TIPS FOR GIRLS

Most  of  us  ladies  learn  about  men, love, sex  and  relationship  in  the  hard  way, in which  the  price  is  too  high  and  the  consequences  and  lingering  effects  are  very  painful. There  is  an  easier  way  of  finding  and  experiencing  TRUE  LOVE. Wise  females  learn  the  easier  way. Some  of  the  tips  is  discussed  below.

There  are  'Honourable'  and  'Dishonourable'  males, and  until  we  know  the  difference  between  the  two  types  of males, we  should  not  date  or  marry. Honourable  males  are  protectors. They  will  guard  your  heart, protect  your  emotions, defend  your  honour  and  stand  as  champions  for  your  spiritual, mental  and  physical  well-being.

Any  man  who  test-run  your  body, emotions,  and  feelings  is  out  of  it.Direct  such  men  to  a  car  dealer, bid  them  farewell  and  never  look back! Females  are  not  cars  to  be  test-run.

Females  should  not  go  for  any  man  who  view  sex  as  a  sport, females  as  trophies  and  children  as  wastepaper. Never  allow  yourself  to  become  their  next  score  or  sperm  repository.

Also,  don't  go  for  Momma's  boy; they  belong  only  to  one  woman, their  moms! These  mothers  and  their  sons  will  never  cut  their  umbilical  cord. For  your  sake, leave  them  alone  to  go  to  their  mummies.

You  are  not  fit  for  any  relationship  if  you  have  no  self-love. No  two  ways  about  it, if  you  don't  love  yourself, no  man  can  ever  love   you...no  matter  how  great  the  man  is.

Don't  judge  all  men  by  one  man's  action, unless  you  want  to  be judged  based  on  the  acts  of  immoral  women.

If  a  man  lacks  proper  male  leadership  in  life, kindly  send  him  on  his  way. He  is  not  prepared  for  the  responsibilities  that  comes  with  love, sex  and  marriage.

A  fundamental  understanding  and  respect  of  the  male  ego  is  a  must  for  all  females  who  want  healthy  and  vibrant  Love.

For  your  sake  and  safety, avoid  misogynistic  men. Avoid  this  treacherous  males  at  all  cost. Learn  to  properly  choose  a  mate  before  its  too  late! The  woman  in  the  mirror  will  graciously  thank  you.

Don't  delude  yourself! You  cannot  change  a  man; Not  your  beauty, fine  body, sexual  prowess, cooking  skills, feminity  and  vibrant  personality  is  enough  to  change  a  man, NEVER!!!

Don't  obtain  this  crucial  information  from  dishonourable  males, or  bitter  women. Don't  become  a  spoiled, heart-broken  and  bitter  woman!

For  those  who  have  travelled  the  worn  out  path  of  emotional  scars, broken  hearts, abuse, confusion, anger  and  sleepless  nights, there  is  always  a  second  chance. Learn  from  your  mistakes, go  to  the  Lord  in  prayer  and  He'll  heal  your  wounds, then  you  pick  up  a  new  life.

Choose  the  wrong  mate  and  you  might  as  well  have  grabbed  the  ears  of  a  raging  mad  pit  bull.

CHOOSE  AN  HONOURABLE  MAN  AND YOU  CHOOSE  LIFE!

 Thank   you  for  taking  your  time  to  go  through  this, may  the  Lord  help  us  to  choose  right. Your  comments  and  suggestions  are  highly  welcomed. Thanks  once  again  and  God  bless.

IN MY SHOES...

Have  you  ever  tried  putting  yourself  in  somebody  else's  shoes  trying  to  imagine  or  feel  what  that  person  is  going  through? Maybe  if  we  do  this  sometimes,we'd  show  love  to  people. It  is  a  pathetic  story  for those  with  one  ailment  or  the  other  because  the  society  do  not  want  to  be  associated  with  them. Looking  at  the  case  of  people  living  with  HIV/AIDS, it  is  not  the  HIV  that  kills  them  but  the  rejecton  they  suffer.

