I have suffered from clinical depression most of my life. Five weeks after my eldest son was born over 22 years ago and diagnosed with hemophilia, my mom passed away. It was not a good time. I had planned on taking maternity leave until after Labor Day, but…
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.
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My family loves my chocolate chip cookies. I don’t even know where the recipe came from, but it’s written on a card I keep in a flowered index box I got at my wedding shower more than 33 years ago. After years of baking, the card is stained and the…
Wash your hair. Brush your teeth. Please, for the sake of the world, put on deodorant! Hundreds of times I have given those commands to my sons. Well, not so much “commands” as directives. I know I taught them basic hygiene at a young age, but why is it…
I get many opportunities to travel across the country to speak with families affected by bleeding disorders. Everywhere I go, I see familiar faces — faces that bring me great joy. There are lots of hugs, and each smile warms my heart. My talks change from event to…
My eldest son, Julian, is 22. He is studying music at college. It’s his passion, and as I have a music education degree and my husband has a music degree, his course choice did not come as a surprise. With our recent move, Julian changed schools, and his…
I met with my mighty warrior’s new principal and school nurse last week. I took my presentation, and thanks to the Hemophilia Federation of America, I was ready to teach and answer questions. Most importantly, I wanted these individuals to feel at ease and not scared of my son.
Caeleb is super excited about starting the seventh grade this week. He loves the new town we are living in and is hopeful for the school year. He wants to play basketball. Now, most people would say that is a normal thing for a 12-year-old boy to want…
Having a bleeding disorder can be frightening. In the beginning, it is normal to think about the what-ifs when you’re unsure of what to expect. “What if I don’t know the signs and symptoms of a bleed? What if I never learn how to infuse my child? What…
Summer vacation flies by so quickly! We start preparing for the new school year by shopping for new clothes, school supplies, and shoes. However, prepping for school when your child has a bleeding disorder adds another aspect of preparedness to shoot for. Additional educational support for sports, childcare, or…
Special education. Those two words strike fear into the hearts of many parents. “But my son doesn’t need special ed!” I know, because I was one of those moms. When my oldest son Julian, now 22, was in elementary school, the idea of a 504 plan — based…
I know people who constantly run around to deliver their kids. Soccer, swimming, acting, tennis, dance … and they find little, if any, time for themselves. We lived in the city for the past six years, and running my kids to sporting events was not the norm.
We are in a new town. A fresh start. My mighty warrior already loves the landscape that allows him to catch frogs and snails and marvel at the rain. When we lived in the desert, the eyes of our little boy didn’t see these things as easily. While…
My family just moved. My husband’s job has led us on another adventure. With moving comes boxes. They are everywhere, and we are in the midst of finding our way in a new house, and a new town. So far, things have gone well despite the stress of moving.
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