In the Twinkling of an Eye
— Joe MacDonald

I love the final-night event of a national bleeding disorder conference. Different groups invite community members to play games, the meal is remarkable, and the dance floor begs for us all to gather and celebrate. After the highly…

Affirmation: one word with significant connotations. From the day we come into this world, we seek an acknowledgment that our presence on this planet matters. To be affirmed by those around us reinforces the idea that our contributions…

Last week, my wife, Cazandra, my youngest son, Caeleb, and I attended the annual meeting of the Hemophilia Federation of America, held in San Antonio. The grassroots, national organization promotes the health and well-being of those who manage…

This past week my adult son, Julian, made a decision that I didn’t like. I wanted badly to tell him how I felt and that his choice may not be in his best interest. I don’t think it’s essential…

I often tell people to check my refrigerator if they want to track the development of hemophilia care in my family. For example, when my sons were small, the medicine they required, factor VIII, took up a full…

My older son, Julian, and I share many interests. We are both musicians and sing the same voice part, lyric tenor. Many people who hear us sing together tell me that it’s difficult to determine who’s singing. Our…

In April 2018, I began writing this column. Over the four years that I’ve shared stories from my heart, I cannot believe that my family has endured many bad moments associated with hemophilia. Yet I’ve also chronicled the…

My sons reacted to hemophilia treatment in entirely different ways. My oldest son, Julian, had one port-a-cath, while my youngest son, Caeleb, had eight. Julian had two surgeries, one to place the port and the other to remove…

Next month, April 21–23, the MacDonald family heads to San Antonio to attend the Hemophilia Federation of America’s 2022 Symposium. I cannot wait to see old friends and participate in educational sessions regarding upcoming treatments and services to…

Last week, I took Caeleb, my youngest son, to the University of New Mexico Health’s urgent care center, which is on the same floor as the Ted R. Montoya Hemophilia Program and Treatment Center. He’d been experiencing stomach…

This week marks a change of seasons in the life of the church. With Ash Wednesday, Christians worldwide enter a time of Lent, a season of 40 days before Easter, to contemplate and discover the story of hope…