CHOP Gives Light to Sickle Cell Disease in their Fall 2011 Issue

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Pictures from the Blue Tag Gala

11th Annual Blue Tag Gala & Silent Auction: Benefiting the Sickle Cell Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME....I SHOULDN'T OF LEFT YOU.......

Hey everyone,

It's been a while since I've updated my blog. I've been mad busy taveling, working, making speeches, and just staying involved with my community as a whole and the Sickle Cell community in particular. I have plenty of pictures to post and youtube video's so stay tuned...................PEACE!!!

Come out and Support: Sickle Cell Night with the Philadelphia 76ers

Check me out on Whatz da Count as I share my Story about living with Sickle Cell Disease.

 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wdcdamovement/2011/03/21/whatz-da-count-20-second-time-out-segment

WHATZ DA COUNT Living With Sickle Cell

www.blogtalkradio.com

Call in and shout out WHATZ DA COUNT to your Hosts WDC Sports Log and BIG TRUCKIN. Todays Topic Living With Sickle Cell with Special Guest Tahirah Austin as she shares her life story as she Battles Sickle Cell Everyday.. Mar 21 2011

Save the Date: Martinis & Makeovers at Saks!!! Come Support Dragonfly send kids with Chronic Illnesses, such as Sickle Cell Disease.

SAVE THE DATE

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2011 ▪ 5:30 PM SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, BALA CYNWYD Click Here for Details For more information, Contact: Tahirah Austin @ tahirah.austin@yahoo.com Facebook: Tahirah Austin Twitter: @TahirahAkilah

Come Join Us Sunday 3.6.11 @ Arts, Beat & Eats 7pm-11pm

This 3.6 sunday at Arts Beats & Eats we will have a table designated in the arts/craft and retail section for Sickle Cell Anemia. You can receive information on volunteer work and summer camps. @Primo Bacio Ristorante (8460 Limekiln Pk) Towers at Wyncote 7pm-11pm
Donation: $15.00 includes free food and wine

Real Rap....Literally!!! Listen to the Track.

Interview with Rapper Prodigy, by The Hip Hop Doc.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Interview with Prodigy on Sickle Cell

Each year 2000 babies are born in the United States with a life long condition called sickle cell disease. This disease of the blood affects between 50-75,000 people in the US and millions throughout the world. Approximately 2 million Americans carry the sickle cell trait, which increases the chance that the disorder is passed on to their children. Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States affecting those of African descent and Hispanics of Caribbean ancestry, but the trait has also been found in those with Middle Eastern, Indian, Latin American, Native American, and Mediterranean heritage. One in every 500 African-American births is affected with sickle cell disease.

The two most common forms of sickle cell disease are sickle cell trait and sickle cell anemia. They are characterized by defective hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the tissues of the body. This defective hemoglobin interferes with the red blood cell’s ability to carry oxygen. Those who inherited the sickle cell trait have one defective gene and no symptoms to moderate symptoms of the disease in most cases. If a person has sickle cell anemia, the most common and most severe form of the disease, they are at risk for many problems: anemia (very low blood counts), pain crisis or sickle cell crisis which causes almost every joint in your body to hurt usually requiring hospitalization, strong pain medicines, and IV fluids, acute chest syndrome which is similar to pneumonia, but much more painful, strokes, and a decreased life expectancy. If children are screened at birth and/or parents who are unsure of their status are screened, sickle cell disease can be significantly reduced by education alone.

A full description of all things sickle cell is way beyond the scope of this article, however I wanted my friends who read my column for All Hip Hop to really understand this preventable disease, so I called on Prodigy of Mobb Deep to help me out.

H2D (at the office in Baton Rouge, LA): P, what’s good? How are you feeling?

Prodigy (driving through Manhattan): I’m good; what’s good with you, Doc?
H2D: The same thing; trying to bring more awareness to the hip-hop community on health issues. Man I would like for you to enlighten us about something you’ve dealt with all your life. Tell me about sickle cell disease and how it has affected you?

Prodigy: I mean basically, I was diagnosed with sickle cell when I was 3 months old. I have the worse type of sickle cell… the “SS” type. If I don’t take care of myself and do the right things, I will experience a severely painful sickle cell crisis; all my joints hurt; it’s a bad scene. Before I really knew how to take care of myself I was in and out of the hospital…they had me on morphine for pain; IV’s in my arm; couldn’t get comfortable for days at a time…it was really hard on my body.

