A little reminder about how to pay better attention to bleeds
My pain threshold is high, so sometimes I overlook the signs
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I love a good routine because they’re predictable and comforting. As someone who is anything but a morning person, I find my morning routine to be the most essential. I’m not particularly fond of breakfast, so as part of my routine, I make myself a smoothie that I usually finish just in time for lunch.
The other day was no exception. I woke up, tossed smoothie ingredients into the blender, and grabbed a large cup and its lid. Once the smoothie was ready, I poured it into the cup, only to realize the lid was missing. I searched everywhere: the cabinet, dishwasher, drying rack, and even random drawers. The lid, which I had just held moments before, seemed to have vanished into thin air. I was incredibly frustrated with myself.
I kept searching, scanning the countertop and swinging open cabinet doors. I checked between mugs, dishes, and bowls repeatedly. I even looked behind my air fryer — twice. At this point, I thought I was losing my mind. There was no way the lid could just disappear. Eventually, I gave up, grabbed a spare lid, and continued with my morning.
Finding the missing lid … and more
When my daughter woke up, I told her about the missing lid. “Keep an eye out,” I said, admitting I had no idea where it went. “I need that lid,” I added. “You mean the one on top of the tea kettle?” she replied, pointing to the counter. “Yes! Oh my gosh.”
The lid had been sitting on top of the tea kettle right in front of me. I had looked behind and around the kettle but missed it because its color blended in. Ironically, my daughter, who is often the one misplacing things, spotted it immediately. We both burst out laughing. I couldn’t help but wonder how she saw it so easily when it had been hiding in plain sight.
I see many parallels between this story and my hemophilia journey. Often, the signs of bleeding from my hemophilia A are right in front of me, yet I miss them — just like the missing lid. For example, last year, after a tough workout, I had a sore back on my left side. I didn’t think much of it, assuming the soreness was simply from pushing myself too hard.
Though movement was uncomfortable, I went about my day and decided to hold off on my next workout until I felt better. I didn’t infuse factor VIII (FVIII), which helps blood clot, because I was convinced it was just typical post-workout soreness. The following day, two days after the workout, it was time for my regular prophylactic FVIII infusion. I take FVIII every 48 hours to prevent bleeding, and every 12-24 hours if I have an active bleed.
To my surprise, about an hour after my infusion, my back pain vanished. The timing made it clear: It wasn’t just soreness — it was an untreated bleed. Looking back, there was a big clue I missed: After such a hard workout, soreness should’ve been on both sides of my back, not just the left. Lesson learned!
Growing up with many untreated bleeds due to undiagnosed hemophilia has left me with a higher-than-normal pain tolerance. I can sometimes limp along for days before realizing I have an active bleed that needs treatment. I’m working to challenge myself to question and analyze my pain more carefully, so I don’t miss signs of bleeding that are right under my nose. Sometimes, just pausing and reflecting helps me catch and treat a bleed I might have otherwise missed.
Circling back to that missing lid, I’m now careful to place it somewhere visible, away from similarly colored items, so I can easily spot it when my morning smoothie is ready.
Note: Hemophilia News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Hemophilia News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to hemophilia.
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