Hemophilia and Me – a Column by Jennifer Lynne

In February, I wrote about hemophilia’s effects on bone health after attending a webinar sponsored by Factor My Way, a patient support program. It featured bleeding disorders expert Claudio Sandoval, MD, who explained that everyone with hemophilia A (factor VIII deficiency) is at an increased risk of…

Living with any chronic illness comes with a financial burden. Hemophilia, in particular, is extremely rare and extremely expensive. What follows is a summary of the expenses, insurance, and savings that I’ve encountered in my journey with bleeding disorders. Expenses Most years, I’m sure to hit the $7,000+…

Last week, I gave in to my 79-year-old mother’s pleas to travel from Florida to the Midwest for a family gathering in Illinois. She is immunocompromised, and I am her caregiver. The pandemic has kept us off public transportation, as she is vulnerable to COVID-19 and any other infection from…

Most women of childbearing age have normal monthly periods. For women like me with bleeding disorders, monthly periods are a “shark week event” with horrific bleeding and pain. The pain made me sweat, shake, and vomit. The severe bleeding had other consequences: I was iron-deficient, anemic, and exhausted. After work,…

Dear Newly Diagnosed Sister, Welcome! You are now part of a supportive community full of love, courage, and inspirational superheroes. Always remember that you are not alone. I was diagnosed with von Willebrand disease and hemophilia B in 1975, at age 10. Your diagnosis Diagnosis of…

As my COVID-19 recovery continues, I have questions. So I called public health expert Frank James, MD, to help. James is active in teaching, research, and medical practice. He is the health officer for San Juan County and the Nooksack Indian Nation in Washington state. He is…

It finally happened. COVID-19 found me. After two and a half years of following the guidelines, I couldn’t outwit the virus. I had two vaccines and a booster on time, and I declined invitations. I wore a mask in Publix and Walgreens even when nobody else was doing it.

A simple tonsillectomy led to my eventual diagnosis of hemophilia B and von Willebrand disease. Without a family history, a bleeding disorder wasn’t on my family’s or pediatrician’s radar. I had to almost bleed to death for a bleeding disorder to be suspected. Terror of the tonsils The…

What happens when a symptomatic hemophilia carrier needs minor surgery? Will her increased risk of bleeding be recognized? The story of Kim H. came to my attention on Facebook. She is 39 years old and lives in Pennsylvania. I recently interviewed Kim over Zoom, as her story is important.

It’s easy to spot physical damage, such as swollen joints, nosebleeds, limps, and bruises, when one suffers from a bleeding disorder. But the psychological and emotional damage that may result is not as easy to see or treat. A U.S. survey of hemophilia patients, published a few years…