“I’m sorry, I can’t do that. It’s against my professional ethics,” the man said, shaking his head.
“You have to help me!” Dija begged, holding on to his coat.
“I can’t, madam. I may lose my job if someone finds out,” he replied, pulling his coat from her and askingheroutof[PY12] thelab.
Early the next morning, the doctor came to see Dija in her room. “I understand you were at the lab yesterday to speak with one of my staff,” he said, giving her a stern look.“Err . . . yes,” she stammered. “I was eager to know what the results were,” she said.
“Well, that wasn’t what I was told,” the doctor said. “The lab attendant told me everything.”“He did?” Dija asked, looking embarrassed. “I’m sorry for my actions. I was just trying to save my marriage,” she explained, hanging her head in shame.“I understand,” the doctor replied, patting her back. “I can help you,” he said.“Really?” she asked, raising her eyebrows and studying his facial expression to see if he meant what he said.“Yes,” he replied. “But for a fee.”
“Name your price, Doctor. I’m ready to pay,” she replied.
Suddenly, the door opened. “Let’s discuss this over the phone,” the doctor whispered, handing her a complimentarycard[PY13] hehadfishedoutfromhispocket.
“Welcome, honey” Dija stammered, hiding the card in her pocket as Charles walked in. “You came earlier than expected,” she added.
“My boss rescheduled the meeting, so I have to be at work earlier than I planned,” he said, giving her a peck on the lips. “I see you’ve been speaking with the doctor,” he said, stretching his hands to give the doctor a handshake.“I just came in shortly before you did,” the doctor replied. “Came to see my patient,” he said, pointing at Zara, who was peacefully asleep. “Maybe we should discuss the results now that you’re here,” he suggested.
“Yes, please go ahead,” Charles said, sitting down beside Dija on the bed as the doctor spoke.
“Contrary to what you said yesterday, the both of you actually have the AS genotype. The tests you did yesterday have confirmed that,” he explained.“How can that be?” Charles asked, looking doubtful. “The comprehensive health screen I did just before I started my new job showed that my genotype was AA.”“These things happen,” the doctor explained. “That’s why you need to always go to reputable labs like ours.”
“Are you saying the lab my company uses is not reputable?” Charles asked defensively.
“I haven’t said that,” the doctor replied. “But how else can you explain the false results you were given?” the doctor asked.
“Baby, listen to the doctor. He has a point. We’ve been using this hospital for a long time, and they have never failed us,” Dija said, squeezing Charles’s hands.
“It’s okay. I guess there must have been a mix-up,” he said, calming down.“Since that’s sorted, I’d like to counsel you a bit on sickle cell,” the doctor began. “Since you will be raising a child with the condition, I think it’s important I mention a few things.”“Please go ahead, Doctor,” Dija said.
“Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that can be passed down to children from parents suffering from the disease itself (SS genotype) or parents who are carriers of the sickle cell trait (AS genotype). This is why it is important to check your genotype before choosing a partner,” the doctor said.“Symptoms don’t usually appear until the child is at least four to six months old and may present as fever, swelling in the hands or feet in children below five years of age, episodes of pain and anaemia, which is commonly known as sickle cell crisis.”
“Is there any way I can prevent or at least reduce the frequency of this crisis?” Dija asked.“Drinking a lot of water, regular exercise, and avoiding trigger factors for sickle cell crisis—such as dehydration, infections, stress, and extreme heat or cold—may help,” the doctor began.“It is also important to ensure your child has had the pneumococcal vaccine and other routine vaccinations to prevent recurrent infections. You need to also ensure your child takes routine drugs like folic acid, which helps to rebuild red blood cells, and proguanil (Paludrine), which helps to prevent malaria,” he added.
“What can I do if my child is having a crisis?” she queried further.
“Giving over-the-counter pain medication and a lot of water and fluids may be helpful during a crisis, depending on how the crisis presents. If the crisis is severe, the child should be taken to the hospital for adequate treatment,” the doctor replied.“There are other complications you must be aware of,” he continued. “Sickle cell disease can lead to stroke; visual problems, which may eventually lead to loss of vision; and open sores on the skin called skin ulcers. It can also lead to a life-threatening condition called acute chest syndrome, which manifests as chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing.”
“Is there a cure?” Charles finally asked, looking concerned.
“There is no widely available cure. A bone marrow transplant offers the only potential cure. However, finding a donor is difficult. And the procedure has serious associated risks, including the risk of death. But not to worry—once the condition is properly managed, people who have it can live normal healthy lives with very few or no crisis episodes in a year.”
“Thank you for this information. It’s been really helpful,” Charles said, giving the doctor a handshake. “I have to leave now. I’m running late for my meeting.”Zara eventually got better and was discharged home. A year went by, and she grew up to be an adorable little girl. Her parents managed her condition well. The genotype issue never came up again since Dija had managed to convince Charles to believe the doctor was right.
One day, Charles and Dija were in the living room watching TV when her phone rang. It was an unknown number calling. She picked up to find out who it was. “Hello,” Dija said, waiting to hear the other person’s voice.
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“Hello,” the caller said.
“Who am I speaking with?” she asked, not recognising his voice.
“This is your good old friend Dr Ben speaking,” the caller said. “Pardon me, I can’t hear you,” Dija said, looking sideways to see if Charles was listening.“You can pretend to be deaf all you want,” the caller continued. “I’m in a serious financial crisis and will be needing some money from you. I’ve always known you to be a smart lady, so I trust you won’t say no to me,” the caller said.“I’m sorry, you have the wrong number,” she said when she noticed Charles was listening.
“Wrong number, eh? We’ll find out if this number is wrong or right when you fail to comply,” the caller threatened. “Meet me at the hospital tomorrow by 10 a.m. so we can discuss. If I don’t see you by 10:05, I might be forced to call Mr Charles,” the caller said, hanging up.“Who was it?”Charles asked,noticing the worried look on Dija’s face when she dropped her phone.“Its’ nothing,” she stammered. “Just some guy calling to speak to an alhaji,” she lied.
Find out what happens next in Episode 9