My unfinished pharmacy degree finds its purpose in my spouse’s hemo care

Here is something many people do not know about me: I spent a year studying industrial pharmacy. I don’t always think to mention it. After all, I never earned the degree.

I had attended a science high school, so pursuing a science degree at university felt like the natural next step. I chose industrial pharmacy at the University of the Philippines Manila. The health sciences campus is home to the Philippine General Hospital, the country’s largest training hospital. Medical language and hospital routines became familiar because I was surrounded by them.

Still, as the year went on, I realized that being capable of studying science did not mean it was the best lifelong path for me. My inclination toward the arts and social sciences was stronger. I eventually left pharmacy and pursued broadcast communication instead. At the time, pharmacy felt like a chapter I had closed. Years later, after I chose to build a life with my husband, Jared, I realized how much my pharmacy education still influenced me.

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Having a starting point

Jared lives with severe hemophilia B, a bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency of clotting factor IX.

My pharmacy education was entry-level, at best. I did not complete the degree, earn a license, or become qualified to give medical advice. But that year gave me enough familiarity with science to make the language surrounding hemophilia feel approachable. Terms such as coagulation, factor deficiency, and intravenous infusion did not intimidate me. I still had plenty to learn, but I did not need every concept explained from the beginning.

That familiarity extended to needles. I later had limited, informal exposure to phlebotomy. It was not clinical training and did not qualify me to perform the procedure professionally. What stayed with me was not a sense of expertise, but the realization that I was comfortable around veins, needles, and the sight of blood.

Drawing blood is not the same as giving an intravenous hemophilia treatment, and I would not treat the two as interchangeable. Still, that experience made one part of Jared’s treatment routine feel less foreign to me.

Jared still prefers to self-infuse. He has been doing it for years and understands his veins and body far better than I do. Knowing that I could assist if necessary was reassuring. Knowing when not to take over was just as important.

Understanding without assuming authority

My classes could explain what clotting factors do. They could not teach me how a bleed feels inside Jared’s body, how he decides whether a sensation is worth watching, or what years of living with limited treatment access have taught him. That knowledge belongs to Jared.

One lesson from university went beyond technical knowledge: We were taught to view healing holistically. Care did not stop at treating a condition; mental and emotional well-being mattered, too.

I carried that idea into my marriage. When Jared deals with a bleed or pain, I try not to focus only on his body. I also consider how he feels and whether my help would comfort him or make him feel less in control.

My pharmacy background helped me participate in conversations about hemophilia with more confidence. Being Jared’s wife taught me when to step back and listen. This distinction has shaped how I think about who gets to tell the hemophilia story. Medical professionals, patients, and care partners may understand different parts of the same condition. My perspective matters alongside Jared’s.

The degree I eventually completed also found its place in our life with hemophilia. Broadcast communication taught me to ask questions, find the point of a story, and explain ideas without burying people in jargon. Those skills now help me write about the medical and personal sides of hemophilia.

I did not become a pharmacist. But the year I spent studying pharmacy was not wasted. It gave me a useful starting point. Jared and the life we have built together have taught me far more: how to listen, when to offer help, and when to trust him as the expert on his own body.

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.