HemoWife - a Column by Allyx Formalejo

I recently celebrated my 27th birthday in the company of family. Despite being unable to go out due to government-mandated COVID-19 restrictions, I still had a wonderful celebration at home. Although it was a weekday, our workload that day wasn’t too heavy or stressful. I was able to do enjoyable…

My husband, Jared, has fond memories of his school days when he was younger. He went to an all-boys combined elementary school and high school, where roughhousing and horsing around with friends were common. He and his classmates sometimes were crude and rowdy, he says, but they were all very…

I have a number of friends working as financial advisors. From time to time, they offer me life insurance policies, stock market deals, and other similar investments. As a young mom and businesswoman, I am right within their target market. I take interest in all sorts of financial tools…

My design prototype for a jewelry piece commemorating hemophilia just rolled off the manufacturing line. The Hemo Ring will be posted on our Instagram store soon, just in time for March, which is Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month. As the owner of a small jewelry business, I revel…

When I was a child, I learned a song called “Greatest Love of All.” I’ve always found the first two lines particularly striking: “I believe the children are our future/ Teach them well and let them lead the way.” Now that I am a mom to my very own spunky…

It just slipped out that one time. I wasn’t even thinking. My husband, Jared, and I had been talking casually about how some of his friends had taken up cycling, when I made the offhand comment that he might be able to do the same. After all, I said, other…

My husband, Jared, and I were recently talking about Rare Disease Day, which falls on Feb. 28. As a person with hemophilia, Jared has faith in its purpose of raising awareness about rare health conditions and the people who live with them. Having dabbled in hemophilia and mental health…

I recently asked my husband, Jared, who has hemophilia, a this-or-that question: “Would you rather have many insignificant bleeds several times a month, or big bleeds several times a year that keep you bedridden for an entire month?” Jared chose the former, and I agreed. As a busy mom and entrepreneur,…

When I tell people I’m married to someone with hemophilia, I get different reactions. Some people are genuinely curious and want to know more about my husband’s condition. They’ll ask several questions about the hows and whys of his bleeds, and are often curious about treatment. On the other hand,…

After an entire year of getting little exercise, I’ve finally decided to work out again. I’d gone several months without much physical activity, so I’m starting with jump rope fitness for body conditioning. So far, everything’s good. I’ve had to rearrange my schedule quite a bit and take more time…