So I know I have been a little bit of a downer the past few weeks but there have been some sad, unhappy things going on in my life and this is my place to get them out. I really shouldn't have been surprised by my thoughts this evening yet I am. Well maybe not surprised but wishing I could get out of this funk I'm in.
After a horrible day at work I come home to find a packet of papers to fill out before we go to Ian's Endocrinology appointment. It's really the standard issue paperwork. Insurance information, payment policies, and family history. Only with this the family history is much more extensive than your typical primary care physicians. In most of the research I have read it does talk about how much Growth Hormone deficiencies are genetic and while I haven't found anything that states this about IGF-1 I still wonder if maybe this is as well but since most of them are the paperwork has an extensive family history section.
The part of this thought that brings me down is that both Dave and I only know half of our family history since neither of us know our birth fathers. A wise lady once told me that if the only reason I had tried to contact my birth father was for medical reasons then there really wasn't any reason to keep trying because it didn't much matter. I had after all made it all these years with out needing to know this information. While I still think that advise make perfect sense I do find myself wondering if knowing his medical history could in some way help Ian.
What if Growth Hormone Deficiencies are prevalent in his family could that information cut down on some of the test they will have to run on Ian? I know what if these things are not part of his family then it really doesn't matter but I can't help but wonder.
Of course one of the groups of questions is asking if any grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins suffer from any of the following. It goes on to list about 20 different disorders and diseases and I don't really know. Of course I will answer them based on the information I have but this brings up another issue. When we meet with the doctor should I explain to him that neither Dave or I know our birth fathers so we don't have a complete family history?
Am I over-reacting to all of this? You can be honest it's ok I do tend to over-react to things but I can't seem to move past this one. So thanks for listening to me rant and complain, I do feel a little bit better now.
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- JWilson
- I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, and a sister. I do the best I can in each role I have all the while working a full time job. These are the stories that make up my life.
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4 comments:
You're not overreacting. It's frustrating when you just don't know, especially when the information is out there. But I know that the doctors will work with the history you have and they'll be able to fully diagnose Ian. If it's really vital to know Ian's grandfathers' history, I'm sure they'll tell you. Keep your chin up...
It has been a heck of a crazy time Jess. No, you are not overreacting at all. Adam's Mom is adopted and (especially now that she has had cancer) we really would like some family history to see if there are things to look for. She refuses and its SO frustrating.
With everything that is going on with Ian, you should have the right to know for the health of your son!
I will say more... on the other side. ;)
I am thinking of you and your family, you guys are in our prayers.
HAHA, I'm going to be the black sheep and say overreacting. See my oldest son does not have half his family history. It doesn't matter. I've come to realize through the surgeries and genetics of my other children that essentially it all comes down to the individual. I know emotionally it matters to you but if you are asking if it will matter in terms of Ian and his care...not in the least. He has a deficiency or he does not. Its not a kinda sort of based on family thing. Ian is an individual. He has to be treated and cared for as one. Obvious, I know, but the only thing the history does is tell you how 'likely' something is or isn't. Likely really doesn't matter in the long run. Yes or No is what matters. When we talked to a geneticist about more of our children having birth defects one said something so simple that meant so much...you can talk 'odds' forever but when it comes down to it a child either 'has' something or does not. The odds don't matter. I guess that's why I don't see it mattering. The truth is I think he'll get better care if they don't know. They won't assume well its in your family so we are pretty sure. Nope, they will find the answers Ian needs, not someone else and that is all you truly need. Sorry this is long winded. Good luck with it all. Oh and by all means tell them you only have half the history very matter of fact. They totally understand. Most people don't have it all and I've never had a doctor even pause to ask why, how, or anything. They will happily take what you have and go from there. :) Good luck!
Wow Mom to 3 monkeys put it pretty well I think. I've never thought of it that way but she is right. Whether it's something genetic or not they have to treat the condition so it wouldn't really matter I guess. I think the only time it would really matter is if he needed some sort of transplant or blood transfusion and you needed to know the type or something??? Which is not the case here and probably won't be so I think he will be just fine. They will figure it all out and treat Ian for what he needs. Good Luck! :)
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