Face Book Hope Cells Group

I created a Hope Cells Group on Facebook. It is a sickle cell awareness support group. We encourage each other as well as inspire each other. We have all become great friends and the group is expanding with technology. More exciting things to come. If you would like to join the Hope Cells group on Facebook please do a search for Hope Cells and ask to join.

Thanks so much!!

Sickle Cell Caregiver

A caregiver is a very important role. We was hand picked by GOD to watch over God's little babies. We know when they are getting sick. We know the child's complete history. We know when to tell them to slow down. We know when to say no. We know when to call the doctor and when to take them to the ER. We know what meds work without looking in the chart. We know what meds don't work. We know more about sickle cell than most of the patients because they are in so much pain that its hard to concentrate. We are on the outside looking in. So please know that you are an important voice in the fight and the struggle to raise awareness. You have the power. You too are special just like our GOD's babies.

Who does sickle cell affect?

Sickle cell is an inherited disorder. You can not get it by being near someone or someone coughing on you. You can only get it by having the genes for sickle cell. Just like a person has blue eyes or brown hair. Everyone caries two genes. A normal person has two AA genes. A person with the trait carries the AS gene and a person with sickle cell carries the SS gene. So if your parents have two AA genes you do not have a chance of getting sickle cell. If your parents both have sickle cell, you will definitely have sickle cell. Please see chart below.

AA AS
Mom Dad

Child- AA
Child- AS
Child- AA
Child- AS
Your child has a 50% chance of having a trait and 50% chance of having normal blood.

AS AS
Mom Dad

Child- AA
Child- AS
Child- AS
Child- SS
Your child has a 1in 4 chance of having normal blood
Your child has a 50% chance of being a carrier of the trait.
Your child has a 1 in 4 chance of having sickle cell disease.

This is with every child. Every time you have a child the chances are the same. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Everyone Need to Know About Sickle Cell

Knowledge is Power!!! Learn about Sickle Cell. Some people take their good health for granted. Sickle cell effects mainly African Americans. Someone you know may have sickle cell. A person with sickle cell goes through alot mentally and physically. I will blog about different experiences I have gone through being a parent of a child with sickle cell. The first thing is peeking the interest of people with little knowledge of the disease.

Sickle cell is a Red Blood Cell disorder. Usually your red blood cells are round and fluffy. Lack of oxygen causes the red blood cell to collapse causing a flat sickle shaped cell that is hard. This makes it hard to flow through the blood vessels causing pain to the persons body. The pain can be anywhere in a persons body. These are called "Pain Crisis". A person can have a mild crisis and control the pain at home or extreme crisis which hospital care is needed to get through it.

Understanding what a person goes through with sickle cell is very important. They usually do not tell you they have sickle cell. When they are felling well they want to be normal and when they are sick they want to be alone. What ever the case if you know someone with this disease please be a support to them. Let them know that you care. It helps them get through the pain better. There are many risk and complications with sickle cell. I will uncover one with every Bolg so please stay tuned...