Dr Ashley Ng

It’s hard to describe the anger, frustration and relief of my appointment with the genetics clinic this morning. But I guess no news is good news…

I received a letter a few months ago informing me of a follow up appointment to discuss the results from the genetic testing they had done to finally find out if I have MODY. Excitedly, I mentioned this to my endo at my last appointment. I was cautioned that if they did find anything, we would have to reconsider my diabetes management. Including the need for an insulin pump as part of my management plan. I recoiled in shock and defiantly argued that no one could take my pump away. Although after a while, I reluctantly agreed to keep open for discussions should anything arise.

The past few months, I’ve also heard a lot about the possible link between diabetes and cancer. Hence, the hypochondriac in me assumed the worst when I received a reminder letter about my appointment, this time from the familial cancer centre instead of the genetics clinic.

After having those worries at the back of my mind for the past month, today I arrived at the clinic in a nervous heap. And within five minutes, my appointment was pretty much over.

‘We went through each MODY gene and found no mutations matching your gene sequence. So really nothing has changed with your diabetes management.’

Um…what? I took a day off work with the promise of results only to be told there was nothing? Surely, this could’ve been done over the phone or via email.

I guess I appreciate the fact that they wanted to tell me the news face to face with opportunities to ask questions. But really…I could’ve done with extra hours at the office this week. And I had travelled over an hour to get to the appointment, I wasn’t going to let it be over in five minutes! So to fill the awkward silence that followed, I asked about what the results meant (even though I assumed it meant nothing had changed for me) and keeping me up to date with potential relevant results.

I am slightly disappointed to still have an unknown type in the world of diabetes. I felt like I was so close in getting some answers. But at the same time, I’m also relieved that there’s no increased risk of cancer from my genes and that I get to keep my pump. So in keeping in line with focusing on the positives, I guess no news is good news.