Sickle Cell Anemia Essay

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When I was born I was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Anemia, and I believe that it is both strength and a challenge. Sickle Cell Anemia is a genetic blood disorder where the red blood cells are sickle-shaped and they clog blood vessels which can lead to pain crises and strokes. Two weeks later after my birth, my doctor told my mother that I wasn’t going to live past the age of one. When I was younger I didn’t know that I had a disease, I thought I was normal like the rest of my classmates. When I was four years old I had my first crisis and I was taken to the hospital. My mother didn’t know what to expect and she started crying because being a young mother seeing her child in excruciating pain was a lot to handle. I’ve learned a lot about myself living with this disease.
If I was born without Sickle Cell I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I have learned how to not give up when times get tough. There have been plenty of times where I missed weeks of school and I thought that I wouldn’t be able to pass my classes. I learned that not everyone understands what I go through. I have tried to explain what Sickle Cell is to my friends many times and they had trouble understanding what it is. It was hard for them to understand that even though I didn’t look sick I still felt pain and had to go to the hospital at random times. Whenever I would miss …show more content…

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