The following poem is from a collection of 41 written by me to try describing Huntington’s Disease (HD). This poem describes one of the most horrific aspects of HD.
Every person born to someone carrying the faulty gene has a 50% chance of inheriting HD. Because HD cannot skip generations, if your child becomes symptomatic (Juvenile HD) it can only have got it directly from the parent. It’s just a case of them having a higher “CAG” count and developing it sooner but it confirms the parent must have the faulty gene themself to have been able to have given it to the child. It therefore confirms their fate too.
The Generations
He stands above his restless child,
Her body thrashing out.
She’s tired and thin, just bone and skin,
He hears her scream and shout.
His heart is breaking every time,
He goes into her room.
What should have been a happy time,
Has been replaced with gloom.
Just how much time do they still have?
Too little time he’s sure.
He knows her fate because of this,
He’s seen it once before.
The gene is passing down the line,
He now has come to learn.
He watched his dad die, now his child,
And next will be his turn.
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