Brave Butterfly: A Hypoparathyroidism Journey - a Column by Bari Vapnek

In life with hypoparathyroidism, one size does not fit all

“No two paths are the same, just as no two people are the same.” — writer Cait Flanders My motto — “Everything happens the way it should” — expresses an acceptance that sometimes things occur beyond our control. It’s similar to the Alcoholics Anonymous philosophy of accepting things we cannot…

Life before and after a major calcium crash, when everything changed

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with Natpara (parathyroid hormone). Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao-tzu In 2016, after I experienced a…

Assessing my dreams after another year around the sun

“May the dreams of your past be the reality of your future.” — Jimi Hendrix I celebrated my birthday last week with minimal fanfare yet much gratitude to have turned 52. I missed celebrations this year because my hypoparathyroidism, or hypopara, doesn’t respect plans and shows up when I…

The origin story of a brave hypopara butterfly

I am Bari Gordon Vapnek, and I’m thrilled to share my brave journey with hypoparathyroidism here in this new column. Living in Florida, I’m a 51-year-old mother of two: a 25-year-old daughter, Drew, who’s a chiropractor in Atlanta, and a 23-year-old son, Harrison, who’s a sports director for an…