H2D: Are you taking any medicines right now?

Prodigy: Nahhhh! I don’t take none of these medicines that they try to say is good to take for sickle cell. All I do is try to have a healthy diet as much as possible; I drink water like a fish, eat healthy, and I notice that since I’ve been doing that for the past seven to eight years, I don’t get sick as much as I use too. If I do get sick, it’s really because of something I’m doing wrong. I really know my body and how to control it, know what I mean?
H2D: Yeah, that’s what’s up. Now, in 2000, you wrote the song “You Can Never Feel My Pain” on your first solo album, HNIC. This song really dealt with the harsh realities of sickle cell and how it affected you. Almost like sickle cell 101. What motivated you to write that piece?

Prodigy: Basically because at every Mobb Deep show, I would see somebody in the crowd, and they would yell to me like “Yo P, I got sickle cell too.” And they would ask how I was able to perform and do all that I do.” I always encourage my fans that they should reach for their goals and reach high when doing it; and to further this point I decided to drop something on my album to tell people about the pain that I and others with sickle cell suffer with, which is a handicap no different than living in poverty, but that its something you can escape.

H2D: I’m sure you know T-Boz has sickle cell. She was a national spokes person for the disease back in the day.

Prodigy: Yeah, I wanted T-Boz to get on that song with me. So I actually reached out to her, went down to Atlanta and played the song for her. She came to the studio, liked the song, but we both decided that it was best for me to roll with that approach. We had a long conversation about sickle cell and this drug called hydroxyurea. We talked about this drug and some the side effects. She had decided at the time to not take the medicine. I kinda felt like we were being used as guinea pigs when they try to come up with these new drugs. That’s why I really don’t take or promote some of the medicines.

H2D: I can respect that. Well, other than “You Can Never Feel My Pain”, do you have any new songs dedicated to creating awareness about sickle cell?

Prodigy: I already did the song and I don’t want to keep doing the same old thing. I’m gonna start being more vocal about it, like with this piece. When I get out (of prison) and get home, I want to hook up with you and do the community thing you got going on; talk to some kids and tell them what it’s like to live with sickle cell and how they can still be successful. You can just set something up and I’ll roll with you. That’s good shit what you doing Doc.

H2D: Yeah, that’s real talk. It has been a challenge, but one I welcome. You know lately, there’s been a lot of things going on in regards to health and hip-hop: Kayne West and his mothers death; Foxy Brown and her battle with hearing loss; Pimp C leaving us way too early; Nate Dogg having a stroke…do you think the hip-hop culture is taking health issues seriously?

Prodigy: A lot of young peoples attitude is they feel invincible. It’s like someone who has sickle cell and someone who doesn’t? The person who doesn’t have sickle cell thinks they can drink, smoke, eat anything and everything, just go hard and say, “Hey, I’m okay.” If I do that, it affects me immediately. They may not feel the effects until 30, 40, 50 years later when they got heart problems, lung problems, and they are dying from things they could have prevented. To me sickle cell is like an alarm system because it lets me know when I’m doing something wrong, you know what I’m saying?

H2D: Definitely! What advice would you give to the young people growing up and living with sickle cell?

Prodigy: The number rule for people with sickle cell, as far as I’m concerned, is their diet has to be strict. You damn near have to be a vegetarian to avoid getting sick and having a painful sickle cell crisis. You have got to take care of your health. Eat a healthy diet, drink lots of water, and eat lots a vegetables. I guarantee that if you do that and get all the impurities out of your system, you will see a hundred percent turnaround.

H2D: What kind of stuff do you eat?

Prodigy: Like today, I might have baked salmon, brown rice, and green vegetables. I try to stay away from the poisonous food additives. I don’t drink sodas or eat a lot of junk. This is the plan you have to follow to keep the impurities out of your body. You gotta really eat healthy; break it down to a science and start learning how to read labels and know what ingredients are good and bad for you. And I know I keep saying this, but you gotta drink mad water. It helps wash away all impurities and poison in the body.

H2D: P, thanks for your time. Anything else you would like to say to All Hip Hop?

Prodigy: Just support the real shit that we putting out there, man cause there’s a lot of people who are not being real. They are chasing some outrageous dream. I’m staying grounded, know what I mean? I’m focusing on real shit. So, just support real artist like Mobb Deep and myself. Check out my website at HNIC2.com. A lot of good information and I will have my address up so that they can write me letters while I’m locked up.

