“Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” — Popular proverb often attributed to Aristotle Because of hypoparathyroidism, my body struggles to keep my calcium levels stable, which can lead to a lot of anxiety. Waiting for test results fills me with dread. It’s like standing near…
Brave Butterfly: A Hypoparathyroidism Journey - a Column by Bari Vapnek
Soft morning light spills through my windows as I power on my laptop. A gentle glow envelops the quiet room. I think about where I was a year ago, when hope felt uncertain and struggle was heavy. April marks the first anniversary of my column, “Brave Butterfly,” so I…
Editor’s note: This story includes a mention of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org. Internationally, find a suicide…
My world teetered as a calcium crash struck in 2016, leaving me breathless and confused. It was a scary time for my family, especially for my son Harrison, who was starting high school. It was also a pivotal moment for me, altering my path and propelling me into a desperate…
“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” — a popular saying often attributed to John Wayne Red lanterns shimmer above bustling Chinatown streets, their light flickering against a sea of red envelopes and golden paper dragons. The Chinese Lunar New Year began Feb. 17, symbolizing the…
“The courage to soar to great heights is inside all of us.” — Olympic gold medalist Kerri Strug In sports, we discover one of life’s greatest lessons: the courage to overcome adversity and rise stronger each time we fall. Sports have the power to transform lives by teaching resilience and…
“It’s my life, and it’s now or never/ I ain’t gonna live forever/ I just wanna live while I’m alive.” — Bon Jovi, “It’s My Life” I was 8 years old when I rode my first upside-down roller coaster, the Superdooperlooper, at Hersheypark in Pennsylvania. As the ride…
“Friends don’t owe! They do because they wanna do.” — Rocky Balboa in “Rocky III” Friendships, much like hypoparathyroidism, are not one-size-fits-all. I appreciate my small, close-knit circle of friends. When I was younger, my mom would tell me, “All you need is one good friend.” Back then, I…
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” — Charles Dickens in “A Tale of Two Cities” Describing my year as both the best and worst of times may seem contradictory, but it truly reflects my experience. Similar to the theme in Charles Dickens’ classic novel,…
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with TransCon PTH, now called Yorvipath (palopegteriparatide). Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and…
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- Reflections on the first anniversary of ‘Brave Butterfly’