Columns

I was unwell for a week in August. It began with deep lethargy. After about two days of that, the vomiting started. Everything made me vomit: brushing my teeth, drinking water, nibbling food. I went into the hospital after about four days because I was sure I was experiencing…

As a child growing up with sickle cell disease, constant trips to the hospital gave me the perception that the doctors and nurses in charge of my care were superhuman, and they always provided me with quality care. It seemed there was no issue they couldn’t fix. I…

I didn’t reveal that I had sickle cell disease when I started my first job here in the U.K. As a new college graduate, and with the odds stacked against me because I had no previous work experience, I didn’t want my health condition to also affect my employment…

The treatment Adakveo (crizanlizumab) has been made available in the U.K. as the first new therapy for sickle cell disease in over two decades. The aim of Adakveo, which will be available to patients 16 and older in England and Wales, is to reduce the number of sickle…

I have a difficult time knowing when I’m not feeling well apart from when I have a severe illness. That sounds ridiculous, right? Because I have a chronic condition, someone might think I would know when I feel sick. But the irony is that a chronic condition can result in…

Because sickle cell disease affects people differently, I’ve never met two people with the disease who have the same story. A quick Google search can introduce someone to the basics of sickle cell, such as its biology and common triggers, but understanding its differences and the ways it…

The pain from a sickle cell crisis is one of the most devastating things I have felt. It is unpredictable and can eat away at you physically, spiritually, and mentally. The normal response to severe pain is to cure it or ease it, which usually involves taking some type…

Every time I share about my son’s sickle cell disease diagnosis with other parents caring for children with the disease, the question I am always asked is, “Does your son take penicillin?” It’s such a common question that I feel I should share the answer with you, too. Before I…

In last week’s column, I wrote about ways to reduce the chance of catching a viral infection. I followed my own advice to the letter, yet I still managed to catch something. Just my luck. The past few days, I have had a sore throat, cough, chest…

I was recently diagnosed with avascular necrosis (AVN) in my knees. When the doctor called to tell me, I expected to be OK with it. I had read fellow Sickle Cell Disease News columnist Tito Oye’s column about AVN, felt similar symptoms, and conducted further research. I tend…