Chapter 3: Hidden Dangers
Dem still collect blood for lab—full blood count. Result come quick: im hemoglobin na only 70g/L (normal na 120–150g/L), na moderate anemia be that. I come dey wonder.
I look am again, reason am deep. Seventy na low, too low for young man. My mind dey calculate – bleeding, infection, or something dey chop blood for inside? You go dey ask yourself question, dey pray make answer clear.
"How you take get anemia? You dey bleed from pile?" I ask am.
Na so I talk am, eyes dey look am well. "Bros, e get as e be. You dey see blood for stool? E dey rush or e dey small-small?" For Naija, people dey get pile, but this kain low hemoglobin dey worry person.
This one fit be problem. Person no dey just get anemia like that, and im hemoglobin too low.
I even dey wonder whether im dey hide something. Sometime, people no dey talk all the truth. I dey try look im eye, make I see if fear dey push am.
E tell me, "I get pile, but the bleeding no too much, na small small bleeding once in a while."
He rub him hand for head, voice low. "Oga doctor, na true, I dey see blood sometimes, but e no plenty. I dey use local medicine, e dey stop. E no too reach wetin you dey talk."
Even am sef no understand how e take happen,
E just shake head, look ground. "I no understand o, doc. My body just dey tire these days, no strength." Sometimes, I go try climb danfo, leg go shake. Even to shout conductor, voice no dey. The fear, the confusion, e show for im face – as e dey talk, my heart pinch small. As I watch Ifeanyi, I dey pray make this night no end the way my spirit dey fear. Emergency no dey give warning—sometimes, na hope you go hold like last card.