So John and I met with a genetic counselor recently to discuss our respective family histories including any incidences of cancer, defects, mental abnormalities due to chromosomal issues, etc. Our lovely counselor was mapping out a chart that looked a lot like a bizarre geometric family tree to establish whether or not there was cause for concern. The conversation when a little something like this:
Me: My dad's mother died from cancer when he was 10.
GC: What kind?
Me: They think it was liver.
GC: Oh, but they don't know?
Me: No, unfortunately not.
GC: How old was she? 30s?
Me: I think so.
GC: And when she died? 30s?
Me: Probably. Oh - and I had an uncle with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
GC: And he died?
Me: Yes, but he was diagnosed at 21 and died at 42 from a heart attack. They think it was from the chemo and radiation... weakened his heart or something.
GC: Okay - so nobody else with cancer?
Me: Actually - yes - but from smoking. Lung cancer - grandmother and grandfather.
GC: Anyone with developmental disabilities or delays?
Me: (to John) Don't you have a relative with Down Syndrome?
John: I think so... an Uncle? (Intentional question mark)
GC: On which side?
John: On my mother's.
GC: So was it on their maternal or paternal side?
John: Good question. To be honest, I'm not sure.
GC: Okay... Is he alive today?
John: I think so. I feel like I would've heard about it if something had happened. I don't know. We're not really close - but then again, I don't exactly have a stellar reputation for keeping in touch with my family in general.
GC: So how old do you think he'd be today?
John: 70s maybe?
GC: Okay.
GC: So other than a bit of cancer that mostly looks like isolated incidents or the result of smoking and the one instance of Down Syndrome, it doesn't really look like there are any issues we need to be overly concerned with. (Pause). Oh - wait... is there a chance that you're related?
John and Me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Me: Um - highly unlikely. I'm an Ashkenazi Russian, Romanian, Polish Jewish mutt and he's a French/Dutch Protestant or something.
John: (Still laughing). Does that um - come up?
GC: Yes.
John: So you have patients that are related?
GC: Yes. First cousins and the like. Sometimes, I'll be doing a chart, and I'll start to see the husband's and wife's sides converge - and I get an inkling.
Me: Wow. Okay, well, I think that's a non-issue here.
Anyway, in other news, IT'S A GIRL!!!
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