Personal Narrative: My Life With A Sickle Disease

Growing up, my childhood years were honestly the most exhilarating, memorable, and beautiful parts of my life. I got along with my siblings very well, my parents were always wanting to go on trips, i had my great group of friends near the area i lived; it was all just smooth sailing since the day i was

I have come a very long way; the four years since I started have only progressed with intensity and involvement with music. I know the next years of my life will only be more intense and more involved with music, and I hope that it can become a career one day. Music has allowed me to express myself during my happy moments, my teenage angst, my depression, my heartbreaks, and it has always gotten stronger, and it carries me with it. I cannot wait to see what music I’m creating in five, ten, or fifteen years. One day, I’ll look back to the songs I have finished in my younger days, and I will be reminded of my high school years, and what I was going through during those times, because, to me, music is

As I entered my freshman year of high school, I prided myself on never being sick. Sure, I got a head cold every now and then but I had not had a stomach bug since the second grade. In November of 2013, I began experiencing what turned into a daily migraine, that would have no relief until January of 2016 when I went 30 minutes without a headache. Soon other medical ailments, including orthostatic intolerance and cyclical vomiting, went alongside these headaches. About two years later, I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder which is paired with dysautonomia. Although this was the most frustrating time of my life, it was also the most rewarding.

I had a wonderful childhood. My parents took care of me. We went camping a lot. Bills were always paid on time and food was always on the table. The best thing my parents did for me was get me a lifelong friend. A german shepherd for a best friend, protection, and a caretaker. It was the best gift of all.

On January 22, 2001, I was born at Rex Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina. My family and I traveled around for about a year and a half of my life before settling down in Augusta, Georgia. We stayed in Georgia until I finished preschool, then we moved to Greensboro, North Carolina. The first several years living in Greensboro were typical until I reached middle school. In my early years of school, I was the kid who was always so sprightly but when I reached sixth grade that momentum shifted. I let procrastination bury me alive in addition to my low self-esteem leading me into sadness. The only form of serenity during middle school was music. Music rejuvenated my state of mind and permitted me to be happier. Immensely being involved in the choral program at the middle school majorly contributed to my happiness. I received high honors while being in the program that paved my high school choral career to be astounding. However, my academic high school career did not quite meet the same expectations.

Then Mr.Dangerfield decided to do a performance of The Princess and the Frog. So the afterschool program prepared to do the play. We would be doing the background music. Several weeks later, he decided to give an early preview of some of the music to the whole school. He let the students in higher grades perform. Then I saw an empty piano. I thought, Well, I’ll be in the real show (which turns out later I wouldn’t be in). Why can’t I be in this One? and walked on up to the piano and started playing along. When I did that, everyone was surprised. After we were done, I got a standing ovation. Everyone was happy. Then I went back to regular classes, and I knew that I could play piano. But that was a long while ago. So through all this time, I practiced whenever I could and could remember to. I became excellent at playing by ear. But then, my music died for a little while. Later on, middle school fifth and sixth grade rolled around. We had music class again. Then my brain remembered all the songs, the notes, and the music came back. Sixth Grade rolled on in, and hit me hard with more work, more responsibilities. Yet through this, my musical life survived, thriving on those moments when I could be alone and just play anything on the keyboard. First half of the year, we had Japanese. I hated that class, and couldn’t wait for when we switched to music. Then the halfway point of the year, and I started music. In fifth grade, we used recorders. But now, we used pianos. My main instrument. My music grew even more as we learned more and more on the piano, did more music. Then, as the end of the year started coming in, Ms.Barsamian, the music and drama teacher, decided we would do a little piano recital. She gave us tons of songs to choose from. But there were none that resonated with me, that I enjoyed playing, that I could connect to. And then I remembered. A song I had

The term sickle cell disease (SCD) involves a range of disorders characterized by the occurrence of at least one haemoglobin S (Hb S) allele and a second abnormal allele allowing abnormal haemoglobin polymerization leading to a symptomatic disorder. Most patients often are healthy at early stages in their life and become symptomatic later on in their life time. Fetal haemoglobin levels decrease and haemoglobin s levels increase. Sickle cell disease is determined at conception, when a person acquires his/her genes from the parents. Sickle cell disease cannot be caught, acquired, or otherwise transmitted.

class learned about the sickle-cell disease. This paper will discuss what sickle-cell disease is, the

I realized that my strength was coming back to me, and I would be able to catch up on all of the homework that I missed. I am proud to have Sickle Cell Disease flowing through my veins because it makes me a stronger person by persevering through the hardest of circumstances. Sickle Cell Disease can sometimes be a burden, but I believe Sickle Cell makes me a wiser person when it comes to making decisions. I always have to consider whether my actions will cause harm to my health. Even though Sickle Cell is supposed to cause learning and physical disabilities, I defy the odds. My illness and crises have not affected my academics therefore I have maintained a 3.91 GPA through high school. Also, I played high school and competitive volleyball for two years without any previous experience and went on to receive the Coaches Award. My scholastic and physical abilities made Children’s Hospital inquire about my blood. Children’s Hospital wanted to run tests on me, but my family declined their offer. I am a fighter, and I do not let Sickle Cell defeat me by getting me

My dreams began to explode in my mind. My mother told me a big part of being successful is being determined. I remember a time in high school when I wanted to give up on my all region choir tryout music. The ranges of the songs were exceedingly high. The songs were almost like birds tweeting in the trees.

Sickle Cell Disease is predominantly among people from African, Asian, Arabian and Mediterranean countries. Nonetheless, due to population migration, it is a global health problem with psychosocial implications. SCD afflicts up to 100 million people worldwide and more tormenting, the life expectancy of patients with SCD is quite variable. Some die at an early age while others have virtually unrecognized conditions and can live active lives, but few lives till advanced age. Patients who are older than 30 years of age are called long-term survivors (Sickle cell disease, 2012, p.4). Finding indicates that most patients with SCD sufferers, regardless, of their social circumstances, do worry about the psychological and social effects of their illness.

The purpose of the research is to examine how sickle cell disease affects the experiences of adolescents

Music isn’t just what I do, it is who I am. I’ve been surrounded by music ever since I remember. One of my earliest memories is of my mom playing piano for my family, something she often did throughout my childhood. Time and time again, her simple melodies echoed through our cozy house and as I stood next to her, watching her hands, they also started to resonate in my heart. Even in those early years, I knew that I loved music. From then on, I took every opportunity I could to make music. I started taking piano lessons and joined church choir in third grade. However, that wasn’t enough for me, and I knew I would always want more music. I had this thirst for music that I couldn’t quench, and every opportunity I got just left me wanting more. This is why the day I got to pick out my band instrument was such a big day for me.

How do you remember your childhood, or your idealized world of being a child? In remembrance of their younger years, most would say it was their most wonderful and joyous years of their life. Most would tell you that they almost never really had a care in the world, that is, outside of school, homework, what are the best cartoons to watch on television, and making sure you were home before curfew. Although, most everyday people you see walking along the street could claim this statement, imagine if you, yourself, never had the chance to experience any of these of these subtle but necessary, important and lasting jubilant untroubled years. Throughout these precious years are the moments in time that you will remember where you will learn

Being in high school often presented me with many adversities. I was facing peer pressure, the weird change in environment, and basically every other typical problem a freshman faced. When I told people about my love for producing beats, many people doubted my skills and tried to kill my dreams. However, I refused to let go of my passion for making beats and continued to strive for my goal,