Our chronic conditions have helped, not hurt, in finding purpose
All my life, I’ve chased achievement. It made me crave purpose. I was once a “gifted child,” even called a genius by the Philippine Daily Inquirer — and briefly, I was a commercial…
HemoWife — Allyx Formalejo
Allyx Formalejo, or Cza, is a writer, entrepreneur, and digital marketer based in Marikina, Philippines. She is married to Jared, who has severe hemophilia B and a seizure disorder. They have a young daughter and two other “babies” — a dog and a cat. Cza herself is diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar II disorder. This allows her to offer a unique perspective on navigating various aspects of young adult life (e.g. relationships, career, and parenting) with chronic health conditions. In her free time, she enjoys collecting fountain pens, supporting small businesses, traveling across the country, and exploring local cafes. She continues to blog like most 90s kids did in the Internet’s early years, sharing her thoughts and interesting discoveries on her personal website, czaofalltrades.com.
Featured Post
5 things I’m grateful for in our life with hemophilia
Some days it’s easy to see the cracks in our family’s situation — the unpredictable costs, the logistics of keeping medication on hand, the mental load of being a partner to someone with…
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When I’m hyperfocused and need to ‘help,’ I lean on mindfulness
As someone with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, I crave a challenge. It doesn’t even have to be a significant one, just something that gives me a little feeling of accomplishment. A small win early…
Even with hemophilia, it’s possible to have high standards for love
People often assume that loving someone with hemophilia — and in my husband’s case, epilepsy, too — must come with endless patience, unshakable optimism, and the kind of soft, gentle pity we reserve…
The hidden value of living with hemophilia
My husband, Jared, and I both have marketing backgrounds. We’re used to thinking in terms of value. In branding, you ask: What makes this product worth noticing? What problem does it solve? Why should…
When hospitals aren’t prepared for bleeding disorders
The other day, I found an old document from my husband Jared’s last hospital stay — the one after his freak accident on a pool slide. I’d written about it before, but seeing…
Making imperfect choices is part of living with hemophilia
I recently came across a social media post that hit home. It began: “Never judge someone with a chronic illness if they …” and went on to list things like skipping meds,…
Going back to basics and finding strength on the floor
My husband, Jared, doesn’t need a gym anymore, or dumbbells, or fancy machines. These days, all he needs is the floor, a bit of space, and his body. He still loves the gym and…
Being present is what makes my husband a great dad
Living with hemophilia and epilepsy has shaped much of my husband’s life — but fatherhood transformed it. Before our daughter was born, Jared, my husband, already carried the weight of two chronic conditions.
An athlete’s mindset can be an asset when living with hemophilia
My husband, Jared, lives with hemophilia B and a seizure disorder. He also lifts weights, performs bodyweight workouts, and swims. Now and then, someone will see him doing laps in the pool and…
We’re learning to reframe mobility aids as freedom, not constraint
When my husband, Jared, was growing up, people in his community didn’t always speak kindly about mobility aids. Crutches, wheelchairs, and canes were often seen as signs of helplessness, things you turned to only…
The challenges and triumphs of factor self-infusion
My husband, Jared, has been performing his factor infusions for his hemophilia B for over three years now. In that span of time, he’s learned so much — not just about veins, syringes,…
