One for the books...............literally.

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

When I was finally diagnosed late in life with CMT after decades of tests,

I figured I had inherited it from my Dad, who developed left-foot-drop in

his 60s. Seemed it was a classic sign of CMT in him. He had a lot more going

on with Parkinson's and another disease as rare as CMT, Waldenstrom's

Macroglobulinemia. His CMT went undiagnosed thru his death at age 79.

Recently, my late mother's side of the family had a reunion that I attended.

One of my Aunts asked me what was wrong with my leg. I started into my

standard explanation and she cut me short and asked, " but what is it called? "

I

said CMT and was ready to explain that it is Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease,

but we refer to it as CMT, otherwise folks think we have some minor dental

problem, but before I could explain all that, her mouth dropped open. She said

" you're kidding? " When I said no, she replied that her son had it and his son

has it so badly that he has to have hand controls installed in his van (he

is only 16). Well, then it was my turn for my mouth to drop open. I had

learned that CMT was on BOTH sides of my family! What are the odds of THAT? I

just can't believe that my sister, who is 7 years older than I am (I am 51)

doesn't have it.

Bob in Indy