H2D: Cool. Peace, P.

Prodigy: One.

(c) 2008. Rani Whitfield. This interview was publishsed February 2008 at http://allhiphop.com/

New Research About Boy King: King Tut...How did he really die?

http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/tut-pharaoh-blood-disease.html

Sickle Cell Disease Advocacay Day on Capitol Hill...March 23rd-March25th

Time	Wednesday, March 23 at 2:00pm - March 25 at 12:00pm
Location	Washington, DC
Created By	Phyillis Thomas
More Info	SCD Soldier Network, Inc. has partnered with Sickle Cell Disease Association of America in a collaborative effort to bring as many people impacted by sickle cell to Advocacy Day as possible. We are collaborating with Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease, Inc. WDC on SCT, Team Tendaji and others in a fundraiser to help defray the cost of attending the event. Many organizations and groups will be attending, however if you are interested in joining our team and attending our networking mixer, you will need to sign-up at: http://scdsoldiernetwork.com/participation/scdaa_-_advocacy_day

Sickle Cell Night with the 76ers!!!! Come Join Us!

Join us for a night with the 76ers Friday April 1st at 7:00pm. Tickets are available now. $25.00 for Sickle Cell clients & $40.00 for non clients. Tickets include lower level seating & a $10.00 food voucher. For more information call 215-471-8686

Philadelphia's Dancing with the Stars benefitting Sickle Cell Disease...Save the date!

Time	Sunday, April 10 · 5:00pm - 10:00pm
Location	Hyatt Regency Philadelphia At Penn's Landing
Created By	Sickle Cell Disease Association: Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Chapter
More Info	This event will benefit The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Chapter. Tickets are $100.00 A Black Tie Event Evening Includes: Cocktail hour, 3-Course Meal, and Open Bar For information and to purchase tickets, visit www.DANCINGWITHTHEPHILADELPHIASTARS.COM or call 215-471-8686

Death at an Early Age......Did You Know...? (Black History Facts)

Government Funding for Research in Sickle Cell Disease hasn't change that much Since the 1970's

Check out the link posted below!!!

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=e9sjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TSgEAAAAIBAJ&dq=black%20history%20facts%20about%20sickle%20cell%20disease&pg=3147%2C2273492

The Camp Organization that I adore: Dragonfly Forest...check out the news clip!

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/video?id=7570179 For more information about volunteering, donating, or becoming a friend of Dragonfly Forest go to http://www.dragonflyforest.org/ or email me at tahirah.austin@yahoo.com.

2009 Talent Show Session 3 - Man in the Mirror: Sickle Cell Camp at Dragonfly Forest

Check Jasmine out on Russell Simmon's Presents Brave New: "Sickle Cell"

Pursue Your Passion: Check Out Kirk Nugent, a Sickle Cell Warrior!

Black History Month: Facts About Sickle Cell Disease

Since we celebrate Black History Month in February, I thought it would be cool to give some facts about Sickle Cell Disease; being as it's been dubbed the nickname "The Forgotten Disease".

This disease shouldn't be forgotten when in fact it is a "Global Disease"; it affects so many people in the world and so many black people in the United States. Many people carry the gene for Sickle Cell Disease and don't even know it, or they find out when they have a child diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease.

So starting tomorrow and throughout the month of February, there will be cool, enlightening facts about SCD posted!

Feel free to post your own facts about SCD!

Some Sickle Cell Disease History! Get Educated!

Although the HbS gene is most common in Africa, sickle cell disease went unreported in African medical literature until the 1870s. This may be because the symptoms were similar to those of other tropical diseases in Africa and because blood was not usually examined. In addition, children born with sickle cell disease usually died in infancy and were typically not seen by physicians. Most of the earliest published reports of the disease involved black patients living in the US.
 
African tribal populations were all too familiar with the disease and created their own names for it. It is interesting to note that the tribal names all carry repeating syllables -- possibly to symbolize the repeating painful episodes. Such names include ahututuo (from the Twi tribe); chwecheechwe (from the Ga tribe); nuidudui (from the Ewe tribe); and nwiiwii (from the Fante tribe). Many tribal names were also imitations of the cries and moans of the sufferers or formed such phrases as "body chewing" or "body biting" which described their terrible torment. In one West African tribe, children who died soon after birth were called "ogbanjes" meaning children who come and go. The tribespeople believed that an evil spirit was trying to be born into a family with ogbanje children, but the babies bravely died to save the rest of the family from the demon. Some tribes had as many as 40% of the people carry the sickle cell gene.
 
