A Sickle Cell Thread

3 weeks and 3 days ago, I had what seemed to be a routine pain crisis, after plenty yelling, I gave in and let Stephen drive me to the Emergency Room.

2 hours and 24 pokes later, the ER doc says fuck it and tells me to spread my legs. At this time, the only option was to start an IV line IN my femoral artery...yep, that crease between your thigh and pussy!

Central line in, I had cried so much I started banging on the doctor “aye that shit hurt blood...” “on my moms ima fuck u up if you don’t get it this time”....pain will do that to you.

So anyways, the doc decided to admit me because my labs (in his words) “were scary” and right as he admitted his cluelessness, I was transferred downtown.

Another 2 days go by and every specialist in that hospital had visited me at one point or another. One med student tells me I’m the “anomaly” and he had to see...

I had a bone infection that decided to come back with force, my heart rate (resting) was as high as someone who ran a marathon (according to my hematologist), my body temp was 103 degrees and they even ran several covid tests...nothing

I watched as these teams of physicians came into my room EVERY MORNING FOR 3 weeks and left scratching their heads.

My husband watching all this, helpless and angry, had enough and began cussin at everyone. “Why is she still crying 3 weeks later? Do your fuckin job, she better be ok”....well, he got arrested and later let go.

I stopped answering my phone, I couldn’t. For the first time, this wasn’t just another sickle cell crisis. I signed and officially made Stephen my only decision maker in the event I couldn’t. It was that bad.

Then one night, my nurse walked in and said she heard voices from my call light. In all my pain and uncertainty...I had developed this habit of reading a prayer that was printed and handed to me by an older lady I met months ago.

I would reach in my back pack and read this prayer out loud everyday (and I wasn’t aware). This particular night, I wasn’t reading it, but I showed her the prayer and she said it sounded like what she heard.

So a few days ago, I got fed up! They had tried everything. Chemo, radiation, antibiotics....everything! So I told them to remove this fuckin groin IV line, discontinue the IV antibiotics and switch me to the pills.

30 mins later, my husband noticed I was sweating and not shivering. Checked my temp and it was normal. So we asked to go home...20lbs lost, I’m tired as fuck and my body feels strange to me...but I’m home and happy.

Thuglife is having God and knowing that wtv happens is meant to. Trusting that He listens and HEARS...this wasn’t the worst crisis, it was just oddly different...and I heard God loud n clear.

Oh yeah, shoutout to awon iyamioshronga who read my prayers when i was too tired to lol. I am my mothers progeny and i see a bit of her in me everyday. I inherited her angels.

Sickle cell is a bitch ass nigga, but advocating is still the only thing I do best. So tell someone about sickle cell today.
Namaste!

Forever cheer leader!