My youngest son, Caeleb, and I recently visited the Ted R. Montoya Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC) for his yearly checkup. This appointment was his first to the treatment center since turning the magic age of 18. Before leaving the house, we discussed what he should expect as a newly…
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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I like to think my wife, Cazandra, and I did a decent job of teaching our two sons, Julian and Caeleb, how to manage their bleeding disorders. We drilled into their heads the importance of maintaining health insurance, as their hemophilia medications are too expensive to afford…
I’m sitting at my desk at work, focusing on projects I must accomplish before the day ends, when suddenly my ringtone fills the room with the song “Defying Gravity” from the Broadway musical “Wicked.” I see that my oldest son, Julian, is calling me. I smile when I…
Picture this: I’ve finally settled down for some peace and quiet with my wife. I’m holding a nice glass of wine, and she’s sitting in her favorite rocking chair. Our two boys have found refuge in their bedrooms, and all seems right in the world. I turn to Cazandra…
For the last two weeks, my family has celebrated a significant milestone for my youngest son, Caeleb. He graduated high school and now looks forward to life as a college freshman. My boy is excited about this new adventure. While I’m grateful that he celebrated a mountaintop experience, I…
A pastor in the United Methodist Church agrees to participate in an itinerant system, in which a governing body, the Cabinet, moves clergy to where their gifts and graces are needed. I’m serving my fourth church at the First United Methodist Church of Belen, New Mexico, where…
My youngest son, Caeleb, crossed the stage on Saturday afternoon and received his high school diploma. He relied on the assistance of a cane, which serves as a constant reminder of the chronic pain he suffers as a result of breakthrough bleeds in his right knee and ankle.
With my youngest son, Caeleb, graduating from high school this Saturday, I can’t help but ask, “Did I do enough for him?” While celebrating the end of one era, there’s always something ahead that grabs our attention. Sometimes, what we face is positive and propels us on to our new…
Every year at the First United Methodist Church of Belen, New Mexico, where I serve as pastor, I present a Bible to those graduating from high school and/or college. I select one of its verses that I feel connects with each specific recipient, and then I read the…
I walked into my home and heard my oldest son, Julian, having a heated conversation over the phone. He hung up and threw his phone down in absolute frustration. “What’s wrong?” I asked. He said, “How did you and Mom navigate hemophilia treatment with our health insurance company?…
“Merrily We Roll Along” is my new favorite musical. The plot of this Stephen Sondheim show centers on three college friends and the disintegration of their relationship. What’s interesting is that the play is in reverse chronological order; we witness the final destruction in the first scene, with…
When my oldest son, Julian, moved back home, he knew that I, in my Methodist minister role, needed a couple of singers to help lead a 9 a.m. worship gathering. I debated whether to ask him if he could help me out, but before I could utter a word, he…
My house is in a state of chaos. Julian, my oldest son, leaves for a summer job in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina on May 1, while Caeleb, my youngest son, graduates high school on May 18. My wife, Cazandra, and I feel the unspoken tension that both…
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