Columns

As I mentioned in an earlier column, the news that my firstborn son had hemophilia caught my wife and me entirely off guard. When we spoke with the obstetrician, the only word we heard was hemophilia. We later learned that my son had another diagnosis: a low inhibitor titer. The…

Looking back at my younger self, I don’t think I fully appreciated the help I received from others around me during my school experience. Being one of the few people in school with a rare medical disorder was an interesting experience. It definitely had its perks. For example, school staff…

Hemophilia has been a gift. Let me explain. I know some people will struggle to understand my viewpoint. I realize that they have suffered great physical and emotional pain because of this bleeding disorder. Some have lost relationships, jobs, and mobility, and have a reduced quality of life. I get…

This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Eating disorders are tough to address, yet critical, as many suffer in silence. I was one of them. I struggled with an eating disorder a few times in college. But I would vehemently deny it if…

With Valentine’s Day over, it’s amazing to look back at the “Love Month” celebrations my husband, Jared, and I have had since we first started dating. In our six years together, we’ve had our share of Valentine’s Day celebrations. Some stood out more than others. One example is the time…

I am sitting in a favorite restaurant with the three great loves of my life: my wife and two sons. It is Valentine’s Day, and the place is packed and loud. But the noise fades into the background as I find myself captivated by the conversation at our table. We…

Change is inevitable — like it or not, it’s a part of life. The seasons change and bring a crispness to the air or warmth after the bitter winter cold. Jobs change and we are given new responsibilities and challenges. Change happens throughout our lives, and we must move forward…

I attended my first women-only hemophilia retreat in the fall of 2016. To say the weekend was an eye-opener would be a gross understatement. It changed my life. First of all, I learned that I was not alone in my struggles to understand lifelong bleeding…

Lately, I’ve spent a lot of time driving on Interstate 95. I barely like driving across town, let alone spending eight or more hours a week on one of the most congested stretches of highway in America. But I’ve joined the legion of long-distance commuters on the East Coast. Several…

A lack of control is one of the most frustrating things about staying in the hospital. Doctors, nurses, and everyone else enters the room without permission. Nothing runs on my schedule. I need to find a way to reclaim at least a small part of my life. I do not…