This node is for the sole purpose of clearing up some common misconceptions about Hemophilia. Why do I feel the reason to create this? Because as a hemophiliac (yes, I have Hemophilia A), I was subjected to this bullshit for a long time, and continue to be subjected to this bullshit every so often. So, along with reading the great writeups in hemophiliac, read this, and stop yourself before you say something really, really stupid to a hemophiliac or a significant other.

Misconception #1: Hemophilia is solely a sex-linked trait.
The truth: Mostly right, but wrong. A rare percentage of hemophiliacs have a clean family history, and obtained their hemophilia through genetic mutation. How do I know this? I'm one of them. Yes, my family history is absofuckinlutely clean of hemophilia before me. Yes, it sucks.

Misconception #2: Hemophilia only occurs in males.
The truth: Not quite. Females can get hemophilia, but for the most part they are never afflicted with it. These are called carriers. While their gene still produces Factor VIII/IX, they can still pass hemophilia on to their offspring. A very small portion of females have hemophilia (I'd estimate in the 100's, if that much). Von Willebrands disease is more common among females.

Misconception #3: Hemophiliacs can die from as little as a papercut.
The truth: If I had a nickel for every time I heard this, I'd have a shitload of nickels. While major lacerations (i.e. getting split in half with a machete) are something to worry about, papercuts and even slightly larger cuts are no biggie. If we get a reasonable-sized cut, we go to the doctor and get stitches like everybody else.

Misconception #4: If you hit me, I will die.
The truth: Despite the fact that I am a hemophiliac of the severe variety, I infuse prophylactically, or preventatively. An injection of Factor VIII into my bloodstream every other day keeps my factor level artificially inflated. Not enough for me to lead a normal life, but enough so that I don't need to worry that hitting a step wrong will result in a joint bleed later. So, if you hit me, you better hope I die, because I will hunt your ass down immediately following it.

Misconception #5: We use the word "hematophilia."
The truth: Someone take that shit off of E2 and replace it with a decent writeup in the Hemophilia node before I hurt someone. I wasn't even aware that hematophilia was a word before I decided to look up hemophilia on a lark. Fucking Webster 1913...

During a discussion with my dad, another misconception that I had forgotten about came up. This noder apologizes for the delay.

Misconception #6: Hemophilia can be sexually transmitted.
The truth:Actually, the myth has some weight to it. The reason this becomes an issue is that when the AIDS crisis was beginning in the early 1980s, a good number of hemophiliacs contracted HIV through transfusions or blood products. This happened before blood donations were tested for HIV or donators were screened. However, after about 1984 or so, testing was instituted and no more hemophiliacs got HIV from bad blood product.

However, the weight still exists. As my dad thankfully reminded me, if a male hemophiliac has unprotected sex with a female, there is a chance that the female will become a carrier, and thus possibly transmit hemophilia to any offspring they may intend to have..

Ok, so I'm not sure what I heard my dad say, but it probably had something to do with the fact that any children I could possibly concieve have a good chance of contracting hemophilia, or becoming carriers to pass on the disease to their future offspring. This definately throws a whole new set of morals and ethics into the sex lives of hemophiliacs, but that's for a different node.

Hem`o*phil"i*a (?), n.

See Hematophilia.

 

© Webster 1913.

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