Good News!

[Guest guest]

Hi All!

I have written in the past about genetic testing for myself and my sister. For

those of you who don't recall, I have CMT but never knew what type. I have a

sister and a brother who are twins who also have CMT as evidenced by the twisted

feet thing and weakness. My other sister never has had any symptoms, but we

never knew if she had the disease with no symptoms or if she carried the gene

for it as a recessive trait. The whole thing became an issue when became

pregnant unexpectantly soon in her and her husband's effort to conceive a child.

So I was tested to see what type I have so that my sister could be tested to see

if she carries it at all in her gene sequence.

We found out that I have Type 2a, which I pretty much always assumed I hade from

all the symptomology I had ever read. And today we found out that my sister

does not carry the gene for CMT at all! None of her children will have CMT at

all! Naturally we are all so happy for her!

I just got off the phone with her, and she is the only one feeling kind of down

about it. She feels bad for my mom, me, my sister , and my brother, Joe

who all have the disease and have a 50/50 shot at having kids with CMT. I told

her to be happy for herself and her husband, WITHOUT RESERVATION! None of

us are in the position of having children right now anyway.

I just thought I'd write and bring up the fact that CMT affects everyone who

cares about us with CMT. We are never in this alone if we choose to talk to the

people we care about. Keep the lines of communication open. If nothing else,

CMT might at least bring us closer to those we love.

Thank you all for sharing in my good news!

I'm gonna be an aunt for the first time next month!

Joyce Erie, PA