I assume every guy who grows up with sisters has long since grown to accept the intricacies that come with sharing a household with a woman other than their mom. Think pads, tampons, hair paraphernalia, makeup… well, you know the drill.
Being used to it doesn’t always mean being understanding, supportive, and generally not grossed out, though. After all, when it comes to the menstrual cycle, even grown men are often icked out about it. But not the man in today’s story — a brother in charge of caring for his teen sister, who had to deal with a pretty scary medical emergency.
Read more: Reddit
Boys will often get used to living with girls through their mother or sisters, but there are still some uncomfortable things they don't want to deal with
Image credits: vh-studio / Magnific (not the actual photo)
But while babysitting his 15-year-old sister, this older teen actually had to deal with quite a difficult situation when the girl got her period
Image credits: SkelDry / Magnific (not the actual photo)
After having two large hemorrhages, the girl realized something is wrong, and the concerned brother took her to the ER
Image credits: maria.symchych / Magnific (not the actual photo)
While running exams, the doctors started suspecting that the girl may have a blood disorder called Von Willebrand disease
Image credits: anon
It is a genetic illness, and so both the mother and the son eventually also got tested, discovering they all suffer from the same disorder
The story from today is an absolute rollercoaster, especially considering it involved two teenagers, although one of them is a 19-year-old guy who just so happens to be our Original Poster (OP). As he explains, his parents were away on an overseas trip, leaving him in charge of the house and his 15-year-old sister. Apparently, the two get along quite well, and one day, they were just playing video games in the living room.
Out of nowhere, the teen girl got her period and bled through her clothes, staining the couch. The OP patiently waited while his sister cleaned herself up and took care of the couch, and soon enough, they were back to playing. However, not long after, she bled through her clothes again, and this time, her brother decided to help her clean the couch. But when she went to the bathroom, all hell broke loose.
She realized she couldn’t stop bleeding, and large clots started coming out. At that point, she even showed them to the OP, and they eventually decided it would be best for her to go to the ER, since they were both terrified that the severe bleeding meant something was seriously wrong. So off they went to the hospital, where the teen once again struggled with the amount of blood.
Thankfully, the hospital staff immediately got to work, and despite being in a lot of pain, they ran what must have felt like a gazillion tests. During this time, the boy stayed in contact with his parents, who decided to return home after hearing the news. During one of those tests, the doctors discovered that the teen had Von Willebrand disease. They then decided to test the brother as well, and yes, they found out he had it too.
Image credits: drobotdean / Magnific (not the actual photo)
Now, if you’re not familiar with Von Willebrand disease, here’s a little context. Von Willebrand disease, or VWD, is the most common bleeding disorder in the world, and according to experts, it is estimated to affect about 1% of the global population. The disorder is genetic and affects the blood’s ability to clot properly, which can lead to excessive bleeding and hemorrhage. To this day, there is still no known cure.
This situation led to the realization that both the mother and the son also had the disease, and the amount of blood the mom had lost during her periods throughout her life had likely been underestimated, and honestly, we’re not surprised. Studies show that bleeding disorders and related conditions often go undiagnosed for years, frequently dismissed as “bad periods” or simply considered “normal” pain.
The mother was likely feeling a sense of vindication about the health issues she had dealt with growing up. But she also had every reason to feel proud of her son in that specific moment. Professionals say that at 19 years old, late adolescents are still developing their frontal lobes, which are responsible for decision-making and emotional regulation, making his calm and supportive behavior even more impressive.
Netizens overall commended him not only for supporting his sister but also for being considerate enough to bring a plushie and sunscreen to the hospital for his kid sibling. Many of them were also impressed by his maturity in addressing the taboo around period blood. So, what do you think you would have done in this situation? Would you have dealt with it similarly? Let us know!
Netizens were impressed by the 19-year-old's maturity, and also by how well he took on the situation
