I’m trying to accept that my youngest son, Caeleb, is a college freshman. People say that time flies by, and we should enjoy our children when they’re little. Those people are right. As my son begins college, I’m apprehensive. I long for the days when I’d go into school before…
My husband, Jared, enjoys cooking. As I write this, a pot of gumbo simmers on the stove. Its strong aroma drifts throughout our open-layout house and toward my work desk. My stomach churns in excitement. It’s his first time making this dish, but as with nearly every recipe…
What do all the people with bleeding disorders I’ve interviewed for this column have in common? Each of them has a story about certain doctors not listening to them. I have a story about that, too. But first, I want to acknowledge that I now receive exceptional care from…
As a proud dad, I must brag about the incredible voice of my oldest son, Julian. He soars to high notes effortlessly with a rich and full sound. I feel transported when he sings because of his passion for and delivery of each note. My son leaves nothing to chance…
I recently picked up a fascinating book, “The Courage to Be Disliked,” by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. The book dives into the philosophy of Alfred Adler, a pioneering figure in individual psychology. Adler’s ideas stand in contrast to the older, trauma-focused theories of…
The 2024 Paris Olympics have been a mesmerizing spectacle of human achievement and have captivated my attention for more hours than I care to admit. Sacrificing sleep to witness the gymnastics finals live was a decision I’ll never regret. The countdown to the end of the Olympics is already painful.
A few weeks ago, my oldest son, Julian, called me from the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina and informed me that he had throbbing pain in one of his teeth. He immediately went to a nearby dentist and got news he didn’t want to hear: The tooth…
One of my favorite movies is “Galaxy Quest,” a comedy that parodies and pays homage to science fiction films and TV. In it, the cast members of a cult series much like “Star Trek” are drawn into an interstellar conflict by real aliens who think the series is…
Navigating life with hemophilia in the Philippines presents unique and daunting challenges. The financial burden of treatment is one of the most significant hurdles hemophiliacs face. A 1,000-unit vial of factor IX costs up to 22,000 Philippine pesos (about $377), yet the minimum monthly wage is…
I met Jennifer Hastie last year at the Hemophilia Federation of America’s Mild Matters Summit in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Along with two of her three daughters, Jennifer has von Willebrand disease (VWD) type 2B, a rare variant. We share more than just a name: Jennifer is also 58…
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