Many of you who have Sickle Cell Disease understand the many times we are;...Silent and Missing. Most times it is due to what we call…” Crisis”. This is when we have to go Underground to fight for our “Lives”.
I was happy and doing as well as I could expect on Father’s Day, June 21. I had visited my Dad and Mom and was driving back home with my wife. On Monday, June 22 I awakened with a familiar feeling in my back. I knew what it was and went for the Tylenol to get relief. For the next few minutes I awaited to see if that feeling would go away. My next action was to try a pain reliever…this did not work either. Around 2:00 PM I called my Physician. I was admitted into Emory Midtown around 3: OO PM
A week later I was released after receiving 4 units of blood (over 2 days), ridding my body of several pounds of water and adjusting all of my blood pressure medicines. Each time I am in the hospital I always have to argue with the nurse and pharmacy regarding dosing and schedules relating to my medications. Enough said! This is why we need to converse with each other,... determine the best protocols,... and identify what is required to help ease each other’s concern.
IT’S SO GOOD TO BE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL ON HOLIDAY’S! CELEBRATE SAFELY ON THE 4TH OF JULY!
WISH ME WELL DURING MY RECOVERY...I PRAY FOR ALL OF YOU …MAY YOU GROW STRONGER AND YOUR WALK BE IN GOD’S PATH.
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Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Do Black Men Die Young?
“Do You Live to Work or Work to Live?”
I asked my Dr. to help me publicize this blog to Male’s with Sickle Cell Anemia because I wanted men to have a voice in discussing treatment, survival, and participate in finding a cure. He said to me, “the reason you don’t hear from men is because there aren’t very many in my practice living. They don’t survive as long as women.” I was shocked to hear such a matter of fact comment. He went on to say that this would be an interesting research project. What do you think?
I don’t believe that I have ever run across a definitive study which stated the mortality rate for men did not exceed the median age of 47 or that men did not live as long as women. I am 54 and I feel really blessed. I attribute my survival to the many good Physician’s and ancillary care provided to me by my family. I informed him if not for the combined efforts of all, I would not have worked for 28 years. That’s when he said, that begs the question, “Do You Live to Work,… Or Work to Live?” I thought that probed to the heart of what we are searching for.
Do men with Sickle Cell have adequate support? Do we shun help from others because we don’t want to ask for it? Do we ignore our Physician’s advise,…treatment? Do we get adequate treatment from our health care providers? Do we give up whereas women fight harder?
These are the questions we need to talk about…someone comment on this phenomenon….
I asked my Dr. to help me publicize this blog to Male’s with Sickle Cell Anemia because I wanted men to have a voice in discussing treatment, survival, and participate in finding a cure. He said to me, “the reason you don’t hear from men is because there aren’t very many in my practice living. They don’t survive as long as women.” I was shocked to hear such a matter of fact comment. He went on to say that this would be an interesting research project. What do you think?
I don’t believe that I have ever run across a definitive study which stated the mortality rate for men did not exceed the median age of 47 or that men did not live as long as women. I am 54 and I feel really blessed. I attribute my survival to the many good Physician’s and ancillary care provided to me by my family. I informed him if not for the combined efforts of all, I would not have worked for 28 years. That’s when he said, that begs the question, “Do You Live to Work,… Or Work to Live?” I thought that probed to the heart of what we are searching for.
Do men with Sickle Cell have adequate support? Do we shun help from others because we don’t want to ask for it? Do we ignore our Physician’s advise,…treatment? Do we get adequate treatment from our health care providers? Do we give up whereas women fight harder?
These are the questions we need to talk about…someone comment on this phenomenon….
Friday, June 5, 2009
Speak Out Speak Up!
Men are very introverted when it comes to discussing their ailments or diseases. I never let anyone who did not need to know that I had Sickle Cell Anemia. As a matter of fact, I didn’t know until I attended Howard University and was told by the infirmary. I didn’t even discuss it with my family or relatives. What makes this disease so aloof to the public? Is it because we are; embarrassed, in denial, afraid or resentful? Most men have a desire to be control. Those with this disease realize at some point that they must rely on someone. Does this make us less than a “Man”?
You see when I was growing up there were rumors when I had crisis that I had a blood disorder which was fatal and I would not live longer than 15 years. When I reached that plateau the age was adjusted to 18 then 25 and so on. I always tried to prove this age related indices were wrong because I wanted to beat the odds. To say the least the median mortality of those with Sickle Cell has increased beyond the age of 50 today thanks to screening, early diagnosis, and treatment.
As we men get older do we speak out and help those young men who find themselves experiencing moments of uncertainty and challenges we survivors have confronted? Do we talk to each other? Do we support each other? Do we seek to help find a cure? I would argue, the answer is a resounding NO. If all truth be told, we sit in our Hematologist or Internist office and never speak to the patient beside us. What strikes me as irony is we observe men and women with cancer who carry on conversations about their disease and treatment in constant search of trying to find comfort, cures, and coping mechanism as it relates to their condition.
We Must Speak Out…We Must Speak Up!
You see when I was growing up there were rumors when I had crisis that I had a blood disorder which was fatal and I would not live longer than 15 years. When I reached that plateau the age was adjusted to 18 then 25 and so on. I always tried to prove this age related indices were wrong because I wanted to beat the odds. To say the least the median mortality of those with Sickle Cell has increased beyond the age of 50 today thanks to screening, early diagnosis, and treatment.
As we men get older do we speak out and help those young men who find themselves experiencing moments of uncertainty and challenges we survivors have confronted? Do we talk to each other? Do we support each other? Do we seek to help find a cure? I would argue, the answer is a resounding NO. If all truth be told, we sit in our Hematologist or Internist office and never speak to the patient beside us. What strikes me as irony is we observe men and women with cancer who carry on conversations about their disease and treatment in constant search of trying to find comfort, cures, and coping mechanism as it relates to their condition.
We Must Speak Out…We Must Speak Up!
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