Embedded Roses - Episode 4

 

*_Dedicated to Amina Abimiku (Coco meena)_*

*MUJAHEED*

      "As salaamu alaikoom" i chirped in as soon as the phone call was received "is this Dr. Muhammad Abubakar please?" I asked.

"Wa alaikumus salaam. Yes, how may i help you?". The doctor asked.

      "I'm Mujaheed Zakariyy, i was told about you by a friend . Just wanted to ask for a favor please. I have some couple of questions i want to ask regarding sickle cell, if you are free, i can come over to your office right now".

"Well....okay. I'm just free for an hour". 

     "That will be okay i guess. Thanks man".

*
"Good morning doc. Am glad you agreed to see me. Thank you so very much". I said as i took a seat beside him.

      "Its my job to do so. So, how may i help you?".

"I want to know more about sickle cell disease. The symptoms, preventions, and cure if possible". I said to him adjusting my sitting position".

   The doctor heaved a sigh, adjusting his glasses before starting.

"Sickle cell anemia (sickle cell disease) is a disorder of the blood caused by an inherited abnormal hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein within the red blood cells). The abnormal hemoglobin causes distorted (sickled) red blood cells

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. The sickled red blood cells are fragile and prone to rupture. When the number of red blood cells decreases from rupture (hemolysis), anemia is the result. This condition is referred to as sickle cell anemia. The irregular sickled cells can also block blood vessels causing tissue and organ damage and pain".

   "Woah! That's pretty bad. How then is it inherited?". I asked further.

"Sickle cell anemia is inherited as an autosomal (meaning that the gene is not linked to a sex chromosome) recessive condition. This means that the gene can be passed on from a parent carrying it to male and female children. In order for sickle cell anemia to occur, a sickle cell gene must be inherited from both the mother and the father, so that the child has two sickle cell genes.

The inheritance of just one sickle gene is called sickle cell trait or the "carrier" state. Sickle cell trait does not cause sickle cell anemia. Persons with sickle cell trait usually do not have many symptoms of disease and have hospitalization rates and life expectancies identical to unaffected people. When two carriers of sickle cell trait mate, their offspring have a one in four chance of having sickle cell anemia. (In some parts of Africa, one in five persons is a carrier for sickle cell trait".

"So, if one of the parent's genotype is AA, there is a possibility that not all the kids will be SS?" 

       "Yeah. Let's take you as an example. If your genotype is AA and that of your wife is SS, let's say you happen to have three kids. Maybe two out of the three will be AS and one SS, your blood and hers must mix for you to have kids, so definitely those kids must carry your blood and hers. The good part about those kids with AS is that they might end up growing up and marrying someone with AA and end up having healthy kids. Am i making sense sir?". Asked the doctor.

"Yeah, yeah". I nodded, i could swear I'm all wet out of fear "What conditions promote the sickling (distortion) of the red blood cells in sickle cell anemia?

"Sickling of the red blood cells in patients with sickle cell anemia results in cells of abnormal shape and diminished flexibility. The sickling is promoted by conditions which are associated with low oxygen levels, increased acidity, or low volume (dehydration) of the blood. These conditions can occur as a result of injury to the body's tissues, dehydration, or anesthesia.

Certain organs are predisposed to lower oxygen levels or acidity, such as when blood moves slowly through the spleen, liver, or kidney. Also, organs with particularly high metabolism rates (such as the brain, muscles, and the placenta in a pregnant woman with sickle cell anemia) promote sickling by extracting more oxygen from the blood. These conditions make these organs susceptible to injury from sickle cell anemia".

"What are the symptoms and treatments of sickle cell anemia?" I asked, i need to know everything if I'm bent on marrying Amina.

"Virtually all of the major symptoms of sickle cell anemia are the direct result of the abnormally shaped, sickled red blood cells blocking the flow of blood that circulates through the tissues of the body. The tissues with impaired circulation suffer damage from lack of oxygen. Damage to tissues and organs of the body can cause severe disability in patients with sickle cell anemia. The patients endure episodes of intermittent "crises" of variable frequency and severity, depending on the degree of organ involvement.

