In the genes?

 Cara catching the mood

I kept thinking, there’s a great pun in the whole genes/jeans thing but could I find it? I’m trying to find the light side of this. Like does my bum look big in these genes or similar, you know. ( surely the answer would be yes just now so I won’t go there!). Frankly I’m avoiding jeans right now because they trigger nerve pain. Apparently my brain is confused by my recovering ( hopefully) nerves and it’s not just going you are too old for jeans now, it’s more ahhhh thats sore, stop it. 

Usually discussions on genes in this house centre on whose eyes our Grandson has ( his Dad’s definitely) and his dimples are his Mum’s. But this year genes took on another meaning. After my recent cancer diagnosis I was tested for the BRCA genes.The BRCA gene test is a blood test that uses DNA analysis to identify harmful changes (mutations) in either one of the two breast cancer susceptibility genes — BRCA1 and BRCA2. My family history is in no way typical of the normal pattern but hey who wants to be typical. Because I found out this week that I have the BRCA2 gene. 

Another wave came over my head and this time I struggled to get my head up. I’ve been exhausted and overwhelmed. I really didn’t know if I or the family could face any more. So we booked a holiday! 

At one level it makes sense of recent years; this gene is the gift that keeps giving. At another level it means more surgery in the future to remove ovaries and fallopian tubes and may affect my recently agreed treatment plan. But much worse than that is the impact on my children and wider family. My children are kind and wise people and they proved that this week yet again. They each have a 50% chance of having the gene and have now been offered genetic screening themselves. That is the part that grieves me so very deeply. Since my first diagnosis of breast cancer I have struggled with wanting to protect my children, when that wasn’t in my gift. I’ve had to remind myself of that again this week. Believe me that’s been the hardest thing of all. 

It was fortuitous that I went to see Les Misérables this week. The second act was a cathartic release for me, I think I probably cried the whole way through. Come the song « Bring him home » I was lost. 

And now I’m mindfully knitting a baby blanket and staying in the moment and that’s enough for now.