I am a Kenyan born. I was diagnosed by sickle by 8 months old. I suffered a lot when I was young kid. Most of my life I spend it in hospitals and I could not do what other kids did like swimming, rock climbing but I thank God now because am 30 years old and I don't have sickle any more. God changed my blood type from SS to a perfect AA. I give him all the praise and thanks its over for me and I know when I get kids all of them will be healthy.

My mother said I was crying uncontrollable at 14 months old but there was no tears and my abdomen was as hard as a rock. When I got to the doctor the doctor realized I had not passed any urine for a long while either. Those were the first signs that my doctor followed. I am now 26 years old, with one child.

All my childhood I would get weak from playing activities with friends. My head would get light headed. I would stop playing until it passed and begin playing again. I would see floaters in my eyes when I got weak from playing sports. I also had body pains that I later found out was a crises. I got diagnosed while away at college. I woke up unable to walk because both knees where affected with pain. The emergency room doctor looked at my yellow eyes and diagnosed me with sickle cell before he did any test. He was correct.

I am 27 years old from Nigeria and was diagnosed as a sickler from childhood. There has never been a year where there is not a massive visit to hospitals. When I have a crisis I don't care about the number of injections I need. All I need is for the pains to go AWAY.

From what I was told by my mom, I was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia at 2 years old. My mom said that one day I stopped walking and crawling because my hands and feet were swollen. That's when she took me to the doctors and was told that I have sickle cell anemia.

When I was a young child I would black out at school. One day I cut my leg and it just would not heal no matter what they did. I was taken to four doctors and the 4th one told my parents I had Sickle Cell Anemia {the Disease} and that they should not have any more children. At this time I was 9 years old.

My 4 year old son was diagnosed at his newborn screening. He had his first crises a month ago. He was in the hospital for 3 days and had a blood transfusion. That was scaring me more than him. The doctors told me the crisis was probably brought on by him having the flu two weeks prior and getting dehydrated the day before his crisis. Staying hydrated and fighting infections are his major problems right now. Also if you have a baby and you have to put them in daycare make sure it's a place that doesn't have too many children and keep them away from the sick ones. My son had to be hospitalized twice after I put him in daycare when he was over a year old. He NEVER got sick until then.

I had a spinal tap and it diagnosed it.