My son Caeleb called me last night, sounding stressed. “Dad, I have so much to do that I don’t know where to start,” my youngest son told me. “I have big projects due early next week in three of my classes, my knee is killing me, and I have…
In the Twinkling of an Eye
— Joe MacDonald
Rev. Dr. Joe K. MacDonald is a pastor in the New Mexico Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He and his wife, Cazandra, live in Belen, New Mexico, along with their youngest son, Caeleb, and two fur babies, Laggie and Hildie. Both of Joe’s sons (the oldest is Julian) have severe hemophilia A, factor VIII deficiency. Julian was diagnosed in 1996 and Caeleb in 2006. Joe serves on the Board of the Sangre de Oro Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation. Joe’s goal is to help his sons and others in the community use their voices to help improve the quality of life for those with bleeding disorders.
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I like to think my wife, Cazandra, and I did a decent job of teaching our two sons, Julian and Caeleb, how to manage their bleeding disorders. We drilled into their heads the importance of maintaining health insurance, as their hemophilia medications are too expensive to afford…
A week ago, my oldest son, Julian, left home to begin rehearsals for a musical that could open doors to a long-term career. The show is a parody of the slasher movie “Saw.” Its producers hope to have him rehearse for a few weeks in San Antonio before sending him…
Second in a series. Read part one. Both of my sons were diagnosed with severe hemophilia A a few days after they were born. But that’s where their similarities end. As I shared last week, things went smoothly after we switched to a more flexible way of caring…
First in a series. When our sons were babies, my wife and I depended on our home-care company to infuse them with a clotting agent to combat the internal bleeding caused by their hemophilia. Infusions require a steady hand to hold the needle, insert it into a…
Most of the writing I see about mental health suggests that addressing the obstacles in your way is crucial to discovering joy. While it’s important to discuss the challenges we face in the bleeding disorders community, we must also remember to celebrate and give thanks when we conquer a mountain.
“Long-sleeved shirts,” I say to my younger son, Caeleb, as we run down the list of things he will need for his dorm room. “Check,” he replies. “How about pants, deodorant, toothbrush, wheelchair, cane, Hemlibra [emicizumab-kxwh]?” He confirms he has everything packed and ready to go. We continue packing,…
I often tell people that my mind is a dangerous neighborhood and that I should never venture into it alone. This usually gets a laugh, which the comic in me appreciates, as I often say it to lighten a difficult conversation. A little release of tension doesn’t hurt anyone. But…
The world often feels like an amusement park ride that does nothing but turn in circles, and we must gather the courage to get on. At first, everything spins at a moderate pace, but as the ride continues, the pace picks up, and suddenly everything spins so fast we can…
Two common themes that appear in my columns are conflict and reconciliation. Once a problem has been resolved and I can reflect on it, I look for insights about how to face the struggles of living with hemophilia. Taking the time to do this has resulted in a change in…
Last Friday, I went about my day as usual. It’s one of my days off, and I was looking forward to some free time. As I made plans for the weekend, my phone started ringing. I looked at the screen and saw my youngest son Caeleb’s face. I smiled because…
When I reflect on the unexpected detours my life took when my wife, Cazandra, and I had children, I cannot help but feel gratitude for them. They led me to where I am now. The author and teacher Joseph Campbell once wrote: “We must be willing to…
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