Part three in a series. Read parts one and two.  With the invention of the map created by my son’s medical team, my wife, and me, the most challenging year that we ever experienced ended. My son did not have another absence while in elementary school due…

Part two in a series. Read part one.  My family was taught many lessons in the year that everything appeared to fall apart and hemophilia became a nightmare in our lives. The most significant lesson was to cherish every moment. Sometimes in life’s most significant challenges,…

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.

Part one in a series.  I stood over my son’s hospital bed, waiting for the morphine to kick in and give him some relief. “MacDonald the Younger” continued to scream as the pain became unbearable. My boy had once described to me his experience of a bleeding…

It’s almost 11 in the morning. My husband Jared and I are lined up at the mall-based satellite branch of our national health insurance system. By now, the mall has been open just less than an hour, but there must be a hundred or so people already, impatiently awaiting their…

“MacDonald the Younger” is entering the seventh grade this year. His health is terrific, and for the first time in his life, there is very little fear about participating in physical education. He knows that contact sports are out of the question and he must wear his…

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…

Last week, just after our wedding, Jared got a shoulder bleed. Jared has severe hemophilia B, but he does not get bleeds often. When he does, it’s almost like a vacation from things, a sign that we need to take things more slowly. When the bleed clots,…

The topic of fatherhood is often an awkward one to talk about with other men. To an extent, I have that same sort of apprehension as I always find myself asking the question, “Am I truly ready to take care of a child?” I imagine others may find it difficult…

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…