The past few weeks have been extremely difficult — heartbreaking, even. Here in the U.K., I’ve seen two recent reports about sickle cell patients dying from negligence. Both of their deaths were preventable. As MyLondon reported in September,…
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Last month, I suffered a sickle cell crisis. After battling the pain for four days, I decided to go into the hospital on Dec. 12. Unfortunately, that was a challenge. The first hurdle was securing an ambulance. For…
For me, 2022 has just been OK in terms of sickle cell disease. I’m still not where I’d like to be health-wise, but I’m getting closer. One thing I’d really like to celebrate is that I haven’t contracted…
Earlier this week, I received an email that left me in tears. Its content is unimportant. But what I can share is that it was disappointing and related to things I require to manage sickle cell disease. I…
When children become adults, they must transition from pediatric to adult healthcare services. Transition programs are particularly important for helping patients with chronic conditions navigate this switch. A good program ensures patients are informed about any changes to…
Imagine: You’ve had a long and stressful few months, you’ve accrued some leave at work, and you’ve saved up some money, so you decide to take a holiday. You already have a bucket list of locations you want to…
It had been roughly four weeks since my port-a-cath was inserted, and I was due for my next blood transfusion. However, that transfusion would be different than previous ones — it was an exchange transfusion, when…
When living with a condition like sickle cell disease, effective communication between different hospital departments and the patient is imperative — especially when the patient is having a surgery that could result in complications. I recently had a…
I’ve shared that I’m on a blood transfusion program as part of my sickle cell treatment. There are two key types of blood transfusions: blood exchanges and top-up transfusions, which are quicker and delivered through…
In my previous column, I shared that I’d contracted what I think was food poisoning, which led to dehydration and, subsequently, a sickle cell crisis. In seeking medical attention, I faced several hurdles while navigating my local…
I was recently hospitalized for a sickle cell crisis. You see, I’d planned to go to dinner with a lovely friend whom I hadn’t seen since before the pandemic. But that was for the evening. When my…
Health-related stigma, as I discussed in my last column, is not the only stigma that afflicts those with sickle cell disease. There’s another stigma attached to it, one more localized, that can still have a detrimental effect…
Living with sickle cell disease means dealing with constant fatigue and painful vaso-occlusive crises. These symptoms can impede on a normal life with wide-reaching implications, such as limiting social or work capabilities. Unfortunately, sickle cell also…
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