A  pal  of  mine  was  narrating  her  odeal  with  a  guy  she  met  in  a  clinic  to  me. This  pal  of  mine  happens  to  be  have  Sickle  cell  anaemia  and  d  guy  sitting  next  to  her  at  the  clinic  reception  got  to  know  about  her  medical  status, and you  won't  believe  the  things  he  said  to  my  pal.

The  guy  told  my  pal  he  know  of  a  cure  and  that  he  can  help  with  the  necessary  contacts. My  pal  turned  the  offer  down. The  guy  then  said  she  is  not  likely  to  find  a  life  partner  as  nobody  wants  to  marry  someone  whose  life  span  is shaky  and  would  be  in  and  out  of the  hospital. That she is not likely to live long  and  all  sort  things  that  I  can't  possibly  state  here.

Parents  at  times  don't  help  matter. Some  see  it  as  a  waste  of  resources  taking  care  of  children  with  disabilities  or  trminal  ailments, and  so  the  child  is  neglected. Those  who  manage  to  take  care  of  the  child  count  what  and  what  they  have  done  at any  little  offence  or  thing  the  child  does.

The  long  and  short  of  this  is  to  show  LOVE  and CARE  to  people  around  us. A  smile  could  go  a  long  way. You  never  can  tell  what  a  word  of  encouragement  or  inspiration   could  do. Lets  give  HOPE  to  the  HOPEless  and  we'd  see  how  well  they  can  do  in  life. 

And  to  those  going  through  one  thing  or  the  other (ailment, disability  or  what  have  you), you  can  make  it. Disability  is  not  Inability. You  are  an  Impossible Equation for the devil to Solve, a  Question  he  cannot  Answer  because  YOU  are  Wonderfully  and  Fearfully  made!

I  love  you  all  and  God  bless  you!

YOUR THOUGHT

The book of Proverbs says "keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life".You are a product of your thought.The success of any individual in life starts from his thought life.People are beaten down in life from the route they think about themselves.Having a positive perspective about oneself is the major basis of achieving success in life.

That our friends made it before us does not mean we cannot make it.We should not compare ourselves with others;we are called for different purposes and there is an appointed time for each and everyone of us.If you can not get to your goals in life fast,you can get there slowly and steadily,taking one step at a time.Your friends may reach their goals before you and yet become more successful than them when you reach your goal much later.Afterall,the first house in a town is not necessarily the most beautiful house in that town.

Nurturing one's mind positively determines how life would respond to one's attitude.Never allow your circumstances to determine your attitude but allow your attitude to determine your circumstances.This can only be achieved if a person's state of mind functions in a positive perspective.

In life,we get what we focus on.That is why the book of Philippians 4:8 says "whatsoever things are true,honest,just,pure,lovely,of good report,if there be any virtue and praise,think on these things.

Your thought life builds you an identity.Proverbs 23:7,"As a man thinks in his heart,so he is.Rita Davenport said "What I think about,I bring about.The thought of success will foster success.The thought of love will foster love.The thought of security will foster security.What am I thinking about today?"I am asking us the same question;what are you thinking about right now?

Be of good thought and I tell you "YOU CAN!"God bless you.

BLOOD TRANSFUSION

Some years back,my father's first question when I'm sick and on admission is "am I on transfusion?"He's probably used to it now and have a better understanding.When it occured to me to write on this topic,can't explain what I felt,but here we are...

Blood transfusion is the transfer of blood or blood products into the blood the blood stream of a patient who has lost blood due to injury,disease or an operation.The amount of blood and blood type of blood transfused depends on the need of the patient.It is the role of biomedical scientist to ensure that the blood being transfused is safe.To ensure safety,the blood is tested to determine its blood group and check that it is not contaminated with harmful micro-organisms.Checks are also made to ensure that the blood to be transfused does not contain antibodies that will destroy the erythrocytes of the recipient and cause death.

