Since my youngest son, Caeleb, arrived home from a successful second year of college, he has been interning at the church where I serve as pastor. His main job is to shred countless old documents, so I’ve nicknamed him “Shred Boy.” So far, he enjoys working and does a good…
Columns
At work, I’m the second-oldest on my team. With our ages ranging from mid-20s to early 50s, we each bring different life experiences. I’m always interested in hearing the Gen Z and millennial women share their stories. As a Gen X person, I sometimes do things that remind me of…
In recent years, there has been a massive shift in the understanding that female hemophilia carriers can indeed have the condition themselves. Fellow Hemophilia News Today columnist Jennifer Lynne and I both write regularly about the struggles women with hemophilia face, though more are now being properly diagnosed…
If you’re raising a child with hemophilia, I understand the fear. It starts early — before sports, sleepovers, and field trips, and often before they’re old enough to understand their diagnosis. You learn about joint bleeds, head injuries, emergency room visits, and all the things that can go wrong.
It happened three times in 48 hours. I didn’t go looking for them — the conversations found me. Three different people from our bleeding disorders community, none knowing about the others, told me a similar version of the same story. They had tried to talk to their mothers about bleeding…
My house is on a cul-de-sac, and right behind my street is undeveloped desert leading up to New Mexico’s Organ Mountains. I love walking on the trails in the open area whenever I feel stressed or anxious. Even when my struggles feel overwhelming, making my way through the otherworldliness of…
I struggle with something that affects me on every level — spiritually, emotionally, and physically. It’s called perfectionism. My perfectionism started when I was a kid. I used to rearrange my room all the time, making sure everything was in its place. A tidy space made me happy. As a…
I don’t get headaches often, but when I do, I absolutely hate them. They can be particularly worrisome for a person with hemophilia. Because I am not prone to headaches, it is a bit disconcerting when I get one. Having hemophilia A means I am often worried about…
I rarely participate in support groups on social media because some interactions leave me feeling more emotionally drained than supported. To be clear, there are genuinely kind and generous people in these communities. Many families have found lifesaving information, financial assistance, practical advice, and emotional solidarity through them. In…
I spend a lot of time in the hospital, but not for the reasons most people think. As a hospice chaplain, I sit with patients who are nearing the end of life. It is a privilege to be with their families and friends as they prepare to say goodbye. The…
