Hemophilia 24/7 - a Column by Cazandra Campos-MacDonald

question, second opinion, bullies, pain, emergency fund, life lessons, back to school, joy, bullied, letting go, pain, mom, bike ride, selfish, bleed Cazandra is a pastor, author, columnist, motivational speaker, advocate, and encourager. She writes about the journey of raising two sons with severe hemophilia A with inhibitors. Cazandra's older brother, Ronaldo Julian Campos, died of complications from hemophilia as an infant. She lives with her husband, Rev. Dr. Joe MacDonald, and youngest son, Caeleb (14) in Belen, New Mexico. She also has an adult son, Julian (24). Her book, "Dear Hemophilia: Finding Hope Through Chronic Illness," is available on Amazon. You may follow her writings and view her TEDxABQ talk at www.cazandracmacdonald.com.
November 14, 2018 Columns by Cazandra Campos-MacDonald

PTSD Will Not Define Us

My seventh-grade son, Caeleb, is the new kid in a small, rural community where everyone has grown up together, so it’s hard to fit in and make friends. He comes home most days with a tale of mistreatment or insensitive comments directed at him. It breaks my heart,…

October 31, 2018 Columns by Cazandra Campos-MacDonald

Keep Your Hands and Feet to Yourself

Perhaps the most important lesson we learn at school is to keep our hands and feet to ourselves. I have thought about this rule every time my sons have complained about an incident at school. I remember my kindergarten teacher, Miss Paula, teaching my class that lesson. Best.

October 17, 2018 Columns by Cazandra Campos-MacDonald

Invisibility Is Not the Easy Way

I loved watching the Harry Potter movies with my sons, especially the earlier ones where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were much younger. The magic and wonder of wizards and Quidditch were fun to imagine. I especially liked Harry’s invisibility cloak. “Mom,” my son said, “wouldn’t that be cool?”…

October 10, 2018 Columns by Cazandra Campos-MacDonald

A Routine Ailment … Maybe One Day

There is a funny cartoon making the Facebook rounds. It shows two images, one for “normal parents” and the other for “medical field parents.” The normal parents’ side has a duck dressed as a doctor and a mama duck holding her baby up, saying, “He sneezed! Help…

September 26, 2018 Columns by Cazandra Campos-MacDonald

Lessons Learned, the Hard Way

Wash your hair. Brush your teeth. Please, for the sake of the world, put on deodorant! Hundreds of times I have given those commands to my sons. Well, not so much “commands” as directives. I know I taught them basic hygiene at a young age, but why is it…

August 29, 2018 Columns by Cazandra Campos-MacDonald

Letting Go: The Transition Begins

I met with my mighty warrior’s new principal and school nurse last week. I took my presentation, and thanks to the Hemophilia Federation of America, I was ready to teach and answer questions. Most importantly, I wanted these individuals to feel at ease and not scared of my son.

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