I promised in my last post to expatiate and write more about sickle cell anemia, and that is what I will be writing about today, but before that, I have a story to share.
So, this young woman broke up with her boyfriend of 4 years after he proposed to her because she found out they were not compatible based on genotype. This was very emotionally draining for her, so she asked for relocation from her place of work in order to get her mind off the relationship.
It was her aim that the relocation would help her move on from the relationship very fast, and of course, it helped. Even when she was in love, she was highly concerned about the well-being of her unborn kids, so she had to let go.
When she got to her new place of work, she found a man whom she started a relationship with, and in order to avoid repeating the same mistake, the first question she asked him was his blood group and genotype in order to confirm their compatibility and she was glad to know that, they were both compatible.
After some time, she became pregnant and when she had her baby, she was so excited until the baby started to fall ill constantly. Upon visiting the hospital, the baby was confirmed to be a sickle cell patient. She was confused and called the father of her child demanding a re-run of the genotype test.
It was only then he confessed that he was aware of their incompatibility, but he was afraid of losing her, hence the decision. Can you imagine such wickedness?
So now, she has a sickle cell child to care for, of course, she didn't continue with the relationship considering the act of deceit and hurt. But, she has had to deal with a lot of things to deal with raising a sickle cell child.
So what exactly is sickle cell disease?
Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders affecting hemoglobin, which is the protein that moves oxygen all through the body. As I mentioned in my previous post, in order for a child to get sickle cell disease, both the father and mother must be carriers of a copy of the sickle cell trait.
Certainly, if it is only one parent that has the sickle cell gene, the child will only have the trait and also be a carrier. This means the child will be a carrier of the disease, which means the gene can be passed to their own children too.
A normal red blood cell is usually round and flexible, in a sickle cell case, however, red blood cells have the resemblance of sickles used to cut wheat. It is this unusually shaped cell that gives the disease its name. The symptoms and signs of sickle cell anemia begin to manifest when a child approaches 6 months of age, these symptoms are usually not the same in people, it varies from one person to another. The signs and symptoms that will be noticed include;
- Seasons of pain: Seasonal episodes of intense pain are called pain crises. Pain crises happen to be a significant symptom of sickle cell anemia. The pain begins to develop when sickle-shaped red blood cells block the flow of blood through tiny blood vessels to the chest, joints, and abdomen.
The intensity of the pain varies, the pain could last for a few hours to a few days. Some sickle cell patients will only experience crises a few times in a year, while others will have a lot more episodes within the year.
Anemia: It is very easy for sickle cell to break apart and die easily, it takes them 10-20 days to die. But, it usually takes about 120 days for a normal red blood cell to live before there is a need to have it replaced. With the death of sickle cells, there is a shortage of red blood cells (anemia). With insufficient red blood cells, the body is unable to get sufficient oxygen and it will cause fatigue.
Swelling of the feet and hands: The swelling is a result of the sickle-shaped red blood cells blocking the circulation of blood within the feet and hands.
Delayed growth: Red blood cells will conveniently provide the body with the required nutrients and oxygen for growth. When there is a shortage in healthy red blood cells, it would slow down growth in children and infants, it would also delay puberty in teenagers.
Re-curring infections: With sickle cells, the spleen could be damaged, therefore increasing the chances of exposure to infections. Children and infants that have sickle cell anemia would most likely receive antibiotics and vaccinations that will prevent life-threatening infections, like pneumonia.
Problem with vision: Tiny blood vessels that are responsible for the supply of the eye, could become plugged with sickle cell, which could result in the damage of the retina, and certainly lead to vision problems.
Sickle cell disease is not one that will disappear after a few months or years, it is a lifelong illness. The only current cure for sickle cell disease is a bone marrow transplant. There is also research in place for gene therapy to be used as a potential cure, but there are currently treatments that will help to limit the symptoms felt and help manage the condition.
Aside from the terrible symptoms associated with sickle cell anemia, it could also come with several complications, we have the likes of;
- Stroke.
- Blindness.
- Deep vein thrombosis.
- Pregnancy complications.
- Pulmonary hypertension.
- Organ damage.
- Leg ulcers.
- Priapism.
- Acute chest syndrome.
Those with sickle cell disease, need to look out for self-care measures that will help them manage pain and avoid triggers;
- Consuming lots of fluids.
- The use of painkillers.
- Daily antibiotics.
- Consistent transfusion of blood.
- Emergency blood transfusion upon the development of serious anemia.
The available treatment these days, are helping sickle cell patients to live a better life. Unlike before, there is a lower chance of complications now. All you need to do as a sickle cell patient is to; get access to good medical care, go for regular checkups, eat healthy, exercise consistently, manage your environment, and look out for support groups around you.
References.
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sickle-cell-disease
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sickle-cell-anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355876
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4579-sickle-cell-anemia
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sickle-cell-disease/
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/facts.html
Hi, I am Tobi a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning fr\m people. Want to hear me speak on relationships and general life issues, you can find my YouTube channel where you can listen and watch any episode for free, please If do not forget to subscribe, friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from here, Kindly do well to keep them coming.