Now that the summer months have passed, I find that it’s harder to forget that I have sickle cell disease. You may be thinking, “How can she ever forget that she has sickle cell?” Well, I never really…
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Having a lifelong condition like sickle cell disease forces people to grow up pretty quickly. We must acknowledge certain responsibilities early on, and we can’t afford to ignore them because we don’t want ignorance to worsen our health.
Just like that, it’s September again – aka Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Sickle cell awareness means shining a light on sickle cell warriors and revealing what life is like with the condition. Not just the…
Death always is a sobering thing to process. Hearing about someone’s untimely passing — whether the person was close to us or not — reminds us of life’s fickle nature. We recently heard the sad news of…
Looking at my diagnosis in a positive light doesn’t come naturally to me. I usually view my health as a disadvantage, and I used to expect others to do the same. I think this expectation stemmed from…
In the U.K., the National Health Service maintains a medical exemption list with conditions that entitle patients to free prescriptions. This is a wonderful concept that relieves some of the financial pressures of healthcare costs that…
Life can change so unexpectedly, especially when dealing with the unpredictability of sickle cell. Sometimes we have to warm up to the idea of rolling with the punches. What does it mean to roll with the…
In the U.K., approximately 15,000 people have sickle cell disorder and approximately 240,000 have the sickle cell trait. Despite these high numbers, I only meet someone who knows about sickle cell once in a blue moon. One time I…
During this period I have heard a lot of people complain about unwanted weight gain, but it is the opposite in my case. I have been losing a lot of weight and it took me a while…
I recently spoke to a mother who gave birth to a child with sickle cell. The diagnosis was not expected at all. The news completely rocked her world. That’s understandable, as sickle cell results in huge lifestyle changes…
The internet has been a blessing in many of our lives. It is an extremely handy tool, and a quick Google search can turn any of us into a mechanic, a Michelin chef, or a gardener. However, the…
We recently experienced a heat wave here in the U.K., where temperatures climbed as high as 32 C (89.6 F). Those of you from hotter parts of the world may look at this laugh, but the U.K. is…
It has started … the period I have been uncertain about. Restrictions are starting to ease. I have been shielding for over three months, during which my employer placed me on the furlough scheme. Many people…
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