We go for great,
I used to live my life reactionary to what people thought of my medical condition. I was used to it, so I disengaged early, I wanted to be a normal kid. I did grow curious, some part of me grew to seriously ask myself questions — wanting to understand if what people thought of me through the lens of my condition was the me I actually am — the look of like I’m suddenly part of a lower subset of human; the look of as if I live like a man on death row; the look of a decrepit helpless man. This is the look I find in their eyes.
All those looks were not controlled by me, it would have some very negative effects this fuelled me wanting to find the truth so I did my first ever “Google’s”. My first mistake, (never try find true documentation with the highest google answer). This would play on my mind for a while till I took a real look at what the findings were, I didn’t just search up on Wikipedia or the NHS website I would start to read medical journals and see how it is defined. My findings concluded, its not a death sentence.
(Even further I have come up with hypothesis on how to treat it; that is for another blog. )
How I saw myself looking after my body was different. I didn’t automatically start treating it like a temple. What I knew though is with strong bones, a strong body and cardio vascular system your quality of life will have levelled & or better than the next guy because sickle cell puts you in the position to have to live to a higher standard of nutrition as a basic prerequisite.
With all the people I have seen with the condition (numbering in the hundreds) those with less complaints eat a balanced diet go to the gym to move weights and don’t make reckless decisions, those with the best life have THE BEST LIFESTYLE. I want to stress it does not absolve crisis, it helps the pain tolerance to be higher because the body is generally in better shape and used to the stresses of those physical activities. So the friends that look ‘perfectly healthy’ will participate in sports activities and or socially drink and don’t “look like” they have sickle cell till they tell you look after themselves to a very high standard. Everyone though is healthy till they are not.
This means being an active participant in your health. I listen to my body and assess the situation, when I do that I have better control of my days. I’m not saying there aren’t days I can be gripped by pain, not at all. I know what’s best for me and what’s not so good for me when it comes to activity.
I feel great daily if I look after my body daily. This is something all of my brothers and sisters to know, I’m not the biggest guy but I started with the smallest weights and the shortest session but slowly year after year I gained more inner strength to compose myself and try out for my university Gymnastics team. Being very honest it was the best decision I made as an adult. Making sure within myself that this is my own body I own it, my identity is what I make of it, Sickle Cell is not me it exists while I’m alive but it will not condemn me to a life of fear and destitution.
If this makes sense pass it on, just like the death sentence disease idea that was probably passed on hand this piece of information over too, instead of looking at friends and family with desperate despair maybe this dose of optimism will do you all some good.
Whatever Moves Your Dial
Damilare. Not Your Typical
To get in contact with me find me on
Facebook: fb/nytypical
Instagram: @nytypical
Twitter: @nytypical
Thank You For Reading… Please read my Other Feature blogs:
Addict Stigma // Opioid Crisis
And visit Sickle Cell Companion for all my other literature on Sickle Cell
Not Your Typical 
Leave a Reply