Case 3

Client: Mr. Flip Wilson

Mrs. Michelle Wilson

Age: 35 (both clients)

Mrs. Wilson picked up the phone and in her usual business tone she spoke, " Hello, Michelle Wilson of the McDonald’s Corporation." The voice on the other end responded, " Mrs. Wilson, this is North Central High. We’re calling to report that your son, John has become seriously ill. He needs hospital attention immediately." "OK, I’ll be there within the next ten minutes." Mrs. Wilson replied with a flat and sad voice.

She did not bother to ask for the exact symptoms. This was not necessary. Her child has had a blood disorder since birth. This disorder frequently caused John to miss school or leave school early on a regular basis. Recently the family had to deal with the fact that John could no longer participate in his PE class. The joints in his knees and ankles were often swollen and caused him severe pain. At times John could barely walk from one class to another without crutches.

Needless to say the Wilsons were under a tremendous emotional stress as a result of John’s illness. To make matters worst John’s illness is not curable. According to the doctors John will suffer with this illness for the rest of his life. Some doctors have even predicted that he might not live to reach the age of thirty.

Mrs. Wilson often blamed herself for John’s condition. Sometimes Mr. Wilson blamed himself for the condition. Because the Wilsons had never been given direct genetic testing or counseling, each of them figured that John had inherited the trait from their respective side of the family.

During the past month Mrs. Wilson began to fear that she was pregnant. She did not want to be. She feared that she might give birth to another sickle cell child. After much conversation with her husband, she convinced him to go to genetic counseling with her..

The results of the tests were as follows:

Mrs. Wilson is heterozygous for the sickle cell trait.

Mr. Wilson is not the biological father although he thinks that he is.