I was one day conversing with a man who told me about his aunt who had Sickle Cell—she passed on at the age of thirty. Being thirty-two years old at the time, I was curious to know what kind of lifestyle his aunt lived. He told me she was a heavy drinker, smoker, and used illegal drugs. I felt sad for that woman. Though I did not know her I felt I understood her. I’m guessing she, like me, and possibly you, spent much of her time in a hospital. She probably struggled with many of the complications common to Sickle Cell patients. As a result, it’s likely she believed she wouldn’t live a long life, and thought to herself, “I’m going to die young anyway, so I might as well do what I want.” Though I understand the temptation to feel this way, it’s essential that you don’t.
People with Sickle Cell Disease are living longer than they ever have. If you recall from previous sections, I’ve talked about some of the treatments, medications, and even the cure that is available today. With today’s medical understanding of Sickle Cell Disease, you and I have a greater hope of living longer and healthier lives than what use to be possible. Remember the story I shared about the women with Sickle Cell who are in the eighties? That inspires hope for us all.
Showing posts with label 13) Believe You Will Live a Long Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 13) Believe You Will Live a Long Life. Show all posts
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Hope for a Cure
Though the cure available today is limited, it’s still a cure, and other exciting prospects are on the horizon. Living with the hope that better treatments and more promising remedies will become available in your lifetime is optimism worth having. I live with that hope because I’ve seen how far healthcare for Sickle Cell patients has come in the past twenty-five years. I truly believe you and I could live to see a cure become available to every person born with Sickle Cell. It’s a hope I pray you have as well. That possibility should be one of many reasons why you choose to make responsible decisions and give your best effort at living a long full life.
You Are What You Think
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” The idea behind the statement is if you eat nothing but junk, you’re going to feel like junk. I eat a lot of chocolate; I guess that’s what makes me so sweet natured. The principal is the same with thoughts. You are what you think. For example, if you think you’re doomed to a miserable life with a thousand medical problems and will die at a young age, chances are that’s exactly what’s going to happen. If that’s what you truly believe, you’re apt to live life in a self-destructive manner and make that gloomy prediction occur.
On the other hand, if you choose to believe you are going to live as long and healthy as is possible, you have a much better chance at making it so. More than just thinking it, live to make it happen by caring for your body the very best you know how. “Your focus determines your reality” (another Star Wars quote).
On the other hand, if you choose to believe you are going to live as long and healthy as is possible, you have a much better chance at making it so. More than just thinking it, live to make it happen by caring for your body the very best you know how. “Your focus determines your reality” (another Star Wars quote).
Take Care of Your Body
The first time I saw my current pain specialist he asked me the normal questions, “Do you smoke, drink, or do drugs?” When my answer to each question was no, he asked, “Not ever?”
“No,” I replied.
“Not ever!” he exclaimed in disbelief.
“No,” I said with a chuckle. “Why would I do that to myself? My heart works at 50%, my lungs at 50%, my hemoglobin is at 6.5, my liver and kidneys are always being watched . . . why would I do that to myself? I might as well get a shovel and start digging my own grave.”
When living with Sickle Cell Anemia, choosing to live a healthy lifestyle is the wisest one to make. Having Sickle Cell unfortunately means enduring certain complications. Despite this, you still have the control talked about earlier. Are you going to intentionally do things that will harm your body? Smoking, drinking, recreational drugs, and a poor diet are all things that are harmful to your health. If your lungs have only 50% capacity from Sickle Cell Disease, imagine how much less capacity they would have if you smoked? 40%? 30%? 20%? How many years would those tar-filled lungs take off your life? Many! However, not polluting you body with recreational toxins, how much better will your chances be at living to be fifty, sixty or perhaps even eighty? Your chances will be much improved.
Taking proper care of your body also means getting the appropriate amount of sleep, drinking plenty of water, following your doctor’s advice, taking your medications as directed, and all the other things discussed. It takes work, but the responsibility is yours to do all you can to prolong your health and your life.
“No,” I replied.
“Not ever!” he exclaimed in disbelief.
“No,” I said with a chuckle. “Why would I do that to myself? My heart works at 50%, my lungs at 50%, my hemoglobin is at 6.5, my liver and kidneys are always being watched . . . why would I do that to myself? I might as well get a shovel and start digging my own grave.”