The type of blood a needed patient would be transfused with depends on the person's blood group.Blood group system is the classification of blood depending on the characteristics of their erythrocyte and the presence of specific antibodies in their plasma to erythrocyte antigenes.There are different human blood group systems like ABO,Rh,etc.The ABO blood group system classifies people into one of four major blood groups:A,B,O and AB, according to the different types of antigene present on the surfaces of their erythrocytes. The Rh blood group system didvides people into Rh+ or Rh-,depending on whether or not their erythrocytes carry the Rh antigen.The frequencies of these blood groups vary between different populations. AB,A,B and O are universal recipients because they can accept blood from any of the blood groups and O is a universal donor because it can be transfused into persons with other blood group.

The need for blood transfusion is determined by a test known as PCV(Packed Cell Volume).PCV is the measure of the proportion of blood that is made up of cells.The value is expressed in percentage or fraction of cells in 100 millitres of blood,e.g 40% means that there are 40millitres of cells in 100millilitres of blood.When the PCV falls to less than normal, it indicated anaemia. It is normally about 46% for men and 38% for women. It could be a bit lower for people with sickle cell anaemia.

CONSEQUENCIES OF BLOOD GROUP INCOMPATIBLE TRANSFUSION
An example of an incompatible blood transfusion is when a patient of blood group A,the recipient is given blood from a donor who is blood group B.In this case,the anti-B antibodies present in the plasma of the recipient bind to the donated erythrocytes and activate complement.This results in the simultaneous lysis of billions of erythrocytes in the given blood.The lysis of so many erythrocytes,called acute intravascular hemolysis,releases so much haemoglobin that acute renal failure occur and shock result.In addition to the problems caused by the release of haemoglobin, the fragments of erythrocytes memebrane released may also initiate the blood clottings, leading to disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIC).It may also vary according to the blood group involved. Slower destruction of the donated cells may lead to a decreasing haemoglobin concentration, with the patient suffering a fever and general malaise.

HAZARDS OF TRANSFUSION

• Iron overload: patients who receive many transfusions over long period of time may develop iron overload. The excess of iron,for which there is no excretory route, from transfused blood may cause tissue damage, especially to the heart, liver and endocrine glands. Signs of iron overload can be detected after several transfusions and the condition may be fatal if left untreated. It can be treated with chelating agent to remove unwanted iron.
• Alloimmunization: patients who receive regular erythrocyte transfusion may become immunized to other blood group antigens present in the ABO compatible cells.This may affect future transfuions.The use of leukodepleted blood, in which leukocytes have been removed prior to transfusion, prevents the immunization of recipient to these antigens.
• Infection: another potential hazard of transfusion is infection with micro-organisms present in the donor.It has been observed that blood transfusion have spread infections such as HIV and hepatitis C to recipients.For this reason, there is now extensive screening of blood donors.

Even with the the risks involved in blood transfusion, it has save lives, like in the case of anaemia and surgery. I remember my parent got into argument with hospital officials when I had to be transfused sometime ago and there was a delay...my parent wouldn't want to loose their priceless jewel.There was no other option at that point in time than transfusion, and thank God I'm still alive!

To conclude,transfusion scientist must make sure that the process of transfusing blood poses minimal risk to the patient and donor alike. Aside from obvious need for the blood to be carefully matched to avoid possibly fatal transfusion reaction, it is essential that donors are carefully screened to avoid those who are ill or who may be harmed by giving blood, or whose blood poses a health risk beacause, for example, it is contaminated with certain viruses even when the donor shows no sign of ill health.

May the unblemished "BLOOD " of Christ avail for us in all situations.

YOU ARE...!

You are a Winner,
don't die a loser.
You are a Saint,
don't die a Sinner.
You are a Blessing,
don't die a Curse.
You are a Victor,
don't die a Victim.
You are a Wonder,
don't die a Wanderer.
You are a Success,
don't die a Failure.
You are an Original,
don't die a Duplicate.
You are a Superior being,
don't die Inferior.
You are more than a Conqueror,
don't die Conquered.
Among all others,
You are a Reformer,
don't die Deformed!

