As a pastor, I often greet parishioners at the church door. I want to share meaningful words of assurance, but unfortunately, I must move from one person to the next in a quick, almost rapid-fire progression to avoid holding up the line. In-depth conversations, which I dearly love, must wait…
In the Twinkling of an Eye
— Joe MacDonald
Rev. Dr. Joe K. MacDonald is a pastor in the New Mexico Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He and his wife, Cazandra, live in Belen, New Mexico, along with their youngest son, Caeleb, and two fur babies, Laggie and Hildie. Both of Joe’s sons (the oldest is Julian) have severe hemophilia A, factor VIII deficiency. Julian was diagnosed in 1996 and Caeleb in 2006. Joe serves on the Board of the Sangre de Oro Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation. Joe’s goal is to help his sons and others in the community use their voices to help improve the quality of life for those with bleeding disorders.
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First in a series. When our sons were babies, my wife and I depended on our home-care company to infuse them with a clotting agent to combat the internal bleeding caused by their hemophilia. Infusions require a steady hand to hold the needle, insert it into a…
“Pain” is a short, four-letter word, but its meaning is complex for those affected by chronic illness. For example, my youngest son, who lives with severe hemophilia, also known as factor VIII deficiency, once described the feeling of an internal bleed as sharp needles continuously attacking a joint.
Some years ago, when my youngest son, “MacDonald the Younger,” was about 7, he had an internal bleed into his right knee just before Thanksgiving. I was scheduled to lead a “Thanks Living” service that Tuesday, but we quickly realized we would be celebrating the holiday in a hospital…
We live in a world that is loud and overwhelms us at every turn. The noise can drown out our own ability to think, leaving us frightened and unsure what our next step should be. Because I have been a caregiver to two sons with hemophilia and have to deal…
Many years ago, when my youngest son was 11 months old, he was hospitalized during the Christmas season due to hemophilia complications. We enjoyed the different community groups, such as performing arts groups, school groups, and church ministries, that came to share a tiny part of the holidays with…
Last Sunday, I preached about a blind man named Bartimaeus. The people told the blind beggar to arise and go to Jesus, who wished to see him. It dawned on me that the people surrounding the man functioned as his advocates. Upon hearing the words of Jesus, the crowd…
I sit waiting for my youngest son to complete an MRI of his right ankle. He has been overwhelmed with pain from constant breakthrough bleeding episodes. For a while, recombinant factor VIII was working to treat his hemophilia and we were euphoric, but we soon learned that internal…
In June, my firstborn son, affectionally nicknamed MacDonald the Older, will turn 26 years old. Conversations include career plans after his major milestone. He hopes to sing on Broadway and continues to get better with age. A vocalist myself, I hear his progress and believe he has an excellent…
This week, we celebrate Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Nearly 600 hot air balloons fly overhead while we stand in the grass, looking up at the beautiful sight. I cannot help but think back to when my youngest son was 8 years old and unable to walk. We…
No one likes to feel out of control of their body, but those of us affected by chronic illness know that when the disease rears its ugly head, we may struggle to find a sense of power. As the father of two sons with hemophilia, I understand how the storms…
The events of last weekend proved chaotic and unexpected. On our way to see a movie, my family was involved in an automobile accident that left my vehicle inoperable. The person who caused the collision sped away, leaving us alone and frightened. I called 911, and a fire truck, ambulance,…
I am a pastor and a parent of two sons with hemophilia, a rare, genetic bleeding disorder that occurs in about one in 5,000 male births. My youngest son has a high-titer inhibitor, which means his immune system has developed antibodies to factor replacement. He’s also had an allergic reaction…
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