ells. A sickle cell patient has fewer red blood cells and lesshemoglobin than normal red blood cells. This results in less oxygen beingconvenient for use by the cells of the body. Anyone whose parent has the gene for sickle cell anemia have the chance ofat least having sickle cell trait. In order for a child to have the disease,both parents must have the sickle cell gene(refer to diagrams 2.1 and 2.2 onpage 6). The disease affects mostly African Americans in Africa, South America,Latin America, the West Indies, Greece, Spain, Italy, and Turkey. When the blockage of sickled red blood occurs, it can take place in anyorgan or joint of the body wherever a blood clot develops. The frequency andamount of pain varies widely depending on the person. In some people, painfulepisodes occur once a year but for other patients, they can have as many as 15to 20 episodes annually. These excruciating, disruptive events can be so brutalthat the patient must go into the hospital for five to seven days to obtainintravenous fluids and narcotic pain killers. The pain can only be controlled,it cannot be stopped or you cant even identify when it is likely to happen again. Sickle cell clots are life threatening, depending on where it occurs. Oneof the most severe places for a clot to occur in is the brain. It could lead toa stroke which could turn into paralysis or even worse, death. Sometimes ablood transfusion is required every three to four weeks to avoid recurrence ofclots in the brain. When blood capillaries are clogged, it can lead to many types of problems,depending upon where the blockage occurs. The outcome of the blockages may leadto problems such as kidney infections, death and decay of tissues, intense painin chest, arms and legs, disease of the retina of the eye, slow healing sores orulcers, and even gallstones. When the hemoglobin is low, it is manifested byfatigue and weakness. Currently, there is no cure for Sickle Cel...
