Thalassemia

My dear grandson has Thalassemia Beta
It is a blood disease: Mediterranean origin
He has anaemia, small red blood cells
Has been ill a lot in his first seven years
Now that we know; now that we have a name
Does it make it any easier, is anyone to blame?
I am a carrier, my precious daughter too
It runs in the family I guess, inherited, passed down
There is nothing to be done: get on with our lives
Deal with it: accept it as a fact of life: no choice
No escaping the throw of the dice...
My doctor explained to me over the past few years
My red blood cells were tiny: carried little haemoglobin
Thus I was tired, exhausted: worn out: constantly
He said: if my blood cells were carriages on a train
My engine had fewer carriages and thus
Less oxygen and haemoglobin was taken around
So I was always cold and tired and weak
My circulation was never up to scratch so to speak
Now I realise that I have this disease as well
Had it all my life I guess: Thalassemia: no less
Didn't even know that I was ill, was a carrier
Thought I was one of the luckier ones...