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

“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…

“What if today, we were just grateful for everything?” — Charlie Brown Life with hypoparathyroidism is a journey marked by uncertainty, where we can swiftly shift from elated to exhausted. Yet I navigate it with unwavering resilience and determination, my constant companions. It’s hard to make plans, work,…

“And isn’t it ironic? Don’t you think?” — “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette With hypoparathyroidism, every good day is a triumph over bad days. But that doesn’t mean the good days come easy. I spent a recent day with a friend in New York watching the San Francisco 49ers…

“Independence is happiness.” — Susan B. Anthony I have learned that if I want something done correctly, I should do it myself. I am independent. I’ve been this way my whole life, and it has helped me manage my hypoparathyroidism. Hypopara casts a shadow over my life, dictating the…

“Scars are souvenirs you never lose/ The past is never far.” — “Name” by the Goo Goo Dolls As I’ve previously written, I take a photo every day as a reminder of a life lived, not one that has passed by. I have boxes of photos from all stages…

“Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim.” — Dory from “Finding Nemo”  Hypoparathyroidism consumes me; it’s a constant battle, a full-time job. My life revolves around the condition, whether it’s supporting fellow patients, sharing my experiences with researchers, going to the…

“Long as I know how to love, I know I’ll stay alive/ I’ve got my life to live, and all my love to give/ And I will survive.” — “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor My journey into motherhood began right as I was diagnosed with hypoparathyroidism. Nine months…

“We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe!” — King T’Challa (played by Chadwick Boseman) in the 2018 film “Black Panther” My brain fog has been horrible lately. I can recall moments from a random day in 1988, but can’t…

“Oh yes, the past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.” — Rafiki in “The Lion King” In October 2018, I prepared to embark on a new chapter in my life with hypoparathyroidism, armed with a journal…