Here We Go AgainThe last time I talked about love over two years ago, I thought I had met the one. What a cliche. I'm not sure if there is just one right... By Halimat Olaniyan3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
The Best Part of Living with Sickle Cell That You Might Be IgnoringWhy do some people think nothing good can come from living with sickle cell? They feel like every day is miserable for someone living with this disease. Maybe they need... By Abayomi Afolayan3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Withdrawing from Those Around MeWhen my pain levels rise, I tend to withdraw from those around me. What comes to my mind is the safety mechanism of the turtle when the turtle has to... By Chesterfield Hall2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
My Child's Testing & Appointment ScheduleI often talk to parents about sickle cell disease (SCD), even if they do not have a child with SCD. I recently had an interesting conversation with a mom, and... By Andressa Hunsel2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
The Placebo EffectOur minds are really amazing. They can make us believe we’re not in pain when we should be or that we are in pain/danger when we’re not. I really believe... By Halimat Olaniyan2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments8 comments
The Rise and Fall of My Mental Health With Sickle CellWe all know that mental health and mental health issues are not talked about enough and I feel like it is because it is not encouraged in many homes, especially... By Abayomi Afolayan3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
Educating Our Kids Living With Sickle CellI am proud to announce that my newest children's book will be published in the summer of 2023. It will be a special book that I wrote together with my... By Andressa Hunsel2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments3 comments
A Warrior's Perspective on Mother's DayMy mother and I have a complicated relationship. I am not sure there is a mother-daughter relationship in existence that is not complicated. Treading the delicate balance between parent and... By Halimat Olaniyan2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
The Three Year Transplant UpdateI can't believe it's been 3 years since my transplant. For most of my life, I thought sickle cell pain would always take center stage in my life, dictating where... By Wunmi Bakare3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
Changing Roles: Allow Me to Reintroduce MyselfAs of April 22, 2023, around 11:53 am, my life forever changed. I went from being Halimat Shadia Owolobi Olaniyan – author, philanthropist, sickle cell warrior and all-around pretty cool... By Halimat Olaniyan2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
My Medical Massage ExperienceI try to treat myself periodically to a massage technique called medical massage from a licensed medical massage therapist. A massage therapist rubs and kneads the soft tissues of your... By Chesterfield Hall2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
The Benefits of Sunshine in My LifeI've always thought that there had to be some health benefits of sunshine. Growing up in dull England will make you start to wonder about these sorts of things. I... By Jenica Leah2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
A Lonely journeyThis article is for caregivers who sometimes feel lonely or sad. I've thought about it for a long time if it's smart to write about emotions when I'm a bit... By Andressa Hunsel3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Creating A #SickleCellTribeAs I continue to foster relationships with fellow advocates, one thing rings true for all of us – we grew up not knowing any other person living with sickle cell... By Wunmi Bakare4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
The MatchHave you heard of The Match? Well, it’s the most important day of medical school. The day all 4 years, and all the work before/outside of the 4 years, is... By Halimat Olaniyan2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Where Can I Find More Information About Sickle Cell Disease?As a parent of a child with sickle cell disease (SCD), it is very important that we know exactly where to get the necessary information. A mother called me in... By Andressa Hunsel4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
A Recap of the Sickle Cell Leadership SummitA few weeks ago, I was invited to the Sickle Cell Community Consortium's Leadership Summit in Atlanta. It was the first time health leaders, patient advocates, caregivers, pharmaceutical companies, and... By Wunmi Bakare4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
Sickle Cell & Chronic Pain: The Road to RecoveryMy little princess has been diagnosed with chronic back pain since the summer of 2021. Every time I think about it or write about it, a piece of my heart... By Andressa Hunsel3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
Updates on My First Research StudyRemember when I was on my period and nervous about giving blood for the first time? Well, that appointment had to be rescheduled because of the weather, so crisis averted... By Halimat Olaniyan2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Am I lucky? The Differences in Our BodiesI had a conversation with another warrior who is also a friend recently. We were just catching up when she asked how the change in weather was treating me and... By Abayomi Afolayan3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments