From the Caregiver's HAErt – a Column by Danita LaShelle Jones

There I was again, speaking with hushed tones into my cellphone as I talked my husband through the tangled wires I knew he was digging into on my side of the bed. “What else do you need, babe?” he asked patiently. I rubbed my forehead as I peeked over at…

In retrospect, I took a lot for granted. My 12-year-old daughter, whom we affectionally refer to as Ladybug, has probably seen more doctors than the average child her age. Although her visits started with the discovery of a rare allergy to spinach, finding out she has hereditary angioedema, or HAE,…

Of all the places to have a meltdown, mine happened in the parking lot of the public library. Last summer, my daughter, whom we affectionately call Ladybug, was hospitalized several times overnight due to hereditary angioedema (HAE). When she was at home, I had to administer multiple IV sticks…

I am a theater person. I was introduced to it in kindergarten, majored in it in college, and have taught it at every educational level. As a result, words that would never pop into someone’s head when describing me are “doctor” or “medicine.” Those words are reserved for my amazing…

The gas gauge needle settled on 3/4 full, and I sighed in relief. However, as I began the 80-mile trek home, the idea that I’d likely be stuck in traffic overshadowed my relief. I glanced in the rearview mirror to check on my daughter. There she was, curled up in her…