Sickle-cell anemia is a disease many people are not familiar with. In the United States 1 in 500 African-American babies are born with sickle-cell disease. On the First Coast hundreds of residents carry a single trait or even have the disease itself. Sickle-cell anemia is characterized by red blood cells that have an abnormal, or sickle shape. The cells are rigid as well which causes them to lose their flexibility. The cells become abnormal due to a mutation in the hemoglobin gene. Cells of these type carry less oxygen and clog vessels more easily, which may cause them to break and disrupt blood flow. This disease occurs mostly in people who have origins in tropical and sub-Saharan African regions. Malaria is more common in these areas and studies have shown that there are benefits to carrying one sickle-cell gene. People that have the single gene have less severe symptoms of malaria.
Although being a carrier of the trait can be beneficial in certain cases, it is scary to think that one's baby could be born with this disease which can cause chronic pain within the body, decreased immune system reaction, leg ulcers, and other complications. Babies do not have the ability to verbally express what is hurting them. For mothers who have known first-hand the impact of sickle-cell anemia on the lives of their babies, the thought of these complications can be night-marish at first, but as time progresses, knowing that the disease is present becomes bearable.
Shenea Howell, a Jacksonville resident, knows what a mother feels when she finds out her baby has sickle-cell anemia. Shenea, 21, discovered her baby, Keyonni, carried the disease 3 weeks after giving birth to her. Doctors at Shands Jacksonville told her that she needed to bring her baby back to the hospital to be tested because it was believed Keyonni had a severe form of sickle-cell disease. Keyonni did have the disease and it devastated Shenea. "I cried for weeks when I found out. Everytime someone mentioned the words 'sickle-cell' I would tear up," stated Shenea, who did not know that she or Keyonni's father were both carriers of the trait. "Noone ever thinks to ask their partner if they carry the sickle-cell trait," Shenea exclaimed.
She saw that she could no longer mourn at the fact that her baby had a terrible disease. After her initial shock, she began to learn all she could on sickle-cell anemia. At first being a panicky first-time mom, to almost an expert on how to raise a baby with sickle-cell disease. "I had to tell myself, Shenea, everytime Keyonni cries, it's not the disease. Baby's cry for other reasons," she reflects with a chuckle.
Shenea had to also learn to put her trust and her baby's health in the Lord's hands. When she did that, she realized that everything would be just fine. Keyonni is 7 months old now. She has yet to experience the effects of sickle-cell disease. Some give credit for this miracle on modern medicine because Keyonni takes penicillin twice a day, but Shenea knew that "It was nothing but God. I don't know how this disease is going to affect Keyonni when she gets older. I can't worry about that. If I did I would be crazy.She's in God's hands."
Keyonni is in God's hands and her health is proof that God can make any situation endurable.
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