Columns

My youngest son, Caeleb, recently graduated from high school and, at 18, is legally recognized as an adult. This milestone brings a host of new responsibilities and rights: He can vote, buy and sell property, sue or be sued, and enter into binding contracts. Despite all our preparation for…

I cannot stress enough how profoundly heavy menstrual bleeding can impact everyday life. Imagine needing to find a bathroom nearly every hour, seven days a week. It can make certain career choices extremely challenging and disrupt daily activities, including school and athletics. When I was young, I didn’t realize my…

For the last two weeks, my family has celebrated a significant milestone for my youngest son, Caeleb. He graduated high school and now looks forward to life as a college freshman. My boy is excited about this new adventure. While I’m grateful that he celebrated a mountaintop experience, I…

Before I became a parent, I never imagined I’d be finding veins and accessing ports. But after my sons were born with severe hemophilia A with inhibitors, my husband and I quickly learned the basics of caregiving, by God’s grace. Over the years, people have said, “Cazandra,…

Good mental health is crucial for caregivers of people with chronic illnesses. As a wife to someone with severe hemophilia B and epilepsy, I’ve seen firsthand how mental health matters to both patient and caregiver. I have to balance my husband’s needs with my own physical and…

Iron deficiency has been a hot topic at the online hemophilia summits I’ve attended recently, and it’s encouraging to see this important issue being addressed. Hemophilia doesn’t directly cause iron deficiency, but heavy menstrual bleeding can lead to iron loss. Women with hemophilia who experience heavy menstrual…

A pastor in the United Methodist Church agrees to participate in an itinerant system, in which a governing body, the Cabinet, moves clergy to where their gifts and graces are needed. I’m serving my fourth church at the First United Methodist Church of Belen, New Mexico, where…

Last month, my husband, Jared, and I enrolled our daughter in a new school. She’ll start kindergarten in a few months, which marks the beginning of mandatory schooling here in the Philippines. Although her current school is decent and she’s a beloved student there, we felt she might thrive more…

I live in the small town of Punta Gorda, Florida. Though I have hemophilia B and von Willebrand disease, I don’t know anyone here or in the surrounding Charlotte County with a bleeding disorder. While living in such a community can present challenges when dealing with…

My youngest son, Caeleb, crossed the stage on Saturday afternoon and received his high school diploma. He relied on the assistance of a cane, which serves as a constant reminder of the chronic pain he suffers as a result of breakthrough bleeds in his right knee and ankle.