May God help us all to fulfill purpose in Jesus name.God bless you.

SICKLE CELL DISORDER

Sickle cell disorder is an inherited disorder of haemoglobin in which there are not enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body in any person who has inherited a sickle haemoglobin from each parent(e.g Hb SS) or sickle haemoglobin from one parent and another haemoglobin variant from the other parent(e.g Hb SC).

Normally,the red blood cells are flexible and round and they move easily through the red blood vessels to carry oxygen to all parts of the body.In persons with sickle cell disorder,the red blood cells are rigid and sticky and are sickle-shaped;hence,the name "sickle" cell disorder.These irregular-shaped blood cells die prematurely,resulting in chronic shortage of red blood cells.In addition,the sickle-shaped cells can get stucked in small blood vessels,which can slow or block blood flow and oxygen to certain parts of the body.This is why persons with sickle celldisorder suffer pains,poor circulation of blood and oxygen,anaemia,poor resistance to infections and other serious complications.

Sickle cell anaemia is predominant in malaria-infested regions,especially Africa.People with sickle cell anaemia are particularly susceptible to malaria.That means they are easily affected by malaria because they are already anaemic(short of red blood cells and haemoglobin) and malaria makes the anaemia worse.Malaria infection can therefore lead to death from severe anaemia unless treated or prevented promptly.This is why it is believed that people with sickle cell anaemia have a short lifespan.But recent study has shown that with prooper care and management,they can live for as long as possible.

People with sickle cell trait(i.e Hb AS) have better chance of survival because when malaria parasite affects their red blood cells,the cells become sickle-shaped and thereafter the cells loose potassium which causes the parasite to die.The protection afforded by the sickle cell trait keeps the allele for a sickle prevalent in areas exposed to malaria.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
People with sickle cell trait(carriers) have one gene for the disorder.They do not develop the disorder and ususally have no sign nor symptom.
People with sickle cell anaemia have two genes for the disorder and one from each parent.They usually show some signs after four months of age.Some people with sickle cell anaemia have mild symptoms while others have severe symptoms which call for frequent hospitalization.The signs and symptoms of sickle cell include:
HAND-FOOT SYNDROME:swollen hand and feet are usually the first signs of sickle disorder in babies.The swelling is caused by sickle-shaped red blood cells blocking blood flow out of the hands and feet.Hand-foot syndrome is often accompanied by pain and fever.
ANAEMIA:the lifespan of normal red blood cells in people with haemoglobin AA is 120 days(4 months),while the lifespan of red blood cells in people with sickle cell(Hb SS) is about 10 days.As a result,affected people have fewer red blood cells and les haemoglobin than usual in their blood-this is an anaemic condition.Without enough red blood cells in circulation,the body cannot get the oxygen needed to feel energized.This is why anaemia causes tiredness and lower eye-lid appear pale.This pale condition is described as pallor.
PAIN CRISES:Periodic episodes of pain,known as crises is a major symptom of sickle cell anaemia.Pain develops when rigid sickled red blood cells cannot alter their shape and squeeze through small blood vessels.They easily stick together and form a logjam and this obstructs the flow of blood causes pain.The pain vary in intensity and can last for a few hours to several days.If a crises is severe enough,hospitalization maybe needed for painkillers to be injected into the veins.
JAUNDICE:Jaundice is the yellowing of the eyes and skin that occur as a result of liver damage or malfunction.Sometimes,people who have sickle cell anaemia have some degree of jaundice because the liver,which filters harmful substances is overwhelmed by excessive breakdown of red blood cells.
FREQUENT INFECTION:Sickle cell can damage the spleen,an organ that fights infection.This may make one vulnerable to infections.
COMPLICATIONS:sickle cell disorder can lead to a host of complications which includes;
ACUTE CHEST SYNDROME:it is a life-threatening complication that causes chest pain,fever and breathing difficulty.It is similar to pneumonia but caused by a lung infection or trapped sickle cells in the lung.It requires urgent medical attention..Re-occurrence of attack can damage the lung.
STROKE:stroke can occur if sickle cells block the flow of blood to an area of the brain.Stroke is one of the most serious complications of the disorder.Signs of stroke include include seizures,sudden speech difficulties,numbness or weakness of arms and legs and loss of consciousness.Stroke can be fatal so if any of these signs and symptoms is observed in a child,medical treatment should be sought immediately.
ORGAN DAMAGE:sickle cells can block blood flow through the blood vessels,depriving an organ of oxygen and blood.Blood is also chronically low in oxygen in sickle cell anaemia.Chronic deprivation of oxygen-rich blood can damage nerves and organs in the body,including kidney,liver and spleen.Organ damage can be fatal.
OTHER COMPLICATIONS:sickle cell disorder can cause open sores in the leg,called ulcer.Sickle cells can block blood vessels that nourish the skin,causingg skin cells to die.Gallstone is another possible complication.The breakdown of red blood cells produce a substance called bilirubin.Bilirubin is responsible for the yellowing the eyes and skin(jaundice) in people with sickle cell disorder.A high level of bilirubin in the body can lead to gallstone.Men with sickle cell disorder may experience an unwanted and painful erection which goes on for longer than 20 minutes,this condition is known as priapism.Sickle cells can prevent blood flow out of an erect organ.Overtime,priapism can damage the male organ and lead to impotence and sterility in men with sickle cell disorder.

