Hi everyone

I'm Osei, I'm 28 and from London, UK. I have Sickle Cell Anaemia (HbSS). I've been through the usual hospital admissions, crises, hospital staff stupid questions ("How long have you had Sickle Cell?" and "Are you in pain?" spring to mind), and their attitudes. I'm seeing how little is done around Sickle Cell and the ACTUAL root of the problem, as medical treatment is treating the symptoms rather than treating the actual cause. I wish for there to be more looked into the cause of the problem, i.e. What is your body actually deficient in? How comes you've returned after 1 week whereas before you've not been in for 3 months?.

Through having blood transfusions over the last 10 years has meant I've been out of the hospital loop for a while, besides my usual appointments every 6 weeks. After ceasing transfusions for a while I was admitted to hospital 4 times. It's been shocking, to say the least.

What I have noticed is the treatment in hospital is - hydration, pain killers, antibiotics, and bed rest. Besides that they don't know what they're doing! It is up to us, the patient, to get ourselves better. Being in hospital meant being your own doctor, listening to your body and deciding what it's asking for. Questioning the doctors, who, give textbook answers and no nothing else. I had to tell a couple of them "I've been a patient longer than you've been a doctor" - *sigh*

Hospital food is atrocious! There are no/very little nutrients in there. I give thanks that my family and friends could bring food for me. Without this I would have been nutritionally deprived and unable to make speedy recoveries.

And oxygen - NOT ONE window could be opened. That in itself will make someone ill.

Rant over :)

I have a website at www.sicklecelluk.co.uk for anyone who's interested.

Take care and drop me a line.

Osei.