Columns

Dear Chronically Ill Partner, I know life isn’t always easy for you. You have grown up believing life dealt you a terrible deck of cards. You’re no stranger to the feeling of suffering. At one point or another, you’ve even questioned the motives of the universe in…

A few years ago, “MacDonald the Younger,” his mom, and I went to his yearly checkup with the Hemophilia Treatment Center to review our road map (healthcare chart), report on activities, and make sure that he was taking the correct dose of product for his height and…

I’ve found the stress of my first two months of fatherhood overwhelming. We’ve had many sleepless nights as we’ve adjusted to meeting the constant demands of a crying baby. My wife and I are incredibly sleep-deprived. But seeing my child smile when she sees my face first thing in the…

It’s easy to distance yourself from the issues of a bleeding disorder when everything is going well. My youngest son, Caeleb, has not been in the hospital for an overnight stay in several years, and the pain he would endure from repeated bleeds is a distant memory. He…

February 2014 was a significant time in the life of my family. For years we saw our younger son regularly suffer bleed after bleed. He suffered from an inhibitor and an allergy to factor. Nothing seemed to help. We felt lost and unsure about how to continue seeking…

When you’re a parent to a child newly diagnosed with a bleeding disorder, the immediate concern is for your child. What do I do next? Will they be OK? What will life look like from now on? You find yourself searching for answers and developing a support system…

Baby Cittie turned 2 months old on March 18. It’s been a whirlwind couple of months filled with sleepless nights and endless smiles. Cittie is thriving; she’s doubled her weight, put on some chub, and loves to say “heeeeeeh” in an adorable coo-ey voice. Over the past…

My wife and I learned early to be careful when discussing the struggles we share in caregiving. Sometimes we get tired and want to complain, but we must remember that our children hear and see us. If we say something in total frustration, our children might blame themselves…

The unimaginable has happened. My youngest son, Caeleb, had his port removed. Of course, when someone with a bleeding disorder has a port, it’s usually not forever, so why is it a big deal for my 13-year-old son? This was his seventh port. He has had…

So, we are in the car. Everyone is in their respective seats. We are all looking forward to our vacation. The car is filled with suitcases and excitement. Then, I hear the dreaded sentence from my youngest boy: “Daddy, my leg hurts.” My wife and I look at…