WHAT TO DO
If you or someone in the family has sickle cell disorder,there is need to help in handling the stress of coping with this lifelong disorder.Talk to you doctor about your concerns.If your child has sickle cell disorder,the best way to help is to learn as much as possible about the disorder and make sure the child gets the best health care possible.A child with sickle cell disorder has special needs and requires regular medical care to stay as healthy as possible.The doctor can explain how often the child should be brought for medical care and what to do if he/she becomes ill.You may also let teachers and caregivers know about the child's illness.Help them understand the kind of exercises and situations that are harmful to the child,and teach them to recognize signs of illness and infections.

Taking steps to stay healthy is critcal to anyone with sickle cell disorder.Eating well,getting adequate rest and protecting yourself against infections are good ways to maintain your health and prevent crises.

SELF CARE:if you or someone close to you have sickle cell disorder,the following suggestions can be followed to stay healthy:

• Take folic acid supplements daily and eat well-balanced diet.Bone marrow needs folic acid and other vitamins to produce new red blood cells.Vitamin B-complex and paludrine can also be taken daily to prevent malaria.
• Drink plenty of water.Staying hydrated help keep the blood diluted,which reduces the chance of sickle formation.
• Avoid stress.A sickle crises can occur as a result stress.Know your limit to avoid crises.
• Avoid temperature extremes.Exposure to extreme heat or cold can trigger the formation of sickle cells.
• Avoid mosquito bite as much as possible.A treated mosquito net can be used and window net too.
• Avoid staying in over-crowded places.Stay in a well ventilated place.

PREVENTION

Intending couples should go foe premarital screening(including genotype test) to ensure compatibility.In my opinion,intending couples should go for counselling to be able to make informed decisions so that they can avoid having offspring with sickle cell disorder.And for those who already have it,u guys are wonderfully and fearfully made!

These people need our love and care.Let us support them!Thank you and God bless you all.

THE WAY I WAS BORN

I was born that way

Just like every other man and

I grew up not knowing its worth.

When other men cast theirs off,

I still don't know the worth of my constituent.

The time I realized the burden on me

That was when I desire to cast it off

The religious soldier,traditional guards and

The medical army will not allow me to loose it.

In the midst of fellow giants

I see myself as a dwarf

For my story is different from theirs

When all roads seems to be blocked,

I decided to cast it off.