The major features and symptoms of sickle cell anemia include:

Fatigue and Anemia
Pain Crises
Dactylitis (swelling and inflammation of the hands and/or feet) and Arthritis
Bacterial Infections
Splenic Sequestration (sudden pooling of blood in the spleen) and Liver Congestion
Lung and Heart Injury
Leg Ulcers
Aseptic Necrosis and Bone Infarcts (death of portions of bone)
Eye Damage
Other Features
Some features of sickle cell anemia, such as fatigue, anemia, pain crises, and bone infarcts can occur at any age. Many features typically occur in certain age groups".

I was silent for a while, totally lost in words. How can people suffering this much be a subject of ridicule to our society? Why is man heartless? Damn! There's is no way am letting Amina suffer on something she didn't bring upon herself. I'll help her in shaa Allah!.

      "My genotype is AA doc. Is it okay if i marry a lady with SS?"

The doctor beamed and a smile spread across his lips "We need people like you in our society. Yes,  what we always advice sickle patients out there not to do is marry an SS patient when you are also SS. That can lead to a fatal disadvantage as all the kids they'll have will suffer in as much as they will also suffer. You case is okay sir, and i hope i will be invited for the _Nikkah_".

I couldn't help but laugh out "Sure doc. In shaa Allah you'll be invited. Thank you so very much for your time, i appreciate it".

     "you're always welcome. May Allah see us through".

*

I drove home silently with a heavy heart. I wonder what is wrong with man, hating someone for what he didn't bring upon him/herself. I never loved Amina, but after witnessing what jaafar did to her, my heart soften towards her and didn't even know when i fell in love with her. The only thing i know is that am going to fight for her in shaa Allah.

     I drove into our mansion, parked my car in the parking lot before hooping out. I noticed another car parked just ahead of mine a little. Damn! Don't tell me this woman is here again to disturb my life?!. I walked in, my face masked with an unimaginable expression, and just as i thought, ladidi was sitting beside mom, telling who knows what while mom laughed at it. Damn you ladidi!.

"Bro!" She squeaked "welcome back, you arrived in time ma... I was about going to your office". She added.

     I ignored her and walked over to mom, sitting close to her legs and greeted her.

"How is work?" She asked further

"Alhamdulillah. I left early because i had something to take care of. Where is muktar?" I asked after my little brother.

"He went out with your dad. Didn't you noticed ladidi's precense? She came all the way from Jos just to see you". Mom said gesturing towards her.

       "You're welcome ladidi. Mom, am tired and needs to rest. Nobody should disturb me please". I said walking off, i gave the last warning referring to ladidi because i know what she's capable of. Ladidi is a cousin of mine who's head over heals inlove with me. Mind you, i never loved her....not even a bit!.

I slumped down on a couch in my room before bringing out my phone and tapping on it.

     "As salaamu alaikoom. _An tuna dani kenan_". She said in her sweet little tiny voice.

"Wa alaikis salaam zaujatiyy Mujaheed. How can one forget about his wife? You know that's not possible. How are you?".

"Fine Alhamdulillah. You? How's work? You sound tired".

     "Yeah. I just came back. Missed me?" I asked smirking.

"Yeah. Alot, when are you coming over? Am resuming school next week".

     "Later in shaa Allah" i replied. I was about to say something else when i noticed mom and ladidi standing at my door step.

Read " My Mistake " by the same author ( Murjanatu Alkali )

. How much did they hear? Damn.....maybe everything cause ladidi is crying like someone who just lost a part of her.

"I'll call you back. Got to do something". I said quickly and ended the call.

  "Who was that?" Mom asked sounding serious all of the sudden.

"Your daughter inlaw" i replied slowly.

"Do i have a daughter inlaw apart from ladidi?".

     "What?! What do you mean mom? I don't love her, its Amina i love".

"Amina? Who's Amina?" She asked again.

"You don't know her". Came my short reply.

"Well, that's the exact reason why am asking who she is. Don't act all clever with me...remember i gave birth to you".

"Amina. The daughter of Alhaji Ahmad Abimiku".

     "What?!" She asked shocked. Her eyes popping out of their sockets "over my dead body will i ever allow you to marry that lady. She's sickler Mujaheed!". She snapped.

"That's the more reason why i want to marry her mom". I answered slowly.

   "We'll see how that is going to happen. Let's go ladidi".