Genes

I don't like Genes.

Well, particularly the ones that may have caused Daniel's condition.

The doctor at the Kluge Center was better than anyone about explaining them. If his condition is due to a recessive recessive gene that means that both Jason and I carry that gene and together there is that chance of having a child with Lissencephaly. The doctor explained that we all have millions (or billions) of recessive genes in our DNA but the chances of finding a mate with the same recessive gene is quite rare. It does happen. As in the case of Cystic Fibrosis.

This information interests me though when I think about the implications of it all, it frightens me. We are set up to see a geneticist and I really have some serious questions for this Doctor. What does it mean if Jason and I are both carriers? What does it mean for us, for Alison, for her children?

I have always been fascinated by medicine--should have been a doctor or nurse. Genetics is a fascinating science as well but in this case do I really want to know? I understand there may be other causes of Danny's disease and that it is not necessary to find out the genetics but who knows what the future may bring and if you heard who won the Nobel Prize for Medicine then you know it is somewhat important. I just have a hard time not thinking of the big picture (its like a curse for me). Knowing that the genes are in me or in my daughter that caused this to happen to Daniel is scary and I sometimes actually think that ignorance is bliss.