Columns

After completing my finals and passing my clinical comprehensive exam last week, I now have the opportunity to reflect on my third year as a clinical psychology doctoral student. I began writing this column at the start of the school year, and looking back at my previous columns, I realized…

It has been quite some time since I was last here. For that, I owe you an apology. The silence, though sudden, was necessary. The past few months have been among the most difficult of my life, and navigating them while living with sickle cell disease has been,…

Recently, I doubted I’d be able to write this column. My knees had become swollen, immovable, and painfully untouchable. The slightest movement sent sharp pain through my body. Just sitting up was difficult, let alone writing. The episode began with malaria, which I had treated the previous week. Soon after,…

First in a series. If you’ve read my recent columns, you’ll know I’ve been in a really good place with my health as someone with sickle cell disease. I credit a lot of that to the work I’ve been putting in at the gym to strengthen my body.

My sickle cell disease advocacy journey began more than a decade ago, but it has changed shape many times. I have lived through a silent phase, an angry phase, a loud phase, a tired phase, and, finally, a more understanding phase. In my early teens, after learning about my…

I have often found that my experiences with sickle beta-zero thalassemia make me more resilient. I will recover from a weeklong hospital stay feeling stronger for beating the pain, and leave a doctor appointment feeling proud about how well I am adhering to my medications. But after my most…

The quiet, creeping isolation that comes with living with sickle cell disease is a reality we rarely discuss enough. When you live with a moderate to severe form of the condition, isolation becomes a recurring part of your existence. Through lived experience, I have learned that this isolation is…

Having a remote job has been a game-changer for me as someone with sickle cell disease. I’m better able to manage my health — no rushed mornings, cold commutes, or physical strain. I can plan my day to suit my body, whether that means resting, going to the gym,…

As the season shifts from winter to spring, I’ve found myself reflecting deeply on what this past winter has meant for me. Historically, winter has been the hardest part of my journey with sickle cell disease, marked by crisis flare-ups, increased pain, and a constant awareness of…

A sickle cell crisis isn’t a polite guest, and it often arrives unannounced. Over the years, I’ve learned that my crises either come on suddenly or build gradually, with subtle clues or a red alert. Recognizing these warning signs of a sickle cell pain crisis early is the first…