I won’t lie I’m impressed by the force that is T-Boz Watkins
There are not a lot of people in this world that I can honestly say I truly admire and respect. T-Boz Watkins is one of those people. Looking at what she has been able to achieve despite the odds is an outstanding achievement. I was trawling the internet for inspiration and I found a couple of videos, this one I broke it down.
I was privileged growing up in Nigeria. I have two parents that are medical so I rarely went into hospital (and I HATE hospitals, but lets leave that for a later post). My bedroom can still be converted to a hospital room at a moments notice. The price you pay for being privileged – you are sheltered from the realities that lie in store for you.
Yes I knew I have a chronic illness but I didn’t realise how it will affect MY future. As a teenager, I didn’t think about how that would affect my career, future partner, if I was going to have kids, quality of life and life expectancy.
Reality hit during a biology lesson at secondary school. We were studying the Blood types and genotypes. Obviously the topic of Sickle Cell came up and that was when my sheltered existence came crashing down around me. Knowing my status, my teacher gave me one of those old text books used to educate newly weds on the perils of Sickle Cell. *side-bar, this same teacher made me go to the staff room where she proceeded to pray for my healing – needless to say it was one of the many instances that influence my mistrust of religion*
It was a depressing read.
- Life expectancy 30 – 40 years (and that was a good thing)
- Strokes
- Swollen joints
- Kidney failure
- Loss of eye sight
- Necrosis of the hip and other major joints
- Leg ulcers
- Bone Infections
T-Boz Watkins showed me that. T-Boz I would like to Thank You from the bottom of my heart for you just being you.
June 11, 2013 @ 6:01 pm
This is great dear. Didn’t know that about T-Boz.
June 11, 2013 @ 6:01 pm
Wow! Very well said girlfriend. I would never have thought.