When living with Sickle Cell Anemia, choosing to live a healthy lifestyle is the wisest one to make. Having Sickle Cell unfortunately means enduring certain complications. Despite this, you still have the control talked about earlier. Are you going to intentionally do things that will harm your body? Smoking, drinking, recreational drugs, and a poor diet are all things that are harmful to your health. If your lungs have only 50% capacity from Sickle Cell Disease, imagine how much less capacity they would have if you smoked? 40%? 30%? 20%? How many years would those tar-filled lungs take off your life? Many! However, not polluting you body with recreational toxins, how much better will your chances be at living to be fifty, sixty or perhaps even eighty? Your chances will be much improved.
Taking proper care of your body also means getting the appropriate amount of sleep, drinking plenty of water, following your doctor’s advice, taking your medications as directed, and all the other things discussed. It takes work, but the responsibility is yours to do all you can to prolong your health and your life.
You Might Live Longer Than You Think
I can’t express to you enough the value in believing you will live a long life. Regardless of how hard your trials become, don’t allow yourself to give up. I’ll share something personal with you to show why I feel so strongly about this.
Growing up as a child and teen, because I was hospitalized over a hundred times before age eighteen, I never truly believed I would live to be twenty. In fact, I was sure I wouldn’t. I was even more certain I would not live to be thirty years old. Though I felt this way, I did what I could to manage my illness and to care for my body the best I knew how. I never felt, “I’m going to die young, so I might as well drink this keg of vodka—it looks like water.”
Now I am thirty-nine years old and have lived far longer than I ever imagined. I’ve taken many lickings, but I’m still ticking. I’ve lived to see nieces and nephews I held in my arms as newborns grow to adulthood, marry and have children of their own. I’ve lived to enjoy events in life, have experiences and cherished relationships I never believed I would have. I’ve come to have a peace in life that is simply . . . beautiful.
The day I turned thirty years old was one of wonderful celebration. As has been each day and year since then. Every year I grow older, the more astonished I am to still be here and the more grateful I am as well. Though I endure more Sickle Cell pain than I did when in my twenties, the number of hospital visits in my adulthood have been relatively few when compared to my childhood. In the past sixteen years I’ve been blessed with less than ten hospitalizations. For the first time in my life, I have stayed out of the hospital for six years strait. As stable as my health has been, the possibility of living another thirty or more years is both realistic and exciting—most of the time.
I share this with you to encourage you to likewise believe you will live a full life. Work to make it can happen. Hope for it to happen. Live your life in such a way so it can happen. As you do, you may also find yourself living longer than you imagined and enjoying events in life you never dreamed you’d experience.
Growing up as a child and teen, because I was hospitalized over a hundred times before age eighteen, I never truly believed I would live to be twenty. In fact, I was sure I wouldn’t. I was even more certain I would not live to be thirty years old. Though I felt this way, I did what I could to manage my illness and to care for my body the best I knew how. I never felt, “I’m going to die young, so I might as well drink this keg of vodka—it looks like water.”
Now I am thirty-nine years old and have lived far longer than I ever imagined. I’ve taken many lickings, but I’m still ticking. I’ve lived to see nieces and nephews I held in my arms as newborns grow to adulthood, marry and have children of their own. I’ve lived to enjoy events in life, have experiences and cherished relationships I never believed I would have. I’ve come to have a peace in life that is simply . . . beautiful.
The day I turned thirty years old was one of wonderful celebration. As has been each day and year since then. Every year I grow older, the more astonished I am to still be here and the more grateful I am as well. Though I endure more Sickle Cell pain than I did when in my twenties, the number of hospital visits in my adulthood have been relatively few when compared to my childhood. In the past sixteen years I’ve been blessed with less than ten hospitalizations. For the first time in my life, I have stayed out of the hospital for six years strait. As stable as my health has been, the possibility of living another thirty or more years is both realistic and exciting—most of the time.
I share this with you to encourage you to likewise believe you will live a full life. Work to make it can happen. Hope for it to happen. Live your life in such a way so it can happen. As you do, you may also find yourself living longer than you imagined and enjoying events in life you never dreamed you’d experience.
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