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Mekhi's experiences with sickle cell hasn't been easy, but he has learned how to manage his symptoms. Now, he's more enagaged in managing his relationships and making plans for the future. You can see the resilience on his face and hear it in his voice. His strength is demonstrated by his courage to share what he faces.
"I [would] like teachers to know that for sickle cell patients, we have to go to the bathroom a lot... because we have to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated and make sure that our body is not cramping up and we're in class being attentive, so we can focus without any aches or pains, and stuff like that."
— Mekhi
VOCs, or pain crises, can cause a lot of pain in the body, including in the joints, bones, stomach and chest. People describe it as the feeling that all their bones are breaking, or that their blood feels "stuck," as though it's in an hourglass. VOCs can cause a traffic jam that can impact healthy red blood cells from getting oxygen to tissues, organs and bones. Mekhi has dealt with the effects of his pain crises and has learned how to prepare for future ones.
Mekhi’s experience with sickle cell hasn’t been easy, but he has learned how to manage his symptoms. Now, he’s more engaged in managing his relationships and making plans for the future. You can see the resilience on his face and hear it in his voice. His strength is demonstrated by his courage to share what he faces.
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November 2023.
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