My name is SABDAT PETERS, 28 years old. I have diploma is Basic Computer, diploma in Business Administration, and Bachelors in Library and Information Technology. I am married with 2 lovely sons. My first husband, now late, for whom I had my son, had lied about his genotype. He said he loved me so much that he could not afford to lose me. Our baby came out with sickle cell anaemia. It was then he told the truth about his genotype – AS. I am SS.
I am into skin care products manufacturing and marketing. I love reading and cooking, I am of course a health aficionada!
My crisis began on a Sallah celebration day. I am a Muslimah. I couldn’t go for Eid prayers as I developed severe pain all over my body. My parents were mystified how anyone could fall so desperately ill and – worse – without notice. At the hospital, I was found with SS. I was only 6 years old.
My parents never knew both of them were sickle cell carriers (AS) until they discovered mine, in fact my father believed he was AA, a common error by many private Nigerian hospital labs.
I have received blood transfusion only once and that was in 2013 when I had my second son through CS at 8 months old. I was having emotional stress from my marriage then!
Preferential Treatment
I will say sickle cell has afforded me special treatment over the years. Once they knew, people gave me special attention – teachers in primary and secondary school, for instance. Sickle Cell helped me get away with actions for which my mates got punished! I confess I have wielded it to my advantage too!
I have been allowed space on buses while others trekked to their destinations. People have yielded me their seats while others had to stand. Sometimes it got to the point I felt proud of having sickle cell!
As a child, I was smaller than my age mates. I had this peculiar physique. However, when I started taking the herbs my herbalist/native doctor grandfather procured for me, the SS look, the crises and pains all vanished. You bet I am more beautiful in real life than in the pictures displayed on the screen!
I have never blamed my parent for giving me sickle cell – I see the condition rather as a gift from God Almighty.
For 10 years I have not had any crisis because I have been taking the herbs found by my grandfather. After he passed away, my mum continued from where he stopped. Today, having mastered the herbs learnt from them and I treat myself by myself. I don’t go to hospitals, I don’t take blood transfusions.
No Crises In 10 Years!
From those old tell tale looks of something-is-wrong to everything-is-right, beautiful Sabdat Peters has not had a single episode of sickle crisis in 10 years!