Sickle Cell Trait

We’ve heard the stories about football players being tested for sickle cell disease after players died in Florida and Ohio. These players never knew they had sickle cell disease because they never showed any outward signs.

After strenuous exertion, extremes temperatures and dehydration, these players died. Some of their families were blamed for not telling coaches that they had this disease. The problem was that no one in their family knew they had sickle cell trait. They inherited only one (SC) cell from only one parent. With no outward signs, these carriers of SC genes went undetected.

After NCAA implemented testing athletes for sickle cell, there was uproar as the testing was called “targeted”. People who debated this testing of athletes were missing an important point. Testing for sickle cell is part of a solution not a problem.

As with my “white looking” niece, she was reluctantly tested and found to be a sickle cell trait carrier. I say “Information is power.” My niece now has the information to make informed decisions about marriage, family, and her health maintenance.

So, a person with sickle cell trait (a carrier of one SC gene) must be aware. Extremes in temperature, stresses on the body, infections and dehydration can be life threatening. Add another carrier, have a baby, and now you have a child with a life of suffering…….just ask me and my friends at http://sikcell.ning.com

Why Do We Need Water?

In people with Sickle Cell Disease their red blood cells are dehydrated (they are thirsty for water). These cells are thirsty each and every day. Just imagine living in the Sahara desert and there is nothing but sand. Eventually, you will die of thirst, and you will die quickly. Well, that’s what happens to our red blood cells. They need water….everyday.

Dehydration in red blood cells, (according to American Society of Hematology) is due to increased loss of potassium, chloride, and water. (Yes, momma says “eat those bananas for their potassium too!!!”) By keeping hydration (water) in red blood cells they can survive longer. With longer surviving red blood cells in our body we will have more red blood cells (sickled or not) available for our beautiful bodies to use.

There has been research in trying to hydrate red blood cells with medication (US Institute of Health clinical trial), but this research has not fully been successful.
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=ica+17043&cond= %22Anemia%2C+Hemolytic%22)

There is hope, however, that we can do our part by DRINKING MORE WATER, and we can wait for researchers to do their part. This is one more bit of information that our doctors don’t tell us. Why we need water? Now, I’m thirsty!

The Blood Cell

This is the red blood cell in a normal round shape, as well as, in the elongated sickle shape.