Joe is the father of two sons with hemophilia. He and his wife, Cazandra, are active members in the bleeding disorders community and often facilitate workshops both locally and nationally. Joe is a pastor in the United Methodist Church and writes a blog about spirituality and faith. You may follow his blog at www.joekmac.com.February 2014 proved to host the last bleed “MacDonald the Younger” faced thus far. The treatment plan created by our Hemophilia Treatment Center worked like a charm, and in the twinkling of an eye, the storm subsided and our quality of life improved drastically. What we didn’t…
My youngest son, wife, and I just returned from an appointment with our hematologist concerning plans for treatment. In the twinkling of an eye, our worlds changed. We will move to a new procedure requiring an injection given every two weeks. How could this be? Wasn’t it last…
Thank goodness for the great friendships that we forge along the way. Those of us who live with chronic illnesses learn the most about caring for our loved ones from those who are in our communities. While teaming with medical staff is crucial to the diagnosis and treatment…
Those of us who either have caregivers or serve as caregivers for others with chronic illness know what it is like to feel as if we are the cause of our loved one’s affliction. We may think that we said or did something wrong, and because of these…
We are in the middle of January and some of the resolutions we promised to keep just a couple of weeks ago already seem to be fading away. Our intentions were wonderful and our commitment admirable. So what happened to our fortitude? Did something act as a roadblock…
Many of us have names that represent legacies and traditions handed down from generations past. My mom named me after my grandfather’s brother who died when he was 11. I often think of him and wonder if I carried on the family name with pride. Would he have been…
Last year, I traveled to Chicago and saw the masterpiece “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte.” The artist, Georges Seurat, captured a beautiful scene utilizing a technique known as pointillism. Each dot contributes to the complete work of art. To leave anything out is to change…
I’ve spent several nights in the hospital with my son, and I play tag with my wife. It is her turn to trade duties with me. I leave the medical center and head straight to the church, lead worship, eat a meal, and return to the hospital to…
The MacDonald home celebrates this Christmas season with a little more excitement than those holidays of the not-so-distant past. My youngest son’s health is the best it’s ever been, and we are in an excellent place. We have nothing to complain about. Life is good and the business…
Special days come up: holidays, birthdays, and vacations. We take time to relax and enjoy ourselves, but there is always something staring us in the face. Needles do not care what days may be essential or ordinary. They call to our families, reminding us that hemophilia does not…
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