Leo Caldwell
285 FOLLOWERS
Leo is a columnist for Gannett and a signed author with Schiffer Publishing. He is a 33-year-old transman. He lives in Merchantville, New Jersey with his wife and stepson. He is a proud Indiana native.
Leo Caldwell
4y ago
The probing and prodding of my body came at an early age. When I was six I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse. At first, they measured the length of my arms, assessing if I had Marfran Syndrome, which according to my mom would have been a death sentence. Instead, the diagnosis of MVP led to many trips to the children’s hospital in Indianapolis. Each trip meant doctors listening, looking, poking and touching.
My mortality was palpable during these sessions. Ryan White loomed over me as I walked down long stark hallways. A reminder that even the young can die.
The lingering reminde ..read more
Leo Caldwell
5y ago
I fill the vase full of water, nearly to the top. I hate when flowers prematurely die. This bouquet shines bright, each petal full of life. Two days later, I notice a handful of dull petals and tiny green stars floating in the water.
Three days later, a handful of petals give up and fall onto the table. The decay on the stems has begun its ascent to the remaining petals. I take the vase to the sink and pour out the tiny green stars. I fill it with new water and sprinkle in some magic flower powder. “You can hang in there a little longer, yeah?” I whisper. I set the vase back down on the ta ..read more