So I took to the internet to soothe my fears/incite them into overdrive.
"Although the possibility exists that the condition could be genetic, in general, studies have shown that if no diagnosis is made and a child has a non-chromosomal condition, recurrence risks are 3-5%. This means that there is a 95-97% chance that it will not affect future children. In the vast majority of cases when clear recurrence risks can be given, the chances of a birth defect or genetic condition not happening again are far greater than the risk of recurrence. However, we must be mindful of the meaning of numbers to people who have already been affected by the devastation of learning of a genetic condition in a baby or unborn child. As is stated by the author of Another Letter to a Genetic Counselor, the idea of a few percent just wasn’t meaningful."
Assessing Genetic Recurrence Risks, Helga V. Toriello, Ph.D
Sigh of relief.
But then again, we just don't know. We'll never know. So I go back to researching HPE and possible environmental factors to contribute. And then I panic again.
What if it wasn't a fluke? What if I took asprin, and that caused my boy to die? What if it was something I did?
See? Panic. Anxiety. Fear. Terror.
Happy Monday. F.
Hi Katie!
ReplyDeletePanic, anxiety, fear and terror make perfect sense after what you have been through. "A friend of mine suggested that when I feel lost and don't know what to do next, I should quiet myself with the question, 'What is needed now?' The answer will not only be a first step out of my present confusion, but a lasting gift to myself" - Kelly