Meet Tinah, A Sickle Cell Warrior and HIV+ patient as she shares her story.

Let make welcome our special guest, a strong warrior

Compiled By Imo Hannah

Published By Audrey Mukoro

 From Uganda

Hello everyone

It’s Nazziwa Tinah from Uganda

Am a 27yr old with Sicklecell and HIV

Welcome

 Thanks everyone

 I know a lot of you have question to ask me please don’t hesitate, just ask and i will answer

 A little bit of my childhood and family, Am the only kid with sicklecell from my parents. We are 3 and the first born

 Growing up with sicklecell wasn’t easy at all being i was the only person in the whole family, In my maternal family they never about sicklecell and in my paternal family all with sicklecell were dead and they never knew it was ss complications that killed then until i was born and had similar symptoms with the decreased🤷🏽‍♀️

A lot of was not known about sicklecell in my family till i was born

I was born yellowish, i had yellow all over my body and was in ICU for 1 week. My parents were told I had SS but they never believed it because i was health until i was 6 months and ended up admitted for being in severe pain and anemic

I started attending Sicklecell clinic since i was 7 months

My Primary level was full of stigma, a lot of pupils called me names like walking dead, mosquito because i was so small, weak and missed school a lot

Stigma affected my performance a lot because i had low self esteem

I over came stigma with the help of my headmaster

Secondary school wasn’t so hard because i had learnt to handle myself well when bullied

My worst moment was when i lost my mom in 2010. It was tough and quite a challenge.

In 2014, i was raped and infected with HIV.

I got to know about my status in 2015 January 15th but that day i really felt beautiful but unlucky

My mom dead of HIV so when the doctor told me i was positive, i just remembered what my mom went through before she died and saw my self alone, with AIDs, hopelessly and already a loser

 With the help of a counselor and my supporting little sister and a  friend, i got my self together decided to tell my fellow warriors that we ain’t immune to HIV as some people think

I went back to school and studies HIV/AIDS counseling and management, i graduated in 2017

I have dedicated myself to counseling and i believe i was created to spread love to everyone because i know how it feels not to have someone to  talk about how you feel🙌🏽

Battling both diseases isn’t easy but hey, nothing is easy in this world. I have learnt to over look my weaknesses and embrace them for a better tomorrow

Thanks for listening to me, anyone with questions please do ask.💞

 How do u cope and feel taking drugs for both ailment?

Was it d rape dat gave u d hiv

 How come your mom was hiv positive too

 Yes, i found out the person who raped me had raped other two girls and they were both pregnant and positive too

But u were not pregnant

Has he been arrested

 She got it from my dad but back then I wasn’t positive, rape happened after my mom died

No, he freed to DRC

No, i never got pregnant

It’s challenge but i take my folic acid and multivitamin during day and my ARV at night

 What motivates/inspires you?

Am motivated and inspired by the way people love me. I have managed to survive because certain people chose to help, understand and support me.

 Please I have a question

Please how were you able to treat the yellowish body??

I can’t tell because i was a baby but my mom said it disappeared after being put on medication in the ICU. Right now i take a lot of warm water to keep stop yellowing of eyes

Any other questions?

Are you married @⁨Smiley Tinah⁩

Not yet

Okay so tell us about your son

He is my nephew, 6 years old, has sicklecell and he gives me a reason to wake up everyday and be a better person because i want to set a good example to him. I want him to know that sicklecell is not a curse and definitely not a death sentence

Thank you for the enlightenment and your courage too.

 So what is the level of awareness in Uganda

Still kinda low but there are many NGO that have come up to educate our communities about Sicklecell and empower warriors

Thank you so much @⁨Smiley Tinah⁩  we appreciate you and we are glad to have you here❤💜🙌🏼

You inspire us

Having you here Tonight really inspired me, I must say you are a rare gem

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