In the US in 1846, a paper entitled "Case of Absence of the Spleen" (from the Southern Journal of Medical Pharmacology), was probably the first to describe sickle cell disease. It discussed the case of a runaway slave who had been executed. His body was autopsied and found to have "the strange phenomenon of a man having lived without a spleen." Although the slave's condition was typical, the doctor had no way of knowing this as the disease had not yet been "discovered." The first formal report of sickle cell disease came out of Chicago about 50 years later, in 1910. In 1922, after three more cases were reported, the disease was named "sickle cell anemia."
 
In 1904, Dr. James Herrick reported "peculiar elongated and sickle shaped" red blood cells in "an intelligent negro of 20." These sickled cells were discovered by a hospital intern, Dr. Ernest Irons, who examined the patient's blood and sketched the strange cells. The patient had come to Dr. Herrick with complaints of shortness of breath, heart palpitations, abdominal pain, and aches and pains in his muscles. He also felt tired all the time, had headaches, experienced attacks of dizziness, and had ulcers on his legs. After noting these symptoms, the doctor took samples of his blood.
 
This first sickle cell patient had come to Chicago in 1904 to study dentistry in one of the best schools of the country and was likely the only black student there. He was a weathy man from the West Indies; and, despite repeated hospitalizations for his illness, Walter Clement Noel completed his training, along with his classmates, three years later. He returned to Grenada and practised dentistry until he died of pneumonia at the age of 32. Although the disease does not distinguish between the rich and the poor, it does single out those from the tropical and subtropical climates of the Old World.
 
One long-held theory as to why it was so common in the tropics was its association with malaria. In the 1940s, E.A.Beet, a British medical officer stationed in Northern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), observed that blood from malaria patients who had sickle cell trait had fewer malarial parasites than blood from patients without the trait. Following this observation, a physician in Zaire reported that there were fewer cases of severe malaria among people with sickle cell trait than among those without it.
In 1954, Anthony Allison, continued to build on these observations and hypothesized that sickle cell trait offered protection against malaria. He suggested that those with the trait did not succumb to malaria as often as those without it; but, when they did, their disease was less severe. It is now known that, when invaded by the malarial parasite, normally stable red cells of someone with the sickle cell trait can sickle in a low oxygen environment (like the veins). The sickling process destroys the invading organism and prevents it from spreading through the body. This apparent ability of a genetic condition to protect carriers is particularly important in infants. Thus, in regions repeatedly devastated by malaria, people who carry the sickle cell trait will have a greater chance for survival than other individuals.
 
In the following years, evidence began to collect in support of this theory as well as some against it. When studies were restricted to young people, the hypothesis held -- the sickle cell trait did offer protection to children but not to adults since they were unable to develop antibodies to the malarial parasite. However, even though their immunity was partial, it did help them to survive but offered little additional advantage. Since the youngsters were not able to produce antibodies to the malarial parasite until their immune systems matured, it was the pre-immune malarial patients whose survival was protected by sickle cell trait. For them as well, although protection was only partial, they did survive longer. Since then, several studies of malarial epidemics have revealed a higher survival rate for sickle cell trait individuals than for those who lack the gene HbS. These study areas included geographical distribution, gene frequency, and transgenic mice (the transportation of genes from one species into another).
 
An English neurologist, Lord Brain, once suggested that although a double dose of the sickle cell gene could be fatal, a single gene might increase a person's resistance to a disease. As more research was done, it was discovered that he was right, especially when it came to malaria. However, only those with sickle cell trait, not the disease, are protected against malaria. Those with sickle cell disease would either die from the blood disorder or die after coming into contact with malaria because of their weakened immune systems. But if someone with sickle cell trait contracts malaria, the person's body is somehow shielded from this potentially fatal disease.
 
