Columns

Last week, I attended an alumni meeting for the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Texas, where I earned my doctor of ministry degree. During my free time, I walked around the University of Texas campus and couldn’t help feeling the energy from all the students who moved like…

My husband and I typically fill certain roles in our home. I do most of the cooking; he takes out the trash and handles automotive maintenance (by going to the appropriate mechanic). But after 30-plus years together, we can seamlessly trade roles and share in all the responsibilities. When…

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, we often overlook the extraordinary within the ordinary. My husband, Jared, has hemophilia, and we’ve found that living with the bleeding disorder has a way of sprinkling our lives with one-of-a-kind situations that might seem mundane to us but are…

My oldest son, Julian, is preparing for a big audition. He hopes the casting director will hear his submission and ask him to go to New York for a final, on-site callback. If the powers that be select him, he’ll perform in his first national touring production. My son displayed…

Imagine a bank account. When depositing money, the ideal is to have enough to cover expenses, bills, and some fun things. But when the withdrawals amount to more than the available money, there’s a crisis. At that point, using credit cards or applying for impossible-to-pay-back loans may become necessary. The…

My husband, Jared, carries his hemophilia well. At first glance, he appears healthy, with a solid physique, and he actively engages in sports. The keloid scars running down his arms contribute to his rugged charm. Some might dub him a model hemophilia patient, an example to follow. During…

About a month ago, my world was turned upside down when my kneecap dislocated while I was simply shifting my leg on a recliner. This unexpected incident brought back memories of my teenage years, when I underwent two surgeries to keep my kneecap in place. To add complexity to…

Over the next few weeks, I’m taking a short sabbatical. I realized I needed time to regroup, rest, and renew my spirit. Little triggers that crept into my brain warned me I needed to care for myself. Failure to adhere to these warning signs often leaves me angry,…

What does your pain feel like? Is it burning, sharp, pulling, shooting, or achy? Describing pain is difficult. In fact, many words used to describe pain are metaphors or similes: It’s like being stabbed by a knife or burned by a hot stove, for example. Yet a lot of people…

As a “HemoWife,” I’ve had the privilege of connecting with numerous people in the hemophilia community. While our shared experiences allow us to create a strong bond, one important topic often remains unspoken: the social and mental maladjustment that some people with hemophilia may face due to…