Precious, Not Fragile
— Heather Novak

Having a chronic illness feels a little like being a hostage negotiator. It’s my functionality and I trapped behind an unpredictable chronic illness that’s got a chip on its shoulder and is out for…

When I was a teenager, adults used to tell me time sped up every year. I scoffed in that way kids do when they don’t believe an adult, but I swear these days that…

I was having an incredible week! I’d pushed my body to the limit to meet my book deadline and had finished on time. I took part in a rare career opportunity and went…

When I walk into the small, LGBTQ-owned salon that has seen my best and worst hypoparathyroidism days, I’m always relieved that I can just be me. Not only is it a place of…

I have a mortal enemy. We circle each other often. I’m consistently trying to de-escalate and avoid, while they’re popping up at the most surprising moments, rendering me incapacitated. I spend hundreds of dollars…

Books have always been a constant in my life. I remember collecting “Goosebumps” by R.L. Stine and “The Vampire Diaries” by L.J. Smith, and I still have a few first editions on my bookshelf.

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with Natpara (recombinant human parathyroid hormone) and Yorvipath (palopegteriparatide). Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy.

Having a rare disease means I have a complicated relationship with my body. I cycle through anger — wishing away my medical problems or my staggering medical bills — and the empathy that comes…

I’ve been going to physical therapy every week since 2022 to help with my hypoparathyroidism-related muscle spasms. At my appointment this week, my longtime therapist announced that he’s leaving to take another job…

Hypoparathyroidism makes me rethink accessibility. Sometimes accessibility means having a livestream option for an event when travel is impossible. Sometimes it means having a temperature-controlled climate, because sweating can lower my calcium level.

Having two writing jobs is my literal dream. If only 12-year-old Heather — who used to write stories in the margins of her textbooks — could see me now! Writing jobs, by nature, do…