My name is Michael Cobb and I have sickle cell anemia. In the beginning I did not let this bother me. As a kid I still did the things other kid did, But not realizing that I could not do them at the same extent as other Children. This lead to many crises. Not wanting this to be an excuse for me not to try, I still tried and like ever so often I went into a crisis. I even tried the armed services. In my fifth week of boot camp running the Mile and a half I then again went into another crisis. Feeling the pain and humiliation of once again my body not giving way to let me do what I wanted to do. This was the experience that would change my life forever.
As a child I was in and out the hospital behind my sickle cell, then I did Not know any better, but the hospital visit after running the mile and a Half was the one that sent me into the depths of despair. Me thinking that I was in the best care that can be had, by being in the u.s. military.
Everything would be alright but to my surprise. After a few test. They (the Military) determined that I was unfit to serve. Me wanting to know. I Asked, what could be done to help my situation and the reply that I got Was the big boom!!!! I was told that I would not live to see the age of 35. Now take in mind that I’m only 18 years of age at the time. At this time my thoughts were if I’m not going to live to be 35 what the use in trying to succeed in anything it all would be a waste of time. And at that point I stop caring about anything and everything. That was the worst thing that I had ever done. This lead to more problems than you could ever imagine, drinking, druging, etc…all this went on for about 10 plus years. The only reason why it came to an end was that I started reading up on the studies of sickle cell which gave me incite on the cause and effects of the disease. Now at the age of 37 I see that I could have done alot more with my life. Only if then they had the willingness to spread this information like You are doing now. I never realized where I was going until I found out where I came from, it’s all from the power of information. This is the short version there is a lot more to this story.
Mike Cobb
Ashevillle, North Carolina
