The word “crisis” is probably the most accurate term for what happens when pain kicks in from sickle cell disease. The dictionary definition of a crisis is “a time of intense difficulty or danger,” and that’s exactly what happens during a sickle cell crisis. When I have one, it…
Sickle Sagas – a Column by Dunstan Nicol-Wilson
I have often overlooked the song “From Now On” from the movie “The Greatest Showman,” because “This Is Me” has to be the best song on the soundtrack, right? In the movie, protagonist P. T. Barnum, played by Hugh Jackman, feels as though everything is lost, until…
“You’ll Never Walk Alone” is a famous ballad sung by fans of the Liverpool Football Club. As a Manchester United fan, I hate Liverpool, but I love this anthem. Is that allowed? It reminds me that in soccer and life, you can’t do things alone. Yes, there are always…
Ah, here we go again. I should have known. If I drank more water, if I wore a hat, if I didn’t walk up all those stairs, if I didn’t eat so much, if I didn’t stress, if I didn’t have so much fun, I wouldn’t have had a crisis.
It’s summertime, my favorite season here in the U.K. Summer brings great music, good vibes, and no crises! Sigh, I wish. I love summer weather because one of my main triggers for a sickle cell crisis is the cold. Unfortunately, in the U.K., summer isn’t consistent in terms of…
COVID-19 restrictions are easing here in the U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said we must “learn to live with this virus,” and he is lifting laws requiring masks and social distancing. It feels like the first real step toward a life after the unanticipated pandemic, though I can’t help…
With a chronic condition like sickle cell disease, I sometimes find it difficult to look far into the future. What exactly will my future be like? Will there be more hospital trips? More pain? More sadness? Reflecting on my origin story in a previous column prompted me to question…
I am going to take you behind the scenes of how this column, “Sickle Sagas,” came to be. I will show you everything about how I became an incredibly successful sickle cell advocate and storyteller who changed the world for the better. OK, I’m being slightly dramatic. I haven’t…
Columns
Do We Have to Die for Change?
June 19 was both World Sickle Cell Day and Juneteenth! It wasn’t until last year that I learned about Juneteenth — forgive me, I’m a Londoner. Similarly, many of my peers found out about World Sickle Cell Day only after meeting me. Last year, Juneteenth was highlighted to…
Recently I have been engrossed in sagas about the viking king Ragnar Lothbrok as well as his famous sons’ exploits. A saga is a long story often involving herculean challenges. Although my life isn’t as dramatic as ruling over great nations or fighting for crowns, reading these stories has…
Recent Posts
- Sickle cell doctors face higher burnout than other specialists: Study
- Disease burden heavy for SCD patients in US, despite promise of gene therapy
- The conversation we avoid: Telling children they have sickle cell disease
- New study finds distinct molecular signatures in newborns with SCT
- Blood test may improve kidney damage detection in children with SCD
- Understanding the impact of leg ulcers in sickle cell disease
- Asthma seven times more likely in SCD children than in unaffected siblings
- Sickle cell drug at high dose eases anemia symptoms in severe SCD
- Researchers urge more talk on menstrual pain in sickle cell clinics
- Sickle cell patients shifting to adult care visit ER more often: US study