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October 11, 2022; 99 (15) Humanities in Neurology

Pregnancy Fête

Huntington's Pantoum

View ORCID ProfileLealani Mae Y. Acosta
First published August 8, 2022, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000201169
Lealani Mae Y. Acosta
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Pregnancy Fête
Huntington's Pantoum
Lealani Mae Y. Acosta
Neurology Oct 2022, 99 (15) 658-659; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000201169

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Abstract

A mother's excitement about welcoming a new child into the world is tempered by the fear that her Huntington disease genes will be passed on to the baby.

Pregnancy fête: anticipation,

Excitement, planning

Counting the numbers

Ten fingers, ten toes

Excitement, planning

Pink sheets, blue ties?

Ten fingers, ten toes

First movements: rolling, kicking

Pink cheeks, blue eyes?

Watching you grow

First movements: rolling, kicking

Flickering ultrasound pictures

Watching you grow

I cannot wait to hold you

Flickering ultrasound pictures of

your shape

I cannot wait to hold you

As parents, we wonder how we'll be

You're shaped,

your chromosomes from ours

As parents, we wonder how will be

each pair of your genes

your chromosomes from ours

I have Huntington's disease.

Each pair of your genes,

fate sealed: heads or tails?

I have Huntington's disease.

Autosomal dominant, the doctor said.

Fate sealed. I can't make heads or tails of it.

Do you have it or not?

Autosomal dominant, the doctor said.

Will I watch you grow?

Do you have it or not?

I ache to hold you in my arms

Will I watch you grow?

Take your first steps?

I ache to hold you in my arms,

but I fear I'll drop you. As you

take your first steps,

will I be losing mine?

But I fear I'll drop you. As you

gum pureed solids,

will I be losing my

ability to swallow?

Gum pureed solids,

blow spit bubbles and drool

My ability to swallow

this tough pill is lost

Blow spit bubbles and drool

Quite the pair we make

This tough pill is not lost

on me

Quite the pair we make

The reason for your disease is

on me

Alone

The reason for your disease is

The number of repeats

Alone

New moms can feel trapped

The number of repeats

More than 36

New moms can feel trapped

The caged bird sings

More than 36

Will I live to see?

The caged bird sings

and you with me

Will I live to see?

Counting the numbers

and you with me

Pregnancy fate: anticipation.

Footnotes

  • Submitted and externally peer reviewed. The handling editor was Associate Editor Heidi Moawad, MD.

  • Received May 4, 2022.
  • Accepted in final form July 11, 2022.
  • © 2022 American Academy of Neurology

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