10 Things Good About Sickle Cell

Okay, I’m not here just to whine and complain. So in the spirit of giving thanks, I’m listing the top 10 reasons I can think of why it’s great to be a sickle cell warrior.

1. You get a free “get out of work” pass from school, work or home whenever you are feeling tired, down or sick. This can also be applied when you are feeling kinda okay but want to spend the day painting your nails, eating bonbons and reading a good book.
2. You get lots of pain pills, so if you are ever broke, you can sell them off the street for ten bucks a Vicodin (I’ve never done this btw!)
3. You’ve learned the fine art of balancing. Some people take decades or lifetimes to learn this but you have learned to listen to your body, pace yourself and rest whenever your body demands. In essence you are actually alot healthier than the type A’s who just run, run, run until they stroke out.
4. You get lots of presents, flowers and teddy bears several times a year. I have a whole collection of stuffed animals I don’t know what to do with.
5. You don’t have to search for a cause or something to volunteer for, you already have your life’s cause imprinted in your DNA.
6. You lose weight whenever you are sick. So it’s like your own insurance policy against becoming overweight. When you get better, you can eat all you want to get back to your ‘ideal’ body weight.
7. You get reassurance on a regular basis that your friends and family love you. You don’t feel like you are taken for granted. You don’t feel underappreciated or not recognized.
8. You have a legalized reason for getting narcs. The immediate rush and relief you get with IV meds is enough to make you want or crave to be sick. Okay…I know we shouldn’t admit it, but we are human. Narcs feel good. Narcs feel really, really good!
9. You can buy lots of warm sexy coats and cute sweaters every year and claim it as a medical expense off your taxes.
10. You learn to love life and every moment that you are well, because you’ve learned that in the blink of an eye it will all dissipate. So you enjoy the moments that you have!