Allow me to introduce myself.......

My name DrFoxyCleo and I am a Sickler.  Yeah I said it. I have Sickle Cell Anaemia and I am not afraid to own the fact that I am one.

In a lot of ways was born different, a cosmic joke, a rare breed within my flock.  Let me give you a little back ground......

There are three types of Sickle Cell;

1. HbSS  (this one I like to call 'The Full-Blown Showdown')
2. HbSC  (I call this the 'Just Kicking it')
3. And my personal favourite HbSBthal (The Clusterfuck)

Now I'm sure you can figure which category I fit into....... yup I'm HbSBthal.  Why would I call it the clusterfuck?  Let me explain......

I was born in Nigeria in the 80's to two wonderful parents.  My father was completing his NYSC serving as a medical doctor and my mum was a nurse.  Both my parents are Nigerian and oh did I mention that I am a twin?  Anyways 3 months in, I'm crying all the time for no apparent reason.  

My mother was at her wits end.  She had taken me to hospitals where I was probed and prodded but to with no answers.  My dad at this point had moved to the UK to continue his training, so the logical next step was to continue looking for answers over there.

We discovered that my mum carries the HbBthal trait gene and my dad is your typical HbS.     So why was it not caught earlier?

Clusterfuck 1 - No Federal, State, or Local government hospital actually tests for Beta Thalassemia in Nigeria.  Now this would have been understandable in the 80's but it is still the case now.  

I had the pleasure of trying to prove my Sickle Cell Status to the kind people at NYSC.  Their rules stated that I would need a blood test confirming my status from a government hospital.  Didn't happen, had to get a note from a Gov Dr stating that my type of SCD was 'Rare' and that a private test sent to South Africa will confirm.

When my parents got married, they took the usual tests.  At the time, they couldn't identify what my mother was so they just told her she was HbAA and my dad was HbAS.  This curveball lead to lil old me!!!

Clusterfuck 2 - Where is my twin sister in all of this?  She is HbAA.  My younger sibling is also HbAA........ yes in the name of the Highlander.......there can be only ONE.

So yes people!  There are 3 types of Sickle Cell that exist in Nigeria.  I may be a minority but dammit I exist!!

I've given you my Sickle Cell background but that is not all I am.  I am an eccentric, larger than life, outspoken, confused, strong black woman.  

Nice to meet you.