I never saw myself as an athlete. In middle school, I played volleyball, sat on the bench for most of basketball season, and played softball in the summer. As an adult, I tried Curves, Jazzercise, some yoga, and went to the gym. Then, in 2016, I made a choice that…
Hemophilia 24/7
— Cazandra Campos-MacDonald
Rev. Cazandra Campos-MacDonald is a pastor, author, motivational speaker, and encourager. She lives in New Mexico with her husband, Rev. Dr. Joe MacDonald, and youngest son, Caeleb. Their adult son, Julian, is living the bohemian life of a starving artist and goes wherever there is an audition. Her sons live with severe hemophilia A and inhibitors. Her older brother died shortly after birth due to complications from hemophilia. Cazandra writes candidly of raising two sons with a rare bleeding disorder. She believes storytelling is about redeeming the journey and connecting with others.
Featured Post
For more than nine years, I’ve shared my experiences raising two sons with hemophilia through hundreds of columns, articles, and videos. Sept. 30 will be my last column, and these last few pieces capture what matters most to me. I’m excited for what comes next in my writing journey.
Training for a marathon takes real commitment and determination. Athletes spend weeks or even months getting ready, following a schedule of running and rest days. Crossing the finish line and achieving their goal is incredibly rewarding, as the challenge was their choice. Raising two sons with severe hemophilia A…
This season, we’ve seen terrible natural disasters. Tropical storms, wildfires, mudslides, earthquakes, and flash floods have destroyed communities worldwide. Watching news reports from these places is heartbreaking. We may not know how to respond to seeing people covered in mud searching for loved ones or coming home to find only…
I went on a date with my husband, Joe, when I was a 19-year-old college freshman. Thirty-eight years later, we’re still together. Like most couples, we had our share of challenges early on, but we made it through. Building a life together at a young age isn’t easy, but…
Growing up in Houston, I remember the now-defunct amusement park AstroWorld being a significant part of summer for many people. Its star attraction was the Texas Cyclone, a nearly 100-foot-tall wooden roller coaster whose steep drops and quick turns could make your stomach do somersaults. If…
My son Caeleb recently had his wisdom teeth removed. Caeleb has severe hemophilia A with an inhibitor, but hemophilia hasn’t been the main focus in his life for years. Nevertheless, before the surgery, he called the hemophilia treatment center (HTC) to ask about what steps to…
My oldest son, Julian, is a working actor in a touring production. For this show, he is trained to perform both male lead roles. Over the last six months, he performed one role, and he recently began the other role in a new city. Even though he knows the script…
As a classically trained oboist, I enjoy attending the symphony, except when Wagner is on the program. I like to get there early and watch what happens before the performance starts. Musicians come on stage one by one, settle in, adjust their sheet music, and sometimes practice.
Back-to-school season has always been one of my favorite times of the year. Walking through aisles full of pencils, erasers, spiral notebooks, and colored pens takes me back to my elementary school days. I especially loved choosing a big pack of construction paper. Opening a new package, breathing in the…
Many people believe that if a disability or struggle is not visible, it must not be real. I learned this lesson firsthand as I watched my son Caeleb live with severe hemophilia A and its lasting effects. His challenges are not always obvious to others, but they affect nearly every…
I grew up in a mostly white suburb of Houston. My dad, who was of Mexican descent and had dark skin, spoke English as his second language. He worked hard, went to school, and earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from the University of Texas. He became…
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