Family Openness

Living with the kind of health problems Sickle Cell causes, you, like myself, perhaps are confronted with the reality of your mortality on a regular basis. Understanding you are mortal and will one day pass from this world into the next, are truths many people don’t accept or ponder until much later in life. You, however, have to make peace with this at a very young age, at least I did. This is another reason why I encourage people with chronic illnesses to develop their spirituality. Religion can be a wonderful comfort about such matters.

You might think it strange that I previously spoke about believing you will live a long life and now I’m talking about accepting your mortality. Perhaps your life experience in this area is different than mine. Even as a young child, thoughts about death and dying always weighed heavily on my mind. As a youth I was very aware of my mortality and frequently felt the need to talk about it. Usually in a half joking half serious manner. Knowing I could express such feelings in my home helped my parents know how to help me stay mentally, emotionally and spiritually healthy.

It’s been my observation in many households, and friendships for that matter, that any discussion about death and dying is a taboo topic. Some families, or family members, will freeze up and say, “Don’t think that way,” and shut down any discussion on the matter. They may accuse you of being negative or having morbid thoughts because you talk about this issue. Living with Sickle Cell, you may simply have deeper thoughts and feelings about life and death than what other people have or are aware of.

I’m addressing this subject because your family should know if you have this need. They should understand a desire to talk about death doesn’t necessarily mean you have given up on life or are thinking about taking yours. Families should be comfortable talking about such matters and able to speak openly about anything your 4-Points of Health requires.

I believe discussing such feelings with those you are closest to, are a vital part of staying mentally healthy. Exploring your family beliefs in regards to death and an after-life can be a powerful source of hope and can help you come to terms with your mortality. My religious views about the purpose of life, why we are here and what happens when we die have always given me peace of mind about life and death.

I encourage you to read this section with your family. Speaking openly and freely with one another can help your entire household more easily cope with the struggles Sickle Cell brings not only to you, but your family as a whole.