Life had been running smoothly for a while. No major bleeds, no medical scares — just the comforting rhythm of our daily routine. But as life with hemophilia goes, that peace was bound to be interrupted at some point. It came this time in the form of a…

Last night, I dreamed that I attended a doctor appointment for my wife, Cazandra. It was a follow-up to discuss lab results requested at the initial meeting. The doctor entered the room and shared treatment strategies. She told Cazandra that she wanted to try a new medication to help…

The adventure of life is filled with ups and downs. Focusing on a word instead of on New Year’s resolutions can be a powerful practice when navigating a bleeding disorder. A focus word serves as a daily reminder and source of motivation, providing a lens through which to…

There is a children’s picture book called “How Big is Baby?” The response to the baby is, “Baby is sooo big!” It is a great book as it empowers our children to know that they are a large part of life. We remind them that the love we…

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 crippling anxiety. The looming pressures of being a mother and caregiver — Jared has…

My 24-year-old son, Julian, lives out of state, where he attends college and works as a barista. He pays his bills and “adults” well, making me immensely proud of him. When he was a teenager, I didn’t think I would live to see his adult years. Like most teenagers who…

I love the smell of a freshly painted room. The roller soaks up the new color as it moves around in the pan, waiting to be rolled onto the wall in big, broad strokes. The walls must desperately need a fresh coat of paint to soak up the new color…

New evidence suggests that a parameter called FVIII-EC50 has potential as a new way to predict the response of an individual with severe hemophilia to preventive treatment with FVIII, according to a small study. The study “Evaluation of EC50 of factor VIII as predictor of prophylaxis efficacy in patients…

What do developmental disabilities, French bread, endometriosis, nutrition, English tourism, and bleeding disorders have in common? They all claim March — or a select day or week during the month — for awareness. Organizations dedicate this time to educating the public through local and national gatherings and social media campaigns.

“It’s been too long.” “Oh my goodness, your kids have grown!” “It’s been forever since we’ve seen each other.” These sentiments resonated as members of Sangre de Oro, the Bleeding Disorder Foundation of New Mexico, gathered for Family Education Weekend March 21-23 in Albuquerque. While many chapters around the…