Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Sickler

Of all the words used for patients with sickle cell, the one that irritates me the most is Sickler. Grrrr! There is something about that word for me that makes me feel like an anathema, a blight or something out of the ordinary. Why can't they just say...the patient, or Vixen, or something else. Why do you have to use the word sickler?

Drop the word sickler...it just makes me feel like you're calling me names, a bad name at that.

People with cancer aren't called Cancler, those with diabetes aren't called the diabeters, people with MS aren't called the scleroser---so why the fuck are you calling me the sickler? I know it's a shorter way to say sickle cell anemic patient, but if you are going to give us a nickname, why can't you make it something cool and edifying---something that actually shows the other side of what we are faced with.

Like the Survivor. The Fighter. The Warrior. The Soldier. The Balancer.

Any of these will do.
Kthanxbye!


3 comments:

Adventures In Waitressing said...

That's my Fighting, Surviving Warrior. Kick some Ass babe!

Y Corner said...

I can't hear that word and not go into a rage, I guess reading it doesn't feel any different.
The worst part is, my mum uses that word arrrggg.

Vixen said...

Thanks Waitress!

Y Corner, start the change with your mom. Tell her how much it bothers you and that you don't want her to use it anymore. A little education and enlightenment can go a long way. Let the wave begin there. Good luck!