My Name is Esi
I’m a 34 year old woman, who had lead a very relatively normal managed life living with sickle cell anemia – for the first 25 years.
I was able to work since 16, graduate with a BA honors in Sociology and do other normal things for someone my age, without regular medical treatment/intervention. My sickle cell drastically changed after I fell pregnant at 25, leading me to develop a very serious debilitating complication, avascular necrosis which is bone death affecting both my hips and both shoulders. I’ve endure untold excruciating pain with this, over the last 6+ years living with this added condition on top of sickle cell symptoms worsening, especially mobility wise.
After a very traumatic birth experience and along with becoming a first time mum, with my newborn having complex abnormalities, I had to undergo having bilateral hip replacements at age 27 and 28. Having tried almost everything, nothing compares to the relief I experience using bath salts! Having been unable to return to my previous line of work, which was as a support worker in mental health. I decided to not to carry a defeated attitude, after the health deterioration but to instead, use my experience in a positive way.
First (& last time?!) Mum: My Sickle Cell Journey - A True Story Kindle Edition
So, I started to write a book about my dramatic experience, detailing the deterioration of my health and bombshell entrance into motherhood, as well as many self help tips with managing sickle cell anemia. My book, ‘First (and last time!) mum’ and is now available to buy from major retailers as well as on-line as an E book on Amazon and Audible. I also learned how to create my own version of bath salts after noticing how I became heavily accustomed to routinely relying on the benefits I experience after using bath salts. I’m now dedicated to redirecting my focus in spreading as much awareness as possible about sickle cell anemia and avascular necrosis. The latter, a condition I’d never heard of before. Considering the amount of excruciating pain it brings and how quickly the condition deteriorates, I genuinely believe it is now my calling to use my voice for this. Spreading awareness, encouraging more blood donations specifically from the black community (whereby it currently stands at very low contribution), and encourage overall healthier living with sickle cell, which I hope to be my forte. This is how StressEase by Esi came about! Making my bath salts available for purchase, is in line with producing my own range of products that I myself use to help me manage my illness which can also help you too, so watch this space as there is more to come!