For Parents: Overcoming the Fear of Sickle Cell

Having a child with sickle cell or any chronic condition means that eventually, you are going to have moments of fear and anxiety. Giving in to the fear could leave you in a puddle of tears, wracked with worry, and too paralysed by it to advocate for your child. It takes a strong warrior parent to find hope and courage in the heat of the battle. Here are a few tips to overcome the fear, from one warrior parent who has been in the trenches, just like you.

Its 3am and I wake to hear my baby girl screaming “Mommy, it hurts, it hurts!” I run stumbling because my body is not awake but my mind is up and ready to fly to her side.  The voice of fear comes next, and whispers “What is she about to say? Could it be her heart or her organs or her legs?”  But the God in me says, “Stay calm and pray from the inside out!”  When I get to her she is clutching her chest.  Fear tries again and says “She’s having a heart attack, you better prepare to lose her!”  But the God in me says, “No, pray until you get there!”  So I begin to pray over her, get her dressed and go to the hospital.  Fear continues to attack my mind all the way to the emergency room but I never give in to its voice. 

I explain to the doctors how she woke up with chest pain screaming.  They took tests, drew her blood, and started an IV.Two hours later with no morphine administered, she was fine, laughing and ready to go home.  They told me how they could not find anything wrong and discharged her.  We leave, return home and still she is fine.  I put her back to sleep and begin to get ready for work.  I let my oldest daughter know her sister is fine and I am on my way to work.  God is good!

This is an experience that many warrior moms can relate to, and we each have felt the cold clutch of fear in the middle of the night hearing our child cry out. Fear will come without a doubt in every scenario and will try to make you believe the worst is happening.  But you have to fight that fear with your faith even when it looks like all odds are against you.  Being a single parent makes this harder because most times there is no back up support to help you keep the faith.  However, sometimes you have to fake it until you make it.  You have to encourage yourself and say I refuse to believe God gave me this child with SCD to give up and let it take their life.  You have to tell yourself positive things until you believe the best things possible are coming to past.  Your warrior needs  you to have that strength for both of you.

Being a single mom of my warrior can be more than a notion some days! However, when I see her smile, I remember every day for her is a testimony.  I remember every day is a miracle for her that she doesn’t have pain.  I teach her to thank God for her healing every good day she has.  I’m teaching her to store up those prayers daily so when she doesn’t feel like praying, prayers have already gone out before her. 

You cannot walk this walk without a spiritual foundation for you and your child.  Some days that spiritual strength will be the only thing to keep you moving forward.  Don’t give in to the fear, but instead, choose faith. Fight every battle as if your warrior’s life depended on it. [alert color=”3547BD” icon=”hearts”]From one warrior mom to another: Keep the faith, fight the fear, stay strong, and never, ever give up hope![/alert]