HOW THE SUFFERING CHANGED ME

I’ve always been a child of movies, cartoons and animations, most of the things I learnt how to say I or do came from that Bougie aspect of my childhood. I never knew movie names because I usually didn’t start watching from the beginning but I remember this story vividly.

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This is Mark’s tale

I was a student at the university of calabar, i didn’t grow up with my mom but with my dad and step mom. I had a good life, so far nothing to boast of and nothing to be depressed about , one of those normal lives that I thought hasn’t made any difference, that all changed when I met Priscilla. My mum had a business in Asaba and would invite me over so that she could get me things I might need, things to prove she still loved me and hadn't forgotten about me. On one such trip from Calabar to Asaba I met this young beautiful lady mounting okada in front of my mother’s shop. She was having a hard time balancing the goods in front of her so I hurriedly offered to help, she thanked me, smiled and took off. I was mesmerized, who was this angel, who was this being that was just in front of me, I hurriedly walked into my mother’s shop and inquired ‘oh that’s Priscilla she comes once every week to get foodstuff for her house’ her house ?, ah ah was she married I wondered but I couldn’t pry I didn’t want to show her I was interested in this damsel. I met her again and we became friends. I found out she was the only child of her parents so she basically does all the chores in the house. I smiled so she was hardworking. I immediately knew she would be my wife. Now that I think back on it i am certain I’m the cause of my wife’s pain, she cries herself to sleep every night and I can’t do anything, I can’t comfort the person I promised to be a comforter to, I can’t promise her it will be better because I don’t know what tomorrow holds, I am a bad person, a bad husband, I have no will to do anything anymore.

After I and Priscilla’s encounter I did everything in my power to make sure she was mine and we finally got married. The first few years of marriage were bliss, I knew my purpose was to be with this woman, I was so happy I couldn’t believe it was real, until the storm came. My wife got pregnant 3 years after our union, I was elated as this little being grew inside her everyday. She gave birth to this beautiful baby and we were told our child was okay by the midwife.

He was 5 months old when he had his first major crisis, we rushed him to a hospital and we were told he has sickle cell anemia, what was that, what does that mean, I’ve never heard of it before, is this doctor just making up things so that we’ll pay him double, but I couldn’t bother on my thoughts and ventured to ask what it means, he told us that our child inherited the gene from us and that it’s not rare for two person’s with the AS gene to transfer the sickly traits to their child.Wait this was our fault how, I was sullen, I caused this, I am the one making my child and wife suffer. The doctor told us with treatment he will live, what kind of life is that, a life of medication and pain. I'm sorry my son, if only I’d known about this illness what would I have done differently.

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End

Now I know you might be in love and thinking God will miraculously change your genes when it’s that time but brethren do not tempt thy God, as much as you’re smitten over that person the first thing you should ask is what’s your genotype ? if you’re like me who has the Sickler gene. Do not bring a child into this world to suffer. Be wise!

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