Sicklers are also Humans...

damzxyno(56)

Published in

#health

Words

666

Reading

3 min

Listen

Play

"Off course, people living with Sickle Cell Anemia are humans and not animal"

But the world don't see them so and neither do they treat them as such. I have being so privilege to have them as family members, friends, colleagues, classmates and even room mates.

What is Sickle Cell Anemia?

Sickle Cell anemia is a disorder of the blood causing the red blood cells of the blood to have abnormal shape (A Sickle or crescent moon shape). The red blood cells are the most abundant cells in the blood, they cause the redness of the blood and this redness gives them the ability to transport oxygen to all tissues of the body.

The red blood cells are spherical and biconcave in shape having a lifespan of about 120 days before they die and are recycled.

But this is not true with Sickle Cell Anemia patients, their red blood cell are crescent moon shaped hence :

Reducing its size which decreases the amount of oxygen carried
Reducing its elasticity which causes it to get stucked in tiny blood vessels and capillaries.
Have reduced lifespan

Causes of Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle Cell Anemia can not be contracted like HIV, Syphilis and Cough. It is an inherited disease.

It occurs as a result of a child inheriting the sickle cell gene from both parent.

Children can only inherit it if the parents are carrier of the sickle cell gene.

A child that inherits the gene of sickle cell from one parent is only a carrier of the sickle cell gene and not a sickler unless he/she inherits from both parent.

Symptoms and Effects of Sickle Cell Disease

Blockage of blood vessels
Premature Death of Red Blood Cells
Jaundice (Yellowing of eyes and skin)
Constant Headache
Could cause abnormal brain development and stroke
Crises (This a periodic episode of intense pain usually in the joint and long bones)
Stunted growth
Thinness etc

Treatment of Sickle Cell Anemia

Unfortunately, it has no cure. But it can be managed and prevented. The prevention includes testing to see if a couple are both carriers before marriage. Children with the disease should be taken to the hospital for proper counselling of the disease and treatment.

I have a room mate in school who suffers from sickle cell anemia, it isn't easy for him, neither is it for me. He has less frequent crises like other sicklers but it is always as painful as hell. I do feel his pain and take care of him.

There is a stigma that people place on Sickle cell patient which include:

- Labeling them as premature people

- Avoid having conversations with them

- Avoiding body contact with them

- Staring at them strangely

- Banning them totally from sports and indoor games

- Abuses from bullies

Sickle Cell patients are just unlucky with their genetic make up but are humans like us and deserve to be treated as such. They should not be excluded as marriage partners as this is very rampart in Africa; you see people leaving their boyfriends, girlfriends engaged partner on discovering their genotype.

Technology and medical science has really improved in such a way that these people can live normal lives, get married and even have their own kids. Long ago was when sickle cell patients don’t last a certain age range but today, they can live as long as 80 years of age.

Support sickle cell patients, they don’t need your sympathy…. They only need you, perceiving and treating them as normal people of the society; not as some diseased fellow who should be camped indoors all day long.

I would like to see your view in the comment box about your experience with the disease.

Thank you.

Image Source: 1 2 3

Further reading:

Other Articles: