Sickle Sagas – a Column by Dunstan Nicol-Wilson

Recently, while on a long journey, I rewatched one of my favorite movies, “Inception.” I find the concept of the film unique; in short, it’s about manipulating someone’s subconscious or dreams to create a strong idea or obtain information. Our dreams and desires are powerful forces that can…

Building relationships while having a chronic condition can be a daunting challenge. On the one hand, you want to be yourself and let people accept you for who you are. On the other, you might worry about how people will treat you and how they will respond to…

Having a condition like sickle cell disease can bring a lot of bad days. Crisis pain and extreme fatigue can be unbearable. Sometimes it feels like there are more bad days than good ones, as my collection of past traumas tends to resurface in my mind. However, I’ve recently…

In my last column, I provided some caregiving tips to help people support loved ones with sickle cell disease. One thing I suggested is having a crisis care plan in place, though I haven’t yet prepared one myself. The goal is to help those who are unfamiliar with…

I have written about learning to appreciate those who support me on my journey with sickle cell disease. My support network plays a pivotal role in advocating for me when I’m in pain and unable to communicate. Additionally, they care for me during my recovery. Without my support…

Disease representation is essential in all aspects of life. Over the years, I’ve noted a few mentions of sickle cell disease in mainstream media by celebrities. I’ll never forget hearing “Hidden Pain” by A Star when it was released in 2019. It was the first time…

Every day I make a thousand and one micro-decisions to manage my health with sickle cell disease and avoid having a vaso-occlusive crisis. Most of these decisions are automatic, subconscious actions based on years of experience and learned behavior to prevent a crisis. For example, I’m always…

I have been a volunteer for a charity organization called Give Blood Spread Love for a couple years. We drop in on people at their work and other community establishments to raise awareness about sickle cell disease and blood donation. During these sessions, I speak about the different…

I strongly advocate for mental health and well-being because I have seen the personal benefits of it. By paying attention to these issues in my life, my overall mood has improved, I’ve become more confident, and I’ve been physically able to keep up with the demands of everyday life.

At the start of the year, I challenged myself to have zero sickle cell crises. I knew this goal was ambitious and something I’d never done as an adult, but I wanted to try. Putting it out there in the universe was my way of holding myself accountable.