One Thousand Flaming Swords — Claire Richmond

I live with acute hepatic porphyria (AHP), an inherited metabolic disorder that affects my liver function and my day-to-day life. By the time I got diagnosed with AHP six years ago, everyone in my life knew something…

It was warm on an early December afternoon, and the sand on the Florida Panhandle beach was white and so fine it sifted through my toes like flour. I was at the shore with a friend who, like me,…

Holiday hacks are tips to make the hustle and bustle of the holiday season easier. I can’t scroll through Instagram or turn on the TV now without coming across them. None mention the added challenge of managing a chronic…

From the recliner in the chemotherapy suite, I desperately looked around the room for any place of interest to focus my vision. I needed a distraction from the nurse perched on a stool in front of me, probing my…

Last weekend, we barricaded our street and placed tables with chairs along the curb. The distant smell of hot dogs grilling filled the air as we staked little ghost decorations along the edge of a slope in the front…

My favorite room in our home is the three-seasons front porch. It overlooks the west side of our house, where, this summer, we planted a pollinator garden. Nine months out of the year, this is where you’ll find me…

On a sunny day last week, I was grateful for the energy to be able to enjoy an early autumn evening in the backyard. My partner sat in the patio swing and the kids ran around in the grass.

I’ve heard people describe living with a chronic illness like acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) as a full-time job. But it requires much more than 40 hours a week, Monday through Friday. Between medication schedules, doctor appointments, insurance issues,…

I was once in the hospital during the holiday season. At that time, I could only receive Panhematin infusions for an acute porphyria attack as an inpatient. I plugged my grandma’s ceramic, tabletop tree in next to…

The day of my diagnosis was the first glimpse into my resiliency and willpower. That morning, my doctor called with test results indicating acute hepatic porphyria (AHP). Anger, sadness, fear, and wonder all came crashing into me,…

When it comes to chronic illness, I’ve often wondered if living by limited boundaries and conserving energy would prevent my lowest lows. I appreciate how the spoon theory, a popular analogy in the chronic illness community about conserving…

The last thing I remembered was screaming out for him as he turned his back to me and vanished. Then, suddenly, I was alone on my couch with clenched fists. Blinking, I looked around, taking in the flashing screen…