Who wants to know?

This week I traded e-mails with Robin Marantz Henig. She has written essays and books about the ethical and philosophical aspects of today's "medical miracles". Her most recent book is Pandora's Baby.

Robin wrote about PKD in an essay for USA Today. She shares how PKD is in her family and the individual and personal choice she made about genetic tests to identify her PKD status.

Her essay illuminates the experience of families with PKD. Many people can live active lives with PKD but can do little to prevent ultimate kidney failure. If your parents had PKD would you want to know if you had it?

Myself, I didn't want to know. But I did find out. A couple kidney stones in my early 30s required a kidney scan which showed healthy kidneys.