From the Caregiver's HAErt — Danita LaShelle Jones

patient's rights | Angioedema News | banner image for Danita LaShelle Jones' column, "From the Caregiver's Heart," depicting a blue wave with rows of hearts flanking it on both sides
Danita currently calls Madison, Alabama, home. She and her husband raise four exceptional children, one of which lives with hereditary angioedema — Ladybug. As a caregiver, Danita hopes that her column will show other caregivers and patients that they’re not alone. Championing the idea to “inform the world,” she seeks to reveal HAE in such a way that even if it’s rare for an individual to have it, it isn’t rare for everyone to know about it.

Featured Post
Columns

I accidentally taught my daughter to ignore her HAE symptoms

The tickle around my uvula gave me pause. I knew the feeling almost immediately. And it couldn’t have been happening at a worse time. There’s a strange phenomenon in my house when it comes to illness. Although we’ve reached a point where the flu isn’t passed around our house…

Danita photo

Columns

We Forgot to Tell Our Daughter About Her Diagnosis

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,…

Columns

The Tale of Two Truths

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…

Columns

Step-ball-Change Into Butterfly Needles

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…

Columns

Thousands of Miles to a Hereditary Angioedema Diagnosis

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…


Explore More Columns