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…
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 I was 3 years old, I joined a television pageant for little girls called “Princess Asia.” I won the top prize. But when I look back on that moment now, the crown itself feels almost incidental. What stands out more is that I caught amebiasis, an intestinal infection, just…
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…
My husband is down with a bleed for the second time since the COVID-19 quarantine began. It hasn’t even been a week since he recovered from his latest abdominal bleed. We were only starting to settle back into our usual routine. I was happy to…
My husband, Jared, has a new resolution: to start keeping a bleeding journal. In his journal, Jared plans to write about recent bleeding episodes. Each entry will describe the sensation of a particular bleed, the affected area of the body, and steps he took to nurse the injury back to…
“I wish your ab would be better now,” I tell my husband Jared in a pleading voice. Jared is recovering from a bleed in the abdominal region that has taken a toll on his mobility for the past week. He’s already gone through a couple of factor infusions but still…
As an old saying goes, it’s good to look on the bright side of life. It’s a call for us to remain optimistic in light of difficulties. There’s nothing wrong with having an optimistic view of things. In fact, it is important to see the “silver lining” in a bad…
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