Last Man Thriving – Jeffrey Rodriguez’s Story

I come from a family of haemophiliacs. Five of my older brothers passed away due to different types of bleeds. When I was 2 years old, my parents found out that I too had haemophilia. My family and I used to live in a place where there were no haematologists, the doctors who specialise in blood disorders. Hence, my parents had to take me to Manila for me to be diagnosed.

Growing up for me was difficult as I was not able to do the things that other kids my age could do. Because of my condition, I felt I was treated differently from everyone else. My parents and doctor always advised me to avoid various activities that could potentially cause me harm. Everyone treated me like I was fragile and I felt like all my activities were being monitored.

Moreover, haemophilia impacted my family both financially and emotionally. Not only did my parents have to bear the hefty cost of medication and hospitalisations, they would also get paranoid when one of us had a simple bleed, because they had gone through the pain of losing my older brothers.

As I grew older, I became extra careful and learned to embrace my condition. I accepted the fact that even though I had limitations, I would never allow that to hinder my dreams. One of the challenges that I will never forget is studying while having bleeds. I was bullied in school because of the way I walk, as my knees were affected due to my frequent bleeds. When I started to look for work, I would sometimes lie about my condition for fear of being rejected. I was even fired from 2 jobs because I had to absent myself from work due to bleeding.

Although I faced multiple challenges, I readily accepted them and was determined to never give up. I tried to focus all my energy on achieving my goals. To stay fit and healthy, I exercise during weekends for at least 10 to 15 minutes. When I feel slight pain in my joints, I immediately take Paracetamol, apply a cold compress on the affected area and make sure I get enough rest.

I have learnt to embrace my condition. I know that life is tough and full of challenges. For caregivers, my advice is to always be encouraging and use positive actions towards your child with haemophilia because this has a great effect on us. Try to avoid negative behaviours and words despite the difficulties you encounter because this sometimes causes patients to blame themselves.

My advice to other patients like me: You need to hold on to your dreams and stay focused on your goals. Learn to accept failures, and never use your condition as an excuse for not achieving your goals. Always keep in mind that everything happens for a reason. And most important of all, always pray and seek guidance from God.