Shan’s World 🌎💗

This is raw and vulnerable, but I’m sharing it for education and awareness. 🩸❤️‍🩹

Because unfortunately, I’ve experienced bias, judgement and discrimination … both within my own community and in workplaces … simply because people don’t always understand what living with Sickle Cell actually looks like.

When an illness is invisible, people often judge you by the moments they CAN see.

They see you smiling. Working. Travelling. Parenting. Laughing with your friends. Living your life.

What they don’t see is what your body may be fighting behind all of that.

I was literally at home having fun, talking on the phone to my friends… until my body said otherwise 🥺💔

I haven’t felt pain like this in a LONG time. (I get frequent episodes but I haven’t had this level)

One of the hardest things about Sickle Cell is how misunderstood it is because of how “normal” we can look.

You can see us smiling, laughing, working, travelling, parenting and enjoying life… but sometimes we are doing all of that while fighting against our own bodies. 🥹

Chronic fatigue is one thing. Then imagine having to push through pain just to have what everyone else considers a “normal” day.

I HATE hospitals 😭 so if you see me here, just know it’s serious.

I hate having to take strong prescribed medication like morphine and fentanyl… and the crazy thing is, how can someone take medication THAT strong and STILL be in pain?! 😩💊

Imagine having a genetic health condition like this, being a single mum, and at one point working TWO jobs… and still having to figure life out.

That’s why we’re called Sickle Cell Warriors. 🩸⚔️❤️
Because whether our bodies cooperate or not… somehow, we still have to figure it out.

And for me, I know it’s only JESUS that has carried me this far. 🙏🏾🤍

Only God knows how many times I’ve had to keep going when my body was telling me I couldn’t.

Still blessed. Still fighting. Still here. ❤️‍🩹

Welcome to Life With Shanami 🤎

#sicklecell #hospital #disability #faith #pov