Columns

In the early days of this outbreak, only a couple of media outlets nonchalantly reported the events surrounding COVID-19. Back then, we had no idea how serious this virus was. The word coronavirus wasn’t even an active part of my vocabulary. Fast-forward a few months later and it…

“Survival of the fittest” is a phrase I have come to loathe. This manner of thinking is particularly appalling to hear as a sickle cell patient. I have heard the phrase more frequently lately, against the backdrop of the current COVID-19 pandemic. But what does it mean? Historically,…

The intentional practice of gratitude is an essential life skill that’s helped me endure the toughest situations. A couple of years ago, my health went through a really tough period. I thought I knew everything about managing sickle cell but everything…

I have been self-isolating since March 19, and already I have been through a series of emotions during this lockdown period. Initially, most of these emotions were negative. A week into my self-isolation, the realization that I can’t leave my house hit me. Even though…

I was hospitalized on March 3 with a sickle cell crisis and discharged 12 days later. I then spent a week recovering at home. Under normal circumstances, I would have returned to “ordinary life” on March 23. But during that period, ordinary life changed significantly due to the…

As a sickle cell advocate, many people have come to me for advice, especially in this pandemic period. Those with sickle cell want all sorts of advice during the coronavirus outbreak but accurate information is not as readily available as we are used to. Nobody likes…

On March 16, 2020, United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerable citizens should shield themselves for 12 weeks. My instant reaction was utter shock. How could I feasibly spend the next 12 weeks inside my house? It’s been two weeks…

The spread of the coronavirus means that those of us with sickle cell disease need to be extremely cautious. We have all been advised to practice social distancing. I have been in my house for a week now and have become bored due to my lack of routine. So…

Swimming is an essential life skill. Everyone should learn to swim, as it could be the difference between life and death. My parents believed similarly and signed me up for swimming lessons as a child. However, I don’t remember the lessons so much as the pain and frequent hospital admissions.

If someone asked you to tell your life story, what would you say? We all have a story. Some might begin by describing their life from the point of meeting their partner, or from high school, or perhaps following the birth of their child. We remember and retell our stories…