"call us immeadietly." (Signed, Genetics Dept.of University)
I called. I knew in my gut they were going to tell ME I was the reason for my child's genetic condition because that is how it is,my husband is the largely healthy one.
"we got the results back...
Breathe.
And you also have the 17Q12 deletion."
Well, joy. And does this mean I have MODY as well?"
"yes,but we need to communicate with
Dr.S (adult geneticist-it was J's genetic counselor who called me) to formulate a plan of action that will also involve your endocrinologist."
I didn't cry this time,because frankly it makes perfect sense that the weird health stuff that has happened all my life beginning at babyhood when no one could figure out why my head was so large and I only wanted to sleep,not eat.(many tests later) was in fact related to a genetic condition. Or why my spine is not straight,or the tinnitus that began when I was 12 years old. Or why I've gotten chicken pox, Shingles,and Lyme disease in my first 20 years of life. Or why the diabetes came on over 6 months and the magnesium issues as well.
New Diagnosis: 17q12 micro deletion. Magnesium issues from that. Not Bartters Syndrome. Probably not type 1, because it specifically encodes for MODY
5 diabetes. Like,basically impossible to have type 1.
Basically the news feels like I'm a freak of nature,because this happens at the very basest of levels. I don't know if this effects lifespan (I'd like to think it doesn't but who knows) and the MODY 5 puts at risk for liver and kidney dysfunction. I guess the good news is that I have above average IQ, it hasn't effected that but can it? Also the chances of passing it on to offspring are 50/50.(hence the reason J has it,& it affects people different ways so that some people cannot live independently.) I'm already being monitored by a kidney doc,but there will be a whole new care plan with aspects of what I might be likely to get.(Different from J's plan,as they don't know what his level of functioning will be as for now he has none of the physical problems.) My Endo will also collaborate with the geneticist as it may be possible for me to take some oral medication with insulin,to lower the amount of insulin I take.
And that's where that's at. I'm still kind of stuck in the disbelief stage. (With all of this) And dealing with the knowledge that this was no random error that caused me to give it to my son.
Diabetes still sucks & these waters are uncharted.(read: mini identity crises if I no longer fit in the type 1 world)
