Shoes of a Hemophiliac
We often hear statements like, "Oh yeah ... Well you should try walking in my shoes..." Today, I'd like to offer my shoes and allow you to see through the eyes of a hemophiliac. Let's start off by explaining what the heck hemophilia is. Hemophilia is a rare bleeding disorder in which your blood does not clot normally or properly. It is carried in the X chromosome, and is called an X-linked genetic disorder. Cutting through all of the obfuscation, it essentially means that I inherited a factor VIII (factor-8) deficiency from my mother, who was a carrier. Dumbing (is that even a word?) it down even further, it means that unlike average boys and girls, if I get bruised or cut, I will not stop bleeding without medical assistance.
[...]
Learning How to Live After Cancer
About five years ago, I was preparing to celebrate my son's first birthday in July of 2007. Two days prior to his birthday, I received news that rocked my world and flipped it upside down. I was positive for breast cancer at age 30. It was invasive and aggressive. I was also told that it was a gene that had caused it. I am BRCA 1 positive. After picking myself up off of the floor, we got to work on starting to formulate a plan of action. First was a bi-lateral mastectomy. After the surgery, I went to Shady Grove Fertility in order to harvest eggs just in case I was not able to conceive after chemo, which was about a 50/50 chance. I had to give myself shots in the stomach twice a day, while trying to heal from my mastectomy. I was then told [...]
Sunrises and Sunsets
Do you take the time to stop and smell the sunrise? I know most folks say "roses," but I'm more of a sunrise kind of fella. My ride to work takes 61 or more minutes, yet I don't complain and it flies by. One of the main reasons for this is because I have [...]
Longevity, Life, and Joy
For as long as I can remember I have heard people talk about getting to a ripe old age or wanting to live forever. We as a humanity have for the most part, believed that is what we should do, as if we should do anything to postpone death.
It has come to my attention that the fear of [...]
A Quarter Century and Counting
A quarter of a century is exactly how long ago that I found out that I was HIV positive. I'm really not sure when I contracted the virus, but I do know that I was told in our den by my mom and dad on Saturday [...]
Giving Back
Happy Valentine's Day!!!
It is sort of fitting to have an article about [...]
On the Art of Living: Time to Cook
I walked through the grocery store last week, taking my time to select the ingredients for the Hamburger Rolls (recipe on BayvsKitchen) I had planned. I had taken a day off of work and was expecting company for lunch. This particular lunch was going to be comprised of some items that required cooking, chopping, coating, seasoning, and blending in careful quantities. Such a great perk of cooking is that if you can pull it off, you can dine on whatever you want.
They say that the family that prays together stays together. I say that [...]
Creating Life with In Vitro Fertilization
Let's talk babies! More specifically, let's talk about engineered babies who are created through in vitro fertilization (IVF). My wife, Kristine, and I went through a scientific process called IVF to have our two beautiful children. We actually did ICSI (pronounced: ick-see); which stands for [...]
The War of the Body
In many of my previous posts I have talked about the war of the body. I've even posted some information about it. Today's Secret article is going to breakdown my idea and how it has helped me.
After all of these peaceful and loving blog entries, let me step out on a limb and discuss [...]
Kotowaza – Japanese Proverbs
As you all know, I refer to kaizen on a regular basis. Kaizen is a Japanese word that means daily improvement. I strive on a daily basis to improve myself. Today, I'd like to introduce you to another Japanese word ... Kotowaza. Essentially, kotowaza translates to "proverb." I am fascinated with Japanese philosophy and one of the main things I gain from the Japanese is [...]
Hobbies and Extracurricular Activities
Let's kick this bad boy off with one of my favorite quotes:
“Adventure is worthwhile in itself.”
—Amelia Earhart
Most of my blog articles about living longer have been about fitness, healthier living, mental toughness, medication, and other related subjects. One longevity subject that is often overlooked is [...]
Take a Cold Shower
I take a Scottish Shower every day. You're probably asking yourself, What the heck is a Scottish Shower? Well ... That is a very good question. Essentially it is the act of finishing a hot shower with a cold water shower. As you might guess the effect is IMMEDIATE and POWERFUL. Even in a tired state, I instantly wake and feel super energized. Many people believe that [...]
Can a Joke be a Form of Bullying?
I think about this question from time-to-time and have come to the conclusion that sometimes a joke is a form of bullying. Obviously mental bullying can be harder on a person than physical at times. I mean come on … We all know that some jokes can and do hurt feelings. With that in mind, doesn’t it become a [...]
How to Create Your Own Blog
Several times a week I am asked two questions:
What is a blog?
How can I make my own blog?
So, I thought I would take a break from the deadly serious subject of [...]
My Wife is a Sexy Beast
I'm not looking for brownie points ... I'm not in Dutch with the wife (see: Raising Arizona) ... I am just a man, who is absolutely, totally, and madly in love with the most perfect human being that I know.
So ... This blog article is dedicated (and long overdue) to the most magical person in my life. My darling soul mate ... My better half ... Kristine Marie.
I don't always notice her hair cut ... I ain't that kind of man... Don’t get me wrong, I am a [...]
Stress (fancy word for life)
After all of the posts in the secret article thread, I figured it was time to tackle stress. It’s also a very good time to bring it up, considering our last post was about living longer. One thing we didn’t discuss during that article was managing your stress levels. The main reason for this [...]
What Are You Grateful For?
I know that this topic has been covered by most inspirational authors and in hundreds of books and magazine articles. Alas, I have my own take on it, and I wanted to share my belief about one of the strongest subjects I know about [...]
Guest Blog Kickoff
Starting in January of 2012, I decided to open my blog to guest authors. I'm really looking forward to posting articles from other talented bloggers and authors. I know that many blog sites do this, and I was excited to get the ball rolling on it.
If you have something to write about, and think it might have a fit on HIVLongevity.com, please free to submit your story using the "Guest Blog" page. You can always find [...]
How to Live Longer
Don’t laugh; the fountain of youth does exist. Living longer does not only apply to HIV+ folks, this information will work for everyone. Following some simple guidelines and principals can have you on the path to increasing your life expectancy.
Many people from different walks of life told me precisely what I needed to do to prolong my life [...]
Getting Results
For better or for worse, ALL of the things we do have results or an outcome. Wouldn’t it be cool to shape your life to provide positive and desired/wanted results?
This post is related to one of my passions [...]
Ring in the New Year!
Well it's 2012 ... Woo-Whoo!!! I have officially lived with HIV for more than 25 years! And, I have lived with hemophilia for nearly 45 years!
But ... more importantly ... [...]
Family and Friends (support system)
Most of us are looking for support systems in our daily lives. And, the funny thing is that our family and friends surround us and we often fail to recognize that they are [...]
Find Vaughn Online:
My memoir, Survivor: One Man's Battle with HIV, Hemophilia, and Hepatitis C is available at bookstores and online. You can buy your copy here.
And, be sure to checkout all of my books here.
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