Envisioning my daughter’s life as a hemophilia carrier
I think about my daughter’s future a lot, especially now that she’s getting older. At 5 and a half, she’s just finished senior nursery and is headed for big school in a month. She’s…
HemoWife — Alliah Czarielle
Alliah Czarielle, 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.
Featured Post
Making imperfect choices is part of living with hemophilia
I recently came across a social media post that hit home. It began: “Never judge someone with a chronic illness if they …” and went on to list things like skipping meds,…
Read more
What does happiness look like in life with chronic conditions?
Lately I’ve been pondering how to achieve long-term happiness and fulfillment while managing finances and chronic illnesses. My husband, Jared, battles hemophilia B and seizures while I manage attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and bipolar…
Hemophilia bleeding didn’t stop my husband from parenting, working
This past week has been a whirlwind of activity for our family. My husband, Jared, who has severe hemophilia B, experienced a knee bleed that required careful management. But that didn’t stop him…
When my little quirks stay that way, my mental health is better
Good mental health is crucial for caregivers of people with chronic illnesses. As a wife to someone with severe hemophilia B and epilepsy, I’ve seen firsthand how mental health matters to…
Children with disabled parents should get tuition fee discounts, too
Last month, my husband, Jared, and I enrolled our daughter in a new school. She’ll start kindergarten in a few months, which marks the beginning of mandatory schooling here in the Philippines. Although her…
It’s time to cancel ‘cancel culture’ in favor of compassionate advocacy
In the age of “cancel culture,” where snap judgments and public shaming abound, the journey from stigma to compassion is often fraught with challenges. I live with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and bipolar II disorder,…
Why my husband would miss living with hemophilia
In a recent conversation with my husband, Jared, he dropped a bombshell. If he were given the chance to be rid of hemophilia entirely for the rest of his life, he said he’d…
Managing and adapting to shortages of clotting factor IX
My husband, Jared, and I have written about the limited supply of clotting factor IX in the Philippines, where we live. Lately there’s been a greater shortage of that factor, which treats…
My husband and I are redefining marriage in life with chronic illness
I recently came across a thought-provoking video featuring Betty Reid Soskin, a remarkable 102-year-old woman with a unique perspective on marriage. Throughout her long life, Soskin has embraced various roles, including daughter,…
Learning to embrace imperfection after 10 years with my husband
My favorite band, Fall Out Boy, has a song titled “The Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years).” Now that I think of it, my husband, Jared, and I celebrate 10 years together this April.
Advocating for mental healthcare is important to me as a ‘HemoWife’
As a “HemoWife,” I’ve become intimately acquainted with the intricate dance between physical and mental health. In recent columns, I’ve delved into the journey of navigating my husband Jared’s hemophilia alongside my…
My 30th birthday came with heightened anxiety
As my 30th birthday approached, I found myself grappling with a whirlwind of emotions. Unlike my husband, Jared, who greeted his own 30th with gratitude for another year of life, I was consumed by…
