Our baby girl, Cittie, is 18 months old. She’s feisty and curious about the world around her. Currently, her favorite words are “up,” “open,” and “close.” She likes being carried so she can observe things from an adult vantage point. She also wants to touch and tinker with every object…
HemoWife — Allyx Formalejo
Allyx Formalejo, or Cza, is a writer, entrepreneur, and digital marketer based in Marikina, Philippines. She is married to Jared, who has severe hemophilia B and a seizure disorder. They have a young daughter and two other “babies” — a dog and a cat. Cza herself is diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar II disorder. This allows her to offer a unique perspective on navigating various aspects of young adult life (e.g. relationships, career, and parenting) with chronic health conditions. In her free time, she enjoys collecting fountain pens, supporting small businesses, traveling across the country, and exploring local cafes. She continues to blog like most 90s kids did in the Internet’s early years, sharing her thoughts and interesting discoveries on her personal website, czaofalltrades.com.
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When people think about hemophilia, they usually think of joint, muscle, and sometimes soft-tissue bleeds. But one of the most dangerous complications occurs elsewhere: the brain. My husband, Jared, had a brain bleed as a child. It’s the kind of event people often imagine as…
When my husband, Jared, and I started dating, I was aware that he has hemophilia B and epilepsy. Not long after that, someone close to me gave me a gratuitous warning about dating someone with chronic illness. They told me I would face more challenges and…
Social media is one of my guilty pleasures. Whenever I find myself with free time, I open Facebook and mindlessly scroll through the endless news feed. I become immersed in whatever I stumble upon, be it funny memes, snippets of friends’ personal lives, or criticisms about society. As a graduate…
Over the past few months, my husband and I have been working extra hard on our jewelry retail business. It’s surprising how much work goes into running a small online store. My husband, Jared, thinks it’s because only two of us handle all aspects of the business, including…
Life is awful from time to time. As someone with mental illness who is married to a person with hemophilia and epilepsy, I am no stranger to that thought. Various things can trigger me to ruminate on the thought that life is fickle and occasionally sadistic. It could be…
My husband, Jared, and I both share an interest in psychology and human relationships. We often bond over discussions about mental health and the way human beings interact. As a couple affected by hemophilia and mental health issues, we find such conversations therapeutic as we are able to share our…
My toddler, Cittie, recently got a new tricycle. She took to it instantly, although she couldn’t reach the pedals yet. The trike has a long attachment that allows us to take turns driving her around the house. Cittie was content to sit back and enjoy the ride. Now she often…
Two years ago, I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression. I always knew I was struggling, but somehow that struggle didn’t feel real until I received a diagnosis. I battled eating disorders and body dysmorphia in my teenage years. Yet, that was only the tip of an iceberg that…
I celebrated Mother’s Day a week ago at home with my family. We held a sale at our Instagram shop for the family jewelry business and sold several Mother’s Day goodies. It was a relief that this sale was successful. Having enough resources for our family is enough of a…
Spoiler alert: This column shares brief plot details from the Netflix series “Atypical.” Caregiver fatigue is real. It’s normal, and people should talk about it. Lately, my husband and I have been watching the Netflix series “Atypical,” which focuses on the life of an autistic teenager,…
What’s new, month of May? Why hello there, extended coronavirus lockdown! Our community quarantine was set to end on April 30. In the last few days of April, I felt so excited to go back to how life was before COVID-19. I missed going out, eating…
My husband, Jared, and I recently talked about getting a dog. I’m excited and can’t wait. We spent an entire night flipping through pictures of various dog breeds. We finally managed to narrow down our selection to four possible types. At the top of the list is the Cavalier…
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