That's not accurate at all breh there are different versions of sickle cell disease from a worst to best it's SS, SC, beta, hemoglobin e, and the trait which usually has no symptoms but can pass the disease on to offspring. People with SS and SC who make to to 30 are seen as having a "good run". Cormega said it himself in that letter that Prodigy never expected to live this long.
Every pain crisis could essentially be the "last one" depending on how quickly they treat it, what your hemoglobin levels are, if you are having acute chest syndrome(I've only had acust chest once and literally thought I was going to die had my hematolgist not rushed to the ER out his crib it would have been wrap for your boy krack

) stroke is also a lead cause. Sickle cell slowly kills your bones(the ones with ball and socket joints) the older you get its becomes a more painful existence just to be.
I'm 35 yrs old and have had 2 hip surgeries, gall bladder removed, inflamed liver that had to be drained, lost vision in my right eye(surgery got some of it back).
Pending surgeries in both knees and my right shoulder.
Mind you I don't drink, I don't smoke, I eat healthy and exercise regularly and still get hit with about 2-5 hospital stays a year.
The older people in the community say as you get older it's harder to "fight" and I kind of get what they mean. There is a phrase in boxing when a guy has a tough fight that "he left a piece of himself in the ring that night" that's the perfect way to describe SC every hospital stay you leave a piece of you there until there is nothing left to leave at 42 I think P didn't have any left to leave and I understand.