Growing Up

In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustrations, but be of good cheer (take courage, be confident, certain, undaunted). For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you] John 16:17 b Amplified Version

I wasn't sure if I was going to talk on growing up,as I did not want to end up giving 'expo' on my book. In the end I changed my mind, a little info won't hurt. Growing up was like any regular kid in a middle class family. My father was an academician, so I grew up in the academic world rotating from one university environs to the other. Th only difference between the regular child and I was this disease they called sickle cell anaemia. This disease or to be politically correct this disorder was pretty much fairly unknown back when I was born, but thankfully my parents being medically trained were able to handle the issue to a 'degree'. The hospitals became my second home, resulting in my having at least 2 blood transfusions a year till even my late twenties. Still i tried to maintain a life as much as I could. I often wonder how one maintained a life with a dislocated hip, numerous surgeries and incessant withdrawals from school , but I did, through which I can only attribute to God and my strong will.

I thank God that at least my parents were medical inclined and were surrounded by friends who were in the medical field, because with what I see today you would have thought that Sickle cell anemia is a new thing. There is so much ignorance concerning this, it make s me shudder and want to cry. Ignorance brings fear and fear bring prejudices.

With all my seemingly grave challenges, I'm still appreciative of the fact of who am I and where I come from even though someone once told me he could not have handled what I went through. Children from lesser background face far worse situations where even the doctors don't know how to counsel nor administer relevant medications in some cases. And they say people with Sickle cell anemia don't live long, why would they, when people don't take time to provide relevant treatment. Just yesterday I had a conversation on the health management of patients especially those sickle cell in our hospitals (God help us) but that is a post for another day.

In all I managed to get into university, qualify and I now run my own business along side an NGO. People didn't think I'd live long, but I did - I survived. But am I one of the blessed few?