Scientists have found that the red blood cells of people with sickle cell trait break down quickly when the malaria parasite attacks them. Since the parasite must grow inside red blood cells, the disease does not have a chance to become firmly established. However, not everyone with sickle cell trait is protected either. Apparent resistance to the disease occurs only in children between the ages of two and four.
Studies have shown that African Americans, who have lived in malaria-free areas for as long as ten generations, have lower sickle cell gene frequencies than Africans -- and the frequencies have dropped more than those of other, less harmful African genes. Similarly, the sickle cell gene is less common among blacks in Curacao, a malaria-free island in the Caribbean, than in Surinam, a neighboring country where malaria is rampant -- even though the ancestors of both populations came from the same region of Africa.
There are several theories as to why people with sickle cell trait have milder cases of malaria. This has to do with their being a host to fewer and weaker parasites.

• The parasite inside the red cell produces acid. In the presence of acid, HbS has a tendency to polymerize which causes the cells to sickle. Since sickled cells are destroyed as the blood circulates through the spleen, the parasites are destroyed as well.
• Malarial parasites do not live long under low oxygen conditions. Since the oxygen concentration is low in the spleen, and since infected red cells tend to get trapped in the spleen, they may be killed there.
• Another thing that happens under low oxygen conditions is that potassium leaks out of HbS-containing cells. The parasite needs high potassium levels to develop. This may be the reason the parasite fails to thrive in red blood containing Hb S.

100 Years of Sickle Cell Disease! Check it out!

100 Years of Sickle Cell Disease!

Check this Article out!!! Her title matches my tagline...and I didn't even know!

"I have Sickle Cell Disease, but Sickle Cell Disease does not have me"

My Terrifying, Horrible, Eye Opening, Overseas Crisis!!

So, this past Christmas (2010) I went on vacation with my family to Trinidad. I had a BALL, as always when I go HOME! This time we stayed for 2 whole weeks, so it really felt like a vacation. Anyway, Christmas Eve I wasn't feeling well. I woke up with some pain, but nothing I wasn't used to handling on my own. I came prepared (so I thought), had ALL MY NARCOTICS  with me; you name it, I had it. From oxycontin and percocet to motrin and tylenol with codeine (which does nothing for me), but I had it with me, just in case. 

I started my pain management like normal, taking 1 percocet every two hours until my pain subsided. Well, it didn't, it only got worse, so I moved on to oxycontin. After a few hours it only got worse, so bad I was crying (people that know me well, know that I'm not a cryer) because my pain was unbearable. So my parents at this point are concerned because I can usually handle a pain crisis at home. In the states (back home) I don't go to the ER unless I have Acute Chest Syndrome or some type of infection.

My Mom asked me did I feel like I needed to go to the hospital, I told her yes, I wanted to say "HELL YEA, What you think?"; but it's my Mom, sooooo....I calmly told her, yes. She was concerned because she wasn't sure how the healthcare in Trinidad was since she hasn't lived there for years, obviously.

My Mom called my Aunt, who wanted to take me to her Private Doctor, but he said to take me to the local hospital. So my Aunt called the ambulance, they arrived quickly.......and the experience begun!!!

Ambulance Man: whats wrong?

My Mom: She's having a Sickle Cell Crisis

Ambulance Man: A what?

Me: A crisis

Ambulance Man: Mam, you have to ride in the front.

My Mom: Ok, but do you understand whats going on with my daughter

Ambulance Man: She'll be ok

He puts me in the back of the Ambulance, and begins asking me questions, like normal (so I thought).

Ambulance Man:When did you get Sickle Cell?

Me: HUH?

Ambulance Man: How long have you had Sickle Cell?

Me: *Blank Stare*.....You playing, right? I was born with it, it's GENETIC!!!

Ambulance Man: Ohhhhh ok

Me: Oh Lawwwwwdddd!!!!

He gave me some oxygen and I was relieved...he stopped asking me questions

Now onto the doctor. I reach the hospital and it was a sight, it was more like a jail cell than hospital. Bars on the windows, guards everywhere; did yall bring me to the right place?

The Doc came out, asked what was going on, I told him. He told me I didn't "look" like I have Sickle Cell, so I was annoyed with that. Then he asked me about the meds I usually take, I told him morphine and dilaudid. He said he had neither, but had another narcotic that would help. I said cool, I'll take it!

#Don'tjudgeme...I was in pain

He began to give me an IV, he searched for a vein and found one. Good job so far! But before I can open my mouth he stuck the needle in and didn't even CLEAN THE SITE.........

The needle was sterile it came out of the pack...but still.

