IBOGIRLLIVING

Once again we have come into the colder months of the year that mark the countdown to everyone's favorite holiday, Christmas. With Halloween in our rearview and Thanksgiving coming round the corner, here are just a few gentle reminders from your friendly neighborhood sickle cell blogger aka ME😊!

By now if you are a family living with sickle cell or have it yourself then you already know the drill but if you are visiting my blog for the very first time or do not know much about sickle cell disease, I would recommend reading this or this and other articles here that I have written on this blood disorder.

Now that the seasons have gone from hot to cold, its time for all warriors to dress appropriately to guard against triggering crises due to the change in temperature. Do not stay outdoors longer than necessary and if you find that you need to be outside for long hours, ensure that you stay as warm as you possibly can. So that means head warmers, gloves, boots, coats, sweaters, cardigans, jackets, scarves, staying in warm shades at intervals and anything else you need to get through the Fall and coming Winter season.

Remember that staying hydrated is just as important as keeping warm so its time to whip out the flasks and fancy bottles that keep your fluids nearby. This of course does not include alcoholic drinks/beverages and certainly not smoking of any kind because these do not help your condition.

Being that this is the season where folks travel back and forth to spend the holidays and engage in festivities with family, this is your gentle reminder to keep your medication close and depending on the distance you are travelling, keep the blood circulating especially in your legs by walking up and down the aisles to prevent clots from forming. When all the family fun gets underway, be mindful of engaging in physically stressful activities like snow boarding, skiing and others that keep you exposed to the cold for long periods of time. See my post on Understanding Your Sickle Cell So You Can Enjoy The Festive Season as a guide to know what you can do depending on the type of sickle cell you have.

Having to deal with sickle cell complications during the holidays can be a party pooper for sure but it doesn't need to be if all parties concerned take care of themselves and use these gentle reminders from your friendly neighborhood sickle cell blogger to avoid ending up in the hospital during this festive season. Besides COVID-19 still is yet to get the memo that people have other health concerns to worry about. So take all precautions and you'll stay out of the hospitals.

Excess Love,

Ibogirl