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Double Trouble: The Emotional Toll and Constant State of Grief in the Sickle Cell Community!
Imagine this. From the moment you were born, you have been battling with constant, unbearable pain. As you grew older, you had to deal with not only the torment of physical pain but also a variety of stresses such as family, school, financial commitments, and various mental health difficulties like
Hidden Battles: Mental Health Struggles of Sickle Cell Warriors
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary condition mainly targeting beta hemoglobin, which is essential for oxygen transportation in red blood cells. The cells tend to turn rigid, crescent, or sickle-shaped if there is insufficient oxygen. This may block the small blood vessels from having a passage, causing a vaso-occlusive
Medical Marijuana and Pain Management: The Souljah Strong Way
The Trials and Tribulations of Effective Pain Management Sometimes it begins with peer pressure, other times it’s a natural born curiosity. But the burning questions is – what really leads someone to trying marijuana when it’s such a controversial issue? I’ve attended programs about how horrible it is to smoke marijuana, and
Sickle Cell Disease: When Travel Becomes Terrifying—But Worth It
Who Runs Your Life—You or Your Sickle Cell Disease? Imagine having a mutation that alters the body’s ability to carry oxygen where it is needed—sickle cell disease (SCD). Now, picture sitting in your doctor’s office as they detail the numerous risks associated with traveling with the condition. As with many
SICKLE CELL AND THE HAITIAN REVOLUTION
Francois Mackandal: The First Haitian Revolution Leader After acquiring knowledge about the historical background of Haiti and its revolution, one cannot help but ponder upon the sickle cell gene’s potential role in the events mentioned. When viewing the documentary “1804 The Hidden History of Haiti,” I learned about Francois Mackandal,
The Opioid Epidemic
Pain, Opioids, and the Sickle Cell Disease Patient As a sickle cell disease patient, I have lived with chronic severe pain and illness since early childhood. With that said, I have always been able to work with my doctors to figure out solutions when the pain is at its worst. Before
The Ethics and Impacts of Sickle Cell Disease “Humor”
Sickle Cell Disease Comedy Can Form Bridges or Cross Boundaries Comedy has walked a thin line between supplying appropriate and inappropriate content for as long as it has existed—likely as long as words have been spoken. At times, it has crossed boundaries to become offensive to certain audiences, sometimes the
Got Blood!
Blood, the crimson liquid of light, colored the strongest shade that unites us as one, a portal to the physical dimension that fuels us all and yields the power that lets us breathe and run. Blood is critical to the very existence of us all, no doubt. And yet each
Sickle Cell Disease-Related Pain: A Physical and Emotional Battle Incomparable to Others
Sickle Cell Disease: Fighting Unrelenting and Excruciating Pain Have you ever experienced excruciating pain so intense it feels as if shards of glass are pumping through your veins alongside your blood? Or felt like your bones were cracking just as if you had fallen from a building, crashing onto solid
The Higher Power: Using Gratitude and Prayer to Ease Sickle Cell Pain
Positive Spiritual Coping Yield Better Results During 2007 – 2008, a pilot study was conducted by Sian Cotton and her colleagues at Sickle Cell Research and Education Day, an annual event held in Cincinnati, Ohio at the Children’s Hospital Medical Center. The team administered a survey and conducted semi-structured interviews with adolescent-aged patients
Walter Clement Noel: The Start of a Sickle Cell Advocacy Legacy
Black History and the Healthcare System: Separate and Unequal Is it safe to say that Walter Clement Noel—the first individual to be described as having sickle cell disease—may also be considered the very first advocate for sickle cell patients? I have a deep curiosity regarding the life experiences of those
Sickle Cell and Slavery: Souljahs on the Run
The Slave Trade Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the transatlantic slave trade is thought to have transferred over twelve million enslaved Africans to the Americas, according to various estimates. It was also likely a significant contributor to the spread of Sickle Cell Disease. During this period, the second stage of the
Sickle Cell Disease: A History Lesson
Have you ever pondered the history and origin of this unique cell disease and the reasons behind its development?
The Night I was Abducted by Aliens in a Sickle Cell Crisis.
I have witnessed them with my own eyes, heard them with my ears, and I’m sure that they are real! How I encountered aliens in the first place is very unusual; to recall the even precisely, I would name it alien abduction at the sickle cell crisis. The night was
Poetry as a Tool for Raising Awarness, Healing, and Bringing the Sickle Cell Community Together
The Power of Poetry: Sickness Through the Eyes of the Sufferer Poetry is an extraordinarily powerful art form. It affects the writer, reader, and listeners in profound ways—both physically and psychologically. According to a study conducted by Eugene Wassiliwizky at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Department of Language and Literature, the
Big Pharma Needs the Dough, Sickle Cell with No Bread: Cost Effective Treatment
My bank account was running on empty and somehow, I had lost my health insurance and never realized. It was the day of my discharge; I had been in the hospital for a typical sickle cell crisis for about fourteen days. A social worker by the name of Luna came
Back to School in the Sickle Cell Realm
Let me take you to the life of a sixth-grader who is engulfed by the devil; everyone was in the gym class playing soccer. As I stood at the goal, I had no intentions to win and participated just for the sake of performance to put up a good show. The
The Power of Sickle Cell: A Metaphysical Perspective
The Power of Sickle Cell: A Metaphysical Perspective Have you ever thought about the spiritual nature of sickle cell disease? What if I told you that people with sickle cell disease are more powerful than you think? Consider the imagery of the sickle in nature. The first thing we probably