Years ago, I watched my youngest son, “MacDonald the Younger,” as he struggled with recurring joint bleeds. Each episode took more of his mobility away. He could not extend his leg beyond 45 degrees because his knee was so full of blood, and he used a wheelchair for at least…
In the Twinkling of an Eye - a Column by Joe MacDonald
When “MacDonald the Younger” was 5, a social worker from the hemophilia treatment center gave his name to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They granted my son’s wish to go to Disney World. I couldn’t believe that a 5-year-old child would want to go to a theme park filled with great…
One of my favorite educational philosophers is Ruby Payne. Payne focuses on the unwritten rules of social classes and how various groups respond to and receive information. Payne suggests that the ways we communicate our needs depend largely on our environments. In other words, we are a product of…
A few years ago, my family and I attended an inhibitor symposium in San Francisco. While the conference was jam-packed with incredible information, we did have a little free time to explore the city. Fisherman’s Wharf had great food and beautiful views of the harbor. We stood on a…
Yesterday, I went through the pictures on my iPhone. I started with the most recent, moving backward, my heart beating faster with each swipe. By the time I had viewed two years’ worth, anxiety had me in its grasp. I felt like I couldn’t breathe, and I stopped looking…
There is no doubt that the new medicine Hemlibra (emicizumab) is a game changer in the treatment of hemophilia. Instead of multiple infusions daily, one injection could last two weeks to a month. Such incredible new ways of approaching treatment and care introduce different concerns and result in…
For many years we tried to overcome my younger son’s reaction to factor VIII. No matter which medical product we tried, we ended up with the same results. He would break out in hives early in the infusion. We learned that my son had developed an allergy to factor VIII,…
I was with my son in a store recently when a coloring book for adults caught my eye. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have given it a second glance. But what made this one special was the title on its cover: “The Road Not Taken.” I couldn’t resist opening the book.
There is never a time that I do not worry about my sons. “MacDonald the Older” is 23, but not a day goes by that I do not feel concern for his welfare. The phrase “don’t do anything stupid” keeps running through my head. Will I get a call from…
In my experience, raising two children with a chronic illness includes the usual worries that parents and other primary caregivers often face. It also creates issues that directly address medical needs and concerns related to treatment. For instance, not every family deals with spontaneous bleeding into the joints. For…
