and me return to the gym to start the process of rehabilitation. I believe that slowly but surely, Cza and I will regain our health so that we have the stamina to brave another year with hopefully less bleeding episodes.

We wish for big things in the year ahead and hope we can accomplish them. With tiny steps, I’m sure we can succeed. They may seem small or even insignificant, but tiny victories add up to huge accomplishments. We hope to use failures to our advantage and see misfortune and challenges as opportunities to grow instead of permanent roadblocks to progress.

The year is still young. It’s the best time to promise to become a better version of yourself. New Year’s resolutions have garnered a bad reputation because many people don’t follow through on them. But it’s just good sense to believe that you can try and succeed in upgrading yourself. In my case, all I want is to become more confident as an entrepreneur, build patience and understanding as a father, and have the humility to accept my chronic illness wholly.

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Note: Hemophilia News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Hemophilia News Today or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to hemophilia.