Good day 
This morning is one of those mornings I just wish I could escape from my own body.
As I write this, I’m in the middle of a sickle cell vaso-occlusive crisis, simply put, I’m in pain. I woke up to it this morning, and it was terrible. I cried so hard, like a baby, because the pain was unbearable.
It’s so excruciating that sometimes I just wish it would stop completely. I cried and screamed until about an hour ago, when my pain medication finally kicked in and gave me a little relief.
I hate being this vulnerable. My girls felt so bad seeing their mummy cry this morning; they didn’t even want to go to school. I had plans for today, but all of them have gone south because of this sickle cell pain.
As a sickle cell warrior, this isn’t strange to me. Still, I feel awful each time I have to cancel or reschedule appointments at the last minute. Even though I know it’s not my fault, I sometimes feel like I’m being unserious or unreliable, but that’s just the nature of this condition.
So, what exactly is sickle cell vaso-occlusive crisis?
It’s the hallmark of sickle cell disorder, one of the most painful complications. It happens when sickled red blood cells break down and are trapped together in tiny blood vessels, blocking the normal flow of blood and oxygen to vital organs. This blockage causes tissue damage and, ultimately, the bone-crushing pain we experience.
Wherever these sickled cells accumulate, there’s pain, deep, throbbing, unbearable pain that can make a grown adult cry and scream.
Right now, the pain is concentrated in my left leg, around my knee and ankle and it hurts so badly that I just wish I could step out of my body for a moment to get some relief.
There are several triggers for vaso-occlusive crises, including dehydration, anaemia, stress, anxiety, infections, and extreme weather conditions (too hot or too cold). Tobacco and alcohol can also worsen it.
In my case, I believe my triggers this time are anaemia, stress, and dehydration from my monthly menstrual flow.
In one of my previous posts @wewarriors-28/that-time-of-the-month
, I explained how menstrual periods can trigger crises for some female warriors like myself. Despite all the precautions I take, sometimes the pain still comes and that’s exactly what’s happening now.
I also suspect the sudden change in weather. The harmattan season is gradually setting in, and for sickle cell warriors, it’s often a very challenging period.
Even with my pain medication, the ache will linger until the affected areas clear up. To help my body recover at home, I’ve increased my water intake to stay hydrated. My mum has massaged the painful spots with a hot balm, and I’m keeping myself warm hoping for some relief in the next few hours.
Some crises last for hours; others linger for days. I’m really praying this one ends in hours. Another difficult part is the recovery phase. it drains your energy physically, mentally, and emotionally.
This is the reality many of us live with. Please, family, let’s know our genotype and seek genetic counselling before making reproductive choices. No child deserves to be born into a lifetime of pain like this.
Thank you for stopping by. Writing helps distract me from the pain.Cheers,