Seeing someone with an illness like Sickle Cell Anemia can be understandably intimidating to most. It's hard to know what to do or what to say. You want to help but it's hard to know how to which leaves you doing nothing which is not likely your intention but it is where you end up.
I just want to really Thank everyone that has pushed past the intimidation and the apparent fears and have really shown care and concern consistently and wholeheartedly. You know being sick as severely as I am for some random reason leaves me in one of two places at all times. I'm either in my room bedridden or in a hospital room strapped to IV's, heart monitor's, 24/7 pain medication pumped into me, and tests, more pain medications given round the clock by the nurses, specialists consulting you, doctors confused and searching for something, anything that can provide some kind of solution. With this barrage of things going on and more can you imagine the encouragement that comes from someone coming to visit you in the hospital in-spite of any fears of seeing you hooked up to any and everything in the room. Even just writting a note on my Facebook wall with thoughts of concern and love have left me feeling touched and thought of. I have an unbelievable example of someone who has not only been patient, caring, and thoughtful but has gone the extra mile again and again. This is someone that I've only just meet under a year but she has really been the support and friend that encourages me as I suffer through my pain. This person always calls just to say hi and when my phone died and she didn't hear from me she drove to my father's house and wrote a beautiful and touching note of her just saying she's thinking of me and hopes that I'm well--to not feel alone because I'm not.
Just stop and think. How inspiring is her heart? Thinking of how sick I am and unable to really do any of the normal things friends do whether it's going to the movies, or going out to dinner it seems I can no longer do but she doesn't resent or move on to another person who can really give to her what a normal friend could. Many times she'll call and I can't even call her back because of how much pain I'm in and how bedridden I am. Despite not being able to call her she doesn't resent or get upset or even understandably selfish but instead she just says that she understands and tries to do something so that we can hang out and encourage me. Many times she'll call just to pray. Her encouragement and unselfish heart truly touched me and I thought her heart was something to really Highlight for people to see and learn from because I know I am truly learning from this sister what it truly means to love and befriend as Jesus calls us to love and befriend one another. This sister's heart and example is what needs to be celebrated. Thank You for you Friendship and Heart Michelle. I hope that even in my illness and inability to give to you as I'd like that I can be a great friend to you as you've been to me. I thank you.



Love,

Day