The Pain 1

I wake up in the middle of the night to the gnawing pain. It is as if, a knife is being used to tear at my veins, my flesh, my bones. I weakly reach out for my phone beside me to call my mother. She comes in and I weakly whisper ‘ pains, my drugs’
She rushes to get me my drugs, the pain meds. I use them and wash down with water. Weakly I lie back flat, groaning softly in pain. My eyes welling with tears
It comes, often without warning, the pain. I rack my brain as to something I did wrong the previous day. Did I drink cold water? Was I stressed? Did I engage in any tiring activity? Was I dehydrated? Was my monthly cycle approaching? Was I anaemic? All these questions and more, I tried finding answers to with my mental check list
My mother looks worriedly at me, her heart in her mouth. She prays for speedy relief from the pain. I cannot muster the strength to say the accompanying amen. She is done and whispers encouraging words, half of which I am not able to comprehend due to the intensity of the pain.
I have Sickle Cell Anemia
I hate to talk about, I hate to acknowledge it, but it’s there. The pain makes me remember, the pain makes me, acknowledge it

To be continued….