“I don’t see blood, so you must not be bleeding.” For people with bleeding disorders, that kind of thinking isn’t just frustrating; it can be dangerous. Bleeding isn’t always visible or dramatic. It doesn’t always look like blood pouring from a wound or a bruise that appears immediately. For…
Hemophilia and Me – a Column by Jennifer Lynne
I just returned from the Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA) Symposium in New Orleans, and like many gatherings in the bleeding disorders community, it left me inspired, reflective, and deeply grateful. This was my first HFA Symposium, and I’m truly grateful to the organization for including me. There’s something…
There are moments when I’m reminded just how much I depend on something most people rarely think about. I live with von Willebrand disease, and my treatment depends on Humate-P (antihemophilic factor/von Willebrand factor complex [human]), a plasma-derived therapy. This medication is more than just a vial;…
Most people probably don’t think twice about getting dressed. For me, it’s never just about what looks good. It’s about what feels right. Every morning, a quiet calculation happens before I even leave my closet. What am I doing today? How far will I be walking? Will I be sitting…
In recent years, I’ve found myself simplifying my diagnosis in medical settings by saying I have a bleeding disorder. It’s the simplest way to explain what is actually a combination of hemophilia B and von Willebrand disease. It’s broad enough to be understood, and…
I read this week about Bleeding.org LIVE!, a national livestream taking place at 4 p.m. Pacific time on March 28, and I felt something I don’t always feel when it comes to healthcare: seen. The three-hour livestream will be hosted by Greg Grunberg, an actor and bleeding disorders…
It started with a refrigerator leaking water out of the bottom and a YouTube video that made it seem like an easy fix. You know the kind: “Just remove the freezer door.” “Melt the ice with a hair dryer.” “You’ve got this.” It didn’t seem like a big deal, but…
Living with hemophilia B and von Willebrand disease means getting used to things that most people would consider unusual. Bruises appear without explanation. Minor injuries take longer to heal. A routine dental visit requires more planning than most people would ever imagine. And sometimes, the body sends…
Last week in Tampa, Florida, I attended the CHES Foundation’s One Drop consortium, the largest national conference dedicated exclusively to people living with ultra-rare bleeding disorders. The program focuses on conditions that often lack the resources, research attention, and community networks that are available to those with more common…
Last in a series. Read parts one and two. In the previous columns of this series, hemophilia awareness advocate Lee Hall shared his memories of a childhood shaped by hospitalizations and the painful reality of early hemophilia treatment, followed by the devastating era from the 1970s…
