Ulcerative Colitis and Family Genes

Ulcerative colitis cannot be spread or caught. It is a hereditary disorder. Whatever the weakness or inability my body has with this disease, there is a chance I could pass it down to my kids, or that they could pass it down to their kids. I hope not, but it's always a possibility.

Ulcerative colitis does not run in my family, but IBS does. With several of my mom's immediate family having IBS and IBS symptoms, it's not a surprise that I have UC. No Crohn's, no colon cancer, no UC for anyone...just me and my ulcerative colitis luckily.

I have a daughter and another baby on they way. I can only pray that whatever condition I have is/was not passed on to them. Sure, it's a manageable disorder, but I would rather them not have to face the hardships of adjusting their life around ulcerative colitis, or anything similar.

I am fortunate in that I do not get embarrassed by my condition. I can talk about it freely with complete strangers, and I can take my urgent bathroom breaks without fearing people will hear or know what I am doing. It's a part of my life, and generally, people sympathize and understand. But, I know not everyone is as comfortable as I am.

For many people with ulcerative colitis, the symptoms that come along with active UC and flare-ups are very embarrassing. If any of my kids or eventual grandkids were to suffer embarrassment from this condition that were passed on from me, it would break my heart. Learning to cope and deal with ulcerative colitis is a hard task. Sharing it with those you love is difficult, and educating other friends and family can be even tougher. I would spare my kids this difficulty if I had the choice.

Only time will tell, though both of my kids will be at risk. It is something they will have to pay attention to their whole lives, because uclerative colitis and and IBD can present at any time.

I love my daughter, and my love is growing for my baby on the way with each passing day. As a father, I want to protect them from all harm, and would gladly take any amount of pain and suffering to prevent them from going through what I have gone through. Let's hope they have their mother's genes and can skip this inherited disease.