How it Started.
My name is Audrey Mukoro, a single mum and I am living with sickle cell anemia disease. We don’t talk about Sickle cell, as we do about aids or cancer, but I’ve lived with this disease for thirty years. I’ve been discriminated, abandoned and living in denial, but not anymore. I am coming out to share my story, to inspire and to help and bring hope and this is my diary.
Consider for a moment, a boisterous child, full of life, loved by all. This child started to grow thin and began to develop a protruding stomach that made breathing difficult. Tubes were connected to her body to extract greenish fluid.
The scene is already becoming yuck, right? That was me some thirty – years ago. My parents took me to the hospital, where it was diagnosed that I had a swollen spleen and I ended up spending a week in the hospital.
Oxygen was given to help me breathe and a tube connected to my stomach to extract some very greenish substance. Worried my parents were. They were heartbroken when the doctor broke the news, that I was a sickle.
My Dad was broken, my Mum was in tears, not much information and professional services existed back then and so, I was already marked for death. Yes, Warriors are always seen as “people that will soon die” so imagine, how the life of a three-year-old girl changed.
This was my first crisis, and I’ve not known life without a crisis. That was 30 years ago, I am still here, with a daughter free from the grasp of this dreaded disease. It has not been easy, but I am stronger than you think, I have outlived predictions and I am coming out to share my story, help and give hope. Hope for tomorrow, hope to overcome the pain and discrimination, ask you to stop wondering and join me to begin doing.
See you next week.
With Love Audrey.
PS: Please leave your comment, share this post and let’s build a family together.
About The Author
Wow…..! Interesting, can’t wait for the continuation
“‘The journey of a thousand miles’ they say ‘begins with a step.'”
The best time to start is now…. And you have begun.
Tell your tales Audrey; for “until the lion tells its story,
the hunter will always adulterate its history.
Lo! I am with you always, and in all ways.
Well done.
Bard Malik Obynna
Thanks bro! U de best, thanks for been there for me….we are in this together.
I’m happy you’re living happy despite your health challenge. I wish you more grace, wisdom and heavenly inspiration to help others discover themselves and speak out like you.
Amen to that and Thanks my dearest friend, its an honour having you as a friend. I appreciate you.
Regards to your family.
Thanks baby.. u are indeed a great support in all I do,without you I would not be here writing my story….
Anticipate!
I am not a sickle, but touched by their lives
when their hands are misplaced to reach out.
I dropped by, knowing that like terms attract:
having that written, it should be clear at this
point that what I have in common with this
fighter is being a “warrior,” in another
light, perhaps….
I may not be there “in the beginning,” but can
relate with a thing or two about “how it started.”
Take charge in continuance, living your mandate “warrior!”
Bard Malik Obynna.
Well done Audrey!
Thanks love!
You are strong indeed.
Thanks dear!
Beautiful blog, beautiful piece. You need to give this site much publicity. People need to see/read these beautiful info you share freely here. Kudos!
Thanks dear! Yea I will, taking it gradually.. Thanks for friends like you who are a great support to our work…Thanks again!
Waoooo, life of a sickle, most likely to also experience choliastisis( gall stones). Kip the good works and encourage others to stand up against discrimination.
Very severe cases comes with constant jaundice ( yellowish computation of the eyes).
Thanks to my sister from another mother, u have being there for me all the years, words cant say how much I appreciate having u in our lives…. u the best I could ask for…. love u dear… thanks again sister girl.
Finally, I have seen THE Audrey..
Can’t wait to see you in person..