Precious, Not Fragile
— Heather Novak

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…

I’m lucky enough to have a group of friends who read my column every week and send me their favorite lines. In my column about using a routine to get through bad days,…

After a long stretch of cold and gray, the sun popped out this week, bringing with it warmer temperatures. I was thrilled for a reprieve from the body-aching winter, ready to get outside. Thankfully,…

I’ve been publishing books and blogging about my disease for over a decade, yet nothing has taught me more about being vulnerable than writing this column. I’m of the age to remember LiveJournal and…

With a chronic illness like hypoparathyroidism, it’s easy to lose myself on bad days. When intense pain and anxiety steal my sleep, it’ll launch a chain reaction. If I don’t sleep well,…

Happy Rare Disease Day! I’m curled up under my blankets, willing my body to recuperate after traveling for a family emergency, and reflecting on how much heavier this day feels to me this year.

When I was in seventh grade, I held up a poster board with big, bold letters and proclaimed that my favorite cassette tape was “Jagged Little Pill” by “Atlantis Morrisonite.” I learned two important…

It’s Valentine’s Day, and as a romance writer, I expected to write a very different column for this week. As I type this, Mr. Heather is helping me prepare for a trip to tell…

My name is Heather Novak, and I’ve been a surgical hypoparathyroidism (hypopara for short) warrior since 2003 as well as an award-winning LGBTQ+ romance writer. The tale of my journey starts with a…