In the process,my duo performer refused

"If I were you,I would keep it.

But I have lost the grace".

What a sweet sermon from a prophet of doom.

I lace my shoe once more

Holding to my words

But I hope I would remain

The way I was born

Till I tie the nuptial knot with my second self.

GENOTYPE BEFORE MARRIAGE

Before proceeding to the main issue at hand,that is,why you ought to know your genotype prior to marriage,it is relevant to understand what haemoglobin genotype is.

Blood is a liquid tissue made up of a fluid called plasma,with several blood cells suspended in it,mainly the red blood cells,white blood cells and the platelets.In this article,we will limit ourselves to the red blood cells.Red blood cells are tiny flat discs packed with haemoglobin which gives the blood its red colour and the capacity to carry oxygen.Oxygen is supplied to all parts of the body from the lungs for the use of the tissues.

There are many variants of haemoglobin,but the commonest type is haemoglobin A(it is referred to as the usual haemoglobin).The other types are referred to as UNUSUAL HAEMOGLOBIN.Examples of the unusual types are haemoglobin S(or Hb S),Hb C,and so on.Many of these haemoglobin types do not cause any health problem.A few,like Hb S can cause severe disorder to the bearer's health.

The genes carry the blueprint of life.It is the genes that dictate the colour of our skin,the shape of our nose,the type of haemoglobin,etc.The haemoglobin genotype dictates the type of haemoglobin our blood cells contain.The type of haemoglobin genotype we bear depends on what we inherit from our parents.For instance,if the father is Hb genotype AS and the mother is Hb genotype AS,the offspring would inherit either Hb A or S from the father and also Hb A or S from the mother.Only one of the pair can be inherited from the father or mother and together this form your own haemoglobin genotype.Thus,the children of this supposed couple can have Hb genotype AA,AS or SS.

As said earlier, the unusual Hb S can somettimes cause disorder to the health of the bearer.Especially when it is inherited in combination with another unusual Hb,which can be Hb S itself or any other like Hb C;the child is said to have sickle cell disorder.This is because the Hb S has the tendency of sickling the red blood cells under unfavourable conditions.By sickling I mean the red blood cells become sickle shaped instead of the usual round shape which can cause severe health disorder.

For two young people working towards marriage,it is crucial for them to know their genotype BEFORE the happy event.It is very important for them to understand what they are getting into.It is always good to make an informed decision.If a person with Hb genotype AS decides to marry someone of the same Hb genotype AS,they must understand that there is the probability of having children with Hb AA,AS or SS.The consequence of this decision is that if they have a child with Hb AS,the child is would be a carrier of unusual haemoglobin.If the child happens to be born with Hb SS,the child has sickle cell disorder and this has implications for the child and the whole family.

Some intending couples called off their marriage plans after they discovered they are both carriers of unusual haemoglobin.They felt they could not face the challenges of having a child with sickle cell disorder.That is their informed decision.

And there are those who after knowing they are both carriers of sickle cell trait(AS),they still went ahead to get married:should they be blessed with a child with sickle cell,they would give it all the love and care they could.That is their informed decision.

It is advisable for couples who intend to get married to know their genotype and seek counsel from a genetic counsellor so that whatever decision they make would be an informed one.It is better to know your genotype beforehand so that you'd be prepared for whatever comes your way than not know your genotype and get what you are not prepared for.

I have heard people say if they love the person enough and genuinely,either they are both Hb AS or one AS and the other SS,they would still get married to the person:trying to draw the line between LOVE and the menace of having a child with sickle cell.I read the story of a woman who is SS and wanted to marry a man with Hb AA at all cost to avoid having any offspring with sickle cell.She eventually got one and the marriage was blessed with children.But she got divorced after some years.Thinking?Life is full of choices.Who you are today is as a result of the choices you made yesterday.Your tomorrow depends on the choice you shall make today.

Make an Informed Decision!