I have a confusing relationship with winter. It’s one of my favorite seasons, but it causes me the most harm. It’s not unlike that one pair of shoes that look amazing on, but leave you with blisters and bruises. But my “blisters” are severe musculoskeletal pain and my “bruises”…
Dear Sickle Cell — Michelle Harlan
Michelle Harlan is a clinical psychology doctoral student from Atlanta, now based in Washington, D.C. She was diagnosed with sickle beta zero thalassemia at 6 months old. In her column, Michelle shares her perspective as a 20-something with sickle cell, focusing on mental health and emerging adulthood care. Outside of her studies and writing, Michelle enjoys traveling, practicing yoga, exploring new restaurants and coffee shops, and watching movies.
Featured Post
Hydroxyurea, blood transfusions, and donor blood stem cell transplants can significantly lower the risk of stroke in children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia (SCA), the most common and severe form of sickle cell disease. That’s according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 40 studies that also highlighted…
“Thank you for giving me grace while I dropped off the face of the earth last week.” I regularly make this kind of comment to my best friend, who has known me since I was 4 years old. Because of sickle cell disease, I sometimes neglect to respond when…
In the fall of my sophomore year of high school, my hematologist recommended me for my pediatric sickle cell program’s teen clinic. At that point, I was going to the doctor every one to three months, with more frequent follow-ups after a vaso-occlusive crisis. After 13 years of…
While I am not a board-certified hematologist, I am an expert on my personal experience with sickle beta-zero thalassemia. One might say I am “board-certified” in living with the condition! When I disclose my illness to someone new, they often ask, “How is sickle beta-zero thalassemia different from sickle…
When I was growing up, Beverly Cleary’s “Dear Mr. Henshaw” was one of my favorite books. The novel begins with Leigh, a sixth grader, writing to his favorite author (Boyd Henshaw) for a school assignment and receiving a letter back. The two become pen pals, and through writing letters and…
Explore More Columns
Discussion
Discussion