Now on to the nurse.

We see "Sicklers" (did she just call me a Sickler?) like yourself all the time, but most of them are Indian or Negroes. Do white people get Sickle Cell in the States?

When does it end?

She then tried to place me on a bed that had bloody sheets, and tried to hide it. Lady YOU ARE NUTS! I told her she had to place me somewhere else, so she took me to an open room where I was laid on a bed with clean PAPER. I was cool with that. I laid there with my fluids running thru me while the meds did their job. In 5 hours I was being discharged and my IV was being taken out at the FRONT DESK by an intern with NO GLOVES on.

I was out of there!!! Thank God I didn't have to get transfused because I would have been on the first plane back to the U.S.A.

With all this said, Trinidad needs a lot of help caring for the Sickle Cell Community there. This task will be by next initiative!

Something to Pass Along and be Aware Of!

I'm signed up, how about you? Sign up for Advocacy Day in Washington D.C.!!

March 23-25 is Advocacy Day in Washington. Become an advocate for yourself and/or others and make a huge impact! Sign up using the link below!

 

 

SCD Soldier Network, Inc. - Home

www.scdsoldiernetwork.com

Story of the day

Check it out!

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/853853-medics-refused-to-aid-dying-student

Medics ‘refused to aid dying student’

www.metro.co.uk

 

Finding a Mate who understands Sickle Cell Disease

How do you begin telling someone your dating, you have Sickle Cell Disease?

When is the right time to tell them?

What do you do if they reject you and tell you they don't want to be with someone who has a "disease"?



Let me know......

Transitioning: From the "kiddie hospital" to the "big peoples" hospital!

I transitioned from Pediatric care (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: CHOP)  to Adult care (Presbyterian Hospital) at the age of 23. It was a totally new world, but it was my time. Although, my Hematologist would haver allowed me to stay until I was 25 (my current age) I was ready to go!

My wanting to be transition came from an incident that happend when I was hospitalized for a crisis at CHOP. I had been in the hospital for a week or so with Acute Chest Syndrome and a irrhythmic heartbeat.....I was pretty sick! Anyway, the fellow who was "caring" for me, was a nasty ol' thing. LOL...She ordered for me to have a MRI done at 4pm, it wasn't done until 10:30pm...during this time I had visitors who I did not get to see.

When I returned to my room, it was 11:30pm, the fellow came to my room and told me she wanted to discharge me that night. Was she CRAZY OR WHAT?!  She insisted that I should have one of my visitors take me home....after they left and that was none of her business anyway; and she didn't even have the results of my MRI, nor scripts. She left and came back the next morning ready to discharge me, still with no scripts. I didn't get out until 3pm, I was so OVER the entire experience, that I was ready to leave CHOP.

Now my first crisis in adult care........

I was having chest pains and thought, "I'll just go to the ER at Presby, and I will be seen and everything will be ok"...Laaaawwwwddd, was in for a rude awakening! I arrived at the ER, told them I was having a SCD crisis, the lady at the desk told me to sign my name and have a sit..........waiting....waiting....waiting...still waiting! Three hours passed before I was brought to the back of the ER to be seen. This was far from pediatric care, where you can call before you arrive and when you get there you already have room on the Hematology Acute Care floor.

Once I was admitted to Presby, I had the best care given to me and was very pleased with my doctor and the nurses.....shoot, even the food!!!

Share your transitioning experience here!!

How to maintain a healthy weight and diet when living with Sickle Cell?

When I was younger, I was skin and bones. In fact, my nickname given to me by my uncle was Olive Oil. Having Sickle Cell caused my body no to gain weight like I should have been because of the destruction of my red blood cells and my caloric intake being low; although I ate like a horse!

As became older, I say during my second year in college, I began to put on "size" as my mother would say. My weight stayed steady throughout those years. I ate a balanced diet, things like brown rice, fish, chicken, lentils, black grapes (for antioxidants), an occasional Snickers even....all because I needed to maintain that healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight is important when you have SCD because if you get sick it is easier for you to "bounce back" and not have too many SCD complications.

How do you maintain a healthy weight and diet?

Pictures From My Birthday Sickle Cell Disease Camp Fundraiser

Ediomi:" A Liver of Sickle Cell Disease"

http://dontloseyourdayjob.com/virginia-slims-ediomi-abasi-interview/