Sometimes, folks are dealt difficult hands and are expected to go about their life as if they aren’t operating on hard mode. That’s an incredibly tough thing to do, especially if a person is struggling with something like a chronic health condition.
That’s exactly what the woman in this story had to deal with, and she couldn’t plow through life anymore because her genetic disease was incredibly painful. So, when she learned about her sister getting pregnant, she was horrified due to all the possible risks to the future child.
More info: Reddit
Recurring health problems can have a massive impact on a person’s well-being, which is certainly why they’d never want it to be passed on to someone else
Image credits: goffkein / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster shared that she had been struggling through life with an untreatable genetic condition and that it made her want to end things
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The woman was glad that her sister’s son hadn’t inherited the genetic disorder, as she personally knew the trials and tribulations that came with it
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
When the poster was in the middle of a rant about how awful the world is and how tough things are, her sister revealed she was pregnant
Image credits: Head-Tomatillo-9847
The woman was shocked by her sister’s reveal and felt like she might have possibly sentenced an innocent child to dealing with a painful genetic condition
The poster had to grapple with a difficult medical diagnosis her whole life, and no matter how much she tried to manage it, there was just too much pain and exhaustion that came with it. That’s why her outlook on life was bleak, and she just wanted to end things so that she didn’t have to bear the tough genetic disease any longer.
According to Mental Health America, when people have to deal with chronic pain like this, it can often lead to anxiety and depression due to their low health-related quality of life. Having to cope with such physical pain on a daily basis can impact the brain and nervous system, which also then negatively affects their mental health.
That’s why the woman couldn’t seem to find joy in her life and kept thinking of ending things as soon as possible. Due to the severe nature of her difficulties, she was truly glad that her nephew hadn’t inherited her condition and that he could live life normally without having to struggle like she did.
The OP’s fears about the future generations in her family are justified because, as biomedical scientists point out, most people carry around five or more genes associated with a recessive disorder they probably aren’t aware of. That’s precisely why genetic testing and careful afterthought are essential before one has a child.
Image credits: gpointstudio / Freepik (not the actual photo)
What led the woman to make this post was the shocking discovery that her sister was pregnant, as it was news that she never wanted to receive. The reason why this information impacted her so much was that she felt scared that any child coming into their family might have to suffer the way she was.
Even though she was in such turmoil, her sister didn’t seem to realize how her innocent revelation had impacted the OP. She was only concerned about why her news wasn’t met with more joy and excitement, and it also seems like she didn’t thoroughly think about the possible genetic risks associated with her pregnancy.
The critical thing to take away from these women's experiences is that if there is an incurable hereditary disease in the family, one should take a genetic test before deciding to have a child. Experts say that although you can’t change your genes, these tests can help people make informed decisions about the health of their future children and take precautions with the help of genetic counselors.
Obviously, the OP’s sister cannot change the fate of her future child, but she can probably take guidance from an expert to understand what health-related risks the little one could face. It’s also clear that both sisters need to have an open and honest discussion about what this pregnancy means and why it brought out such emotions in the poster.
What do you feel about the OP’s reasoning behind her reaction? We’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Netizens sided with the poster and felt that her sister was selfish for bringing another life into the world despite knowing about the possible genetic risks
