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 safety and comfort for me as a queer woman, but also as a person with a…
Columns
“You’re never too old to need your mom.” — Drew Vapnek Life with hypoparathyroidism, more simply nicknamed hypopara, is so unpredictable. I never know if I’ll have a good or bad day. The past few months have been a roller coaster as I wean down from my 60 mcg…
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 a month trying to protect myself, hoping I continue to be successful in my lifelong fight.
“Helping one person might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person.” — Anonymous Spring is my favorite season. The flowers are blooming, the temperature is ideal, and it’s an excellent time to appreciate beautiful days like today. I have spring fever! Along with tulips…
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. From romance and Westerns to cozy mysteries and fan fiction on Archive of Our Own…
“Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” — Charles R. Swindoll My adult children invited me to Walt Disney World for Labor Day weekend in 2023. They know I always try to make things happen when they have a request. Since they’re also…
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. For the first time in three years, I’m about to finish a full-length novel. As I…
“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…
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 with knowing that teenage me navigated my medical journey the best I could. After turning 40…
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…
Recent Posts
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- The Olympics inspire me to go for gold, despite hypoparathyroidism
- How Yorvipath gave a first patient in Ireland a second chance
- Bravely riding the roller coaster of life with hypoparathyroidism