Video Game Addiction

     My heart really goes out to the parents of Sandy Hook, CT.  I could not imagine the pain those family feel from loosing their children so young and so tragic.  I keep praying for them and pray God eases their pain a little everyday through great, although short, memories.

     Of course with all the tragic shootings that have taken place over the last six months, America is now ready to address the gun laws.  I myself don't own a gun and I'm not familiar with any of the laws or what it takes to get a gun.  I'm sure in the next few months my knowledge will change.  It's funny, I knew my Dad had a gun.  He kept it in his suitcase with his factor supplies locked up.  I guess it was the only case he had with a lock.  It was a pistol, I'm not even sure if he kept bullets in it..but I knew it was in there.

      Anyway, with psychologist and news reporters now looking into the effects of video games on gun violence, I have to take a look at my own child.  It's ironic that my husband and I have been discussing this previously about Marques playing his Xbox live all day.  When I say all day, I'm not exaggerating.  Just this past weekend he was on it from 5:30am to about 2:00am...and only because I made him go to bed.  That is an example of an extreme time, but I know he would do that everyday if he could.  Besides Minecraft, he plays Call of Duty.  I really didn't know how violent Call of Duty was until I watched him play it.

Treatment Breakthroughs

How great would it be to stop sticking your child with a needle three times a week?  All the options that will one day be available is exciting to learn about.  See link below to Winter 2012 Hemaware magazine article, "Treatment Breakthroughs", written by Sarah Aldridge.

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Raising a Want To Be Athlete



Marques playing football at Boy Scout camping trip

     I know I am like every Mother that thinks about her son playing sports.  Even though my boys have severe hemophilia A, I still brought them the little toy basketballs and footballs.  Yes, at the time it made me sad thinking they could never play for their school sports team or recreational teams. 

     Of course I felt guilty because their fathers (twice married) love sports and I know they would not have imagined having a son that could not play.  But still hemophilia does not stop my son Marques (9) from thinking he is an athlete.  I know he is at school during lunch playing football with his friends, which is why I still make him wear a helmet.  I remember (laughing), when he was about 6 I went to pick him up from his after school program and he was in the playground playing football and when he saw me he was trying to act like he was just watching...whatever.  We tried to get him involved in Boy Scouts, so he does have some outlet, but even at Boy Scouts they play sports at camp or sometimes at the meetings.  What can a Prophyholic Hemo Mom do but make sure he is treated and ready to give an extra dose if needed.  All the fathers make comments about how he should play football and we have to give the speech....he has hemophilia a bleeding disorder...yada yada.

    
     But now, I don't know if the old rules apply anymore about hemophilia and sports.  Of course there are different levels of sports you should and should not play.  I don't think we will see a famous hemophiliac playing football...but maybe basketball.  I read an article in Hemaware, a bleeding disorder magazine, that studies were done and proved that high impact sports like basketball did not increase the number of bleeds versus lower impact sports for boys on prophy treatment.  All these studies are so new and contradict everything put in my mine by my own father and information I was given when Marques was first born. 

    
     But times change, medicine gets better and more available and just maybe my son can play for his school basketball team!  I did check with his Hemophilia doctor and she just said we would look at changing his prophy days to practice days and go from there.  I will be cheering from the stands with my ice bags ready to go!

     Does your son play sports?  Why or Why not?