My experience living with sickle cell anaemia
I call myself Living Hope because hope is the last thing that l can ever lose in life. I turned twenty and three years old on 8th May 2019. I come from a family of eleven occupants; my late dad, my mum, my eight siblings and I. I am number 8 in our family and furthermore, I don’t come from a rich family.
I was born with sickle cell anaemia. This is a deadly inheritable disease that only needs the Divine intervention of God for one to survive with or past. I was diagnosed with the sickle cell when l was two years old. The journey with sickle cell has been very tough, making this life not seem as an appreciable life at all.
I have been passing through painful events that have at times led to me having sleepless nights and restless days. It takes like a whole week for the pain to subside but l only stay for a week and then it starts again. It’s the unbearable pain whereby l always feel like they are broken glasses being forcefully inserted through my blood vessels.
I have had several blood transfusions and I have fainted during several procedures, l have been on life support machines severally and l own a special room in the hospital that l always go to upon admission when my state of health deteriorates.
When l was a student l spent most of my days in the hospital. I would spend like two months in the hospital and on discharge I would spend about one month in class. l was told that l cannot go beyond five years, then it went to beyond twelve years, and lately, it was beyond eighteen years.
These really discouraged me. Living life knowing you have a life that cannot allow you to realize and exploit your talents and abilities given the curriculum provided by our systems; together with the unfortunate medical condition. l lived knowing that l am already dead just waiting to be buried.
The talked used to be, it is impossible for a child with such an individual to live past a prescribed age group. I am glad God has enabled me to reach this far and I am hopeful better things are in store for me. This is an introduction to the life of a hopeful sick individual.