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Second in a series. Read part one here. I have been on medication for my clinical depression for over 25 years. There is no other option. Even throughout my second pregnancy, I took medication under my psychiatrist’s supervision. I’ve never been ashamed to admit my need for medication,…

First in a two-part series. I had never heard of hemophilia until the doctors came into my hospital room the day after my first son, Julian, was born. I soon learned that about two-thirds of those diagnosed with hemophilia are because of a spontaneous mutation. Simply…

When you have a bleeding disorder, you are part of a community that becomes family. You never completely leave them, and they never leave you. The disorder binds you for a lifetime. When your bleeding disorder wreaks havoc, you tend to reach out to your bleeding disorder family…

When you have a year that is best left in the past, ushering in the new year is a time of celebration. You start with a clean slate and an attitude of hopefulness for what is yet to come. For many years I based the quality of a…

2013 was the year that my mighty warrior Caeleb was in the hospital more than he was at home. and Christmas was a holiday that was spent in the hospital. Instead of feeling sorry for the fact that my son was in the hospital unable to walk, I…

When you have a bleeding disorder and you are traveling, there are many things to remember. Forgetting factor or Huber needles can leave you in a bind, because these are not items that are easily found at your local drugstore. Making a list and keeping it handy, regardless…

Buckets. Buckets and buckets of tears. That’s the only way I can describe the tears I have shed over the years because of living with hemophilia in my home. Both of my sons have had their own struggles with hemophilia and inhibitors, and the tears I have shed…

When I am asked how Thanksgiving was for my family, I tell people that my little family ate a feast at home, watched television and relaxed. It was uneventful, nothing exciting. And that is exciting in itself. When you live with a bleeding disorder, your life can be…

Last week, I was on Facebook and a post I had been dreaming about appeared on my timeline. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new therapy, Hemlibra (emicizumab-kxwh), for patients with hemophilia A and inhibitors. It’s the first new medicine for inhibitors in almost…

Normal. I’m not exactly sure if I know the definition of normal. I’m thinking that most normal people would probably not suffer from any kind of illness. No allergies, diabetes, pain or infusions would be part of a normal person’s life. When you live with a chronic condition,…