Precious, Not Fragile
— Heather Novak

Banner image for "Precious, Not Fragile" a column by Heather Novak

Heather Novak is an award-winning author. She was diagnosed with surgical hypoparathyroidism in 2003, followed by a pile of comorbidities. She hopes her column will provide hope and a better understanding of living with chronic conditions. Heather writes LGBTQ+ romance with disability representation and earned a spot on BEQ Magazine’s 40 LGBTQ+ Leaders Under 40 in 2021. She’s full of bisexual glitter and is pretty sure her left arm is haunted. She lives in southeast Michigan with a collection of mobility aids. You can learn more at HeatherNovak.net.

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Interrupting the cycle of symptoms with a new protocol to ease flare-ups

One of the hardest parts about having occipital neuralgia and myofascial pain syndrome alongside hypoparathyroidism is trying to balance the symptoms. For instance, if my calcium level dips too low, it can cause my muscles to tighten and spasm, which in turn causes more pressure on my already injured…

Heather Novak

Hypoparathyroidism feels like a heavy weight, but love helps

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 a family member I love them for the last time. This is love in so many…

Before my hypoparathyroidism diagnosis, I felt it in my bones

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 skeleton — my actual skeleton, not the fake ones in my living room, pictured below and…


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