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

I grew up outside the city limits of Houston. My childhood was idyllic. I am one of the few who say my high school years were some of the best of my life. When I went to college, I attended a university on the other side of town. I…

It’s been almost 30 years since I first discovered the joy of pregnancy. I can still recall my excitement as I left the doctor’s office, clutching the positive test in my hand. I was eager to surprise my husband, Joe, who was teaching high school choir. I called his…

Dinner with friends is a delightful escape from the daily grind, a precious opportunity to share moments of love and presence. Recently, another couple invited my husband, Joe, and me to dinner at their home here in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The prospect of spending quality time with them and…

I bought a new mattress and anxiously awaited its delivery. At last, the furniture truck rumbled in the cul-de-sac and stopped in my driveway. Seeing my new, plush, dreamy mattress rolled up like a carpet and crinkling inside its plastic wrap was odd, but I knew it’d soon offer a…

Over the years, I’ve expressed my creative side in ways I never imagined possible. The space intended to be the formal living room in my home is, instead, my quilt room. Sewing machines (yes, plural), fabric, colored markers, pens in Mason jars, paper for greeting cards, and brightly colored yarn…

When my oldest son was diagnosed with severe hemophilia in 1996, I learned that mostly men have the disease. Rarely did I hear of a woman with hemophilia. The terms symptomatic and asymptomatic were used to classify women who were carriers. If the mother of a child with…

Every person is a walking compilation of stories that make up their book of life. As the mother of two sons with severe hemophilia, I have the privilege of watching their books develop. One of the most anxiety-filled chapters was when they first went to day care. Memories of…

As a hospice chaplain, I offer space for people to speak. I meet them where they are as they grieve. From patients who need to reveal their regrets and disappointments to family members wracked with guilt, I am present and give them space. No judgment. Sometimes it’s difficult not…

In kindergarten, my teacher had a daily ritual: story time. My friends and I would race to the corner and sit “crisscross applesauce” on the boldly colored carpet, eagerly awaiting the story. Next to recess, it was the best part of the day. The teacher read with excitement, allowing us…

The kitchen buzzed with energy. Cookies were in the oven, a skillet of deliciousness simmered on the stove, and fresh tortillas were being rolled out on the counter. When my oldest son, Julian, and I cook together, we’re like Fred and Ginger, knowing each step and anticipating…