Hemophilia 24/7
— Cazandra Campos-MacDonald

There was a time when I couldn’t make plans because hemophilia was the center of my life. Vacations were dreams, family outings were few and far between, and the mundane happenings of everyday life were nonexistent. There was…

March is Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month, when patients and families who live with bleeding disorders post facts on social media and share their stories to educate those with little understanding of how a chronic illness affects daily life. I…

I went to college to become a teacher. Actually, to become a middle school band director. Four years of college were great, but student teaching was how I learned to teach. Two excellent supervisory teachers helped me find my…

My youngest son, Caeleb, called me to pick him up early from jazz band rehearsal last week. I could hear a hint of panic in his voice. Caeleb has complained of arm pain over the past few months, but…

It’s hard to believe that my 16-year-old son, Caeleb, is moving into adulthood. He is not approaching adulthood, but moving toward it, and he still has much to learn about managing hemophilia. At a recent annual appointment at the…

I enjoy family vacations. While we don’t necessarily take yearly trips, we cherish our adventures. My husband and I want to take a trip to Washington D.C. with our son, Caeleb, 16, who is a history buff. We have…

Teaching teens to take control of their bleeding disorders must begin early. I believe in empowering my sons with the information they need to go out into the world. When they were toddlers, I talked about the different…

I still need to select my one-word resolution for 2022. I usually have an idea by the end of November, but 2021 was busy and fruitful, and thinking about a word was not on my radar. I relished every…

A friend called to tell me her teenage daughter finally received a diagnosis of mild hemophilia. Her daughter experiences bleeding complications and had been seeking a diagnosis for more than two years. While it is a relief to…

My youngest son, Caeleb, is a sophomore in high school. He lives with severe hemophilia A, along with the complication of antibodies that inhibit the infused factor’s ability to stop bleeding episodes, and chronic pain is proving to…

Winter is one of my favorite seasons. I enjoy the crispness in the air and wearing sweatshirts and warm, fuzzy socks by the fireplace. My son Caeleb enjoys the same things about winter, but his hemophilia and chronic pain…

My adult son, Julian, came home for Thanksgiving. When he walked into the house, I sensed that something was wrong. First, he told me he was in the early stage of a bleed in his leg. He then…