The discussion forums have been kind of quiet...I know, I check them everyday. I hope this means that everyone is enjoying the holiday season.

As for me, Thanksgiving was great! My parents and my brother and his wife came to our house and enjoyed a delicious dinner prepared by my wife.

I pray that each you is doing well.

Yes, things have been a little quiet, but that happens occasionally.

I had a nice Thanksgiving also with our family. Over the last few years, this holiday period is becoming more of what it is supposed to be ... a time for family and friends to get together in the spirit of sharing and caring.

Our Thanksgiving was also very nice. We had some of the family and a couple of friends over to our house - 16 people total and lots of food. (We finally decided to eat "fast food" for dinner tonight - you get a litle tired of leftovers after a while!) Glad to hear everyone enjoyed their holiday!

I know this is a little off the subject, but I wonder if you wouldn't mind answering some questions or clarify some of my misunderstandings.

It's my understanding that Kennedy's disease is inherited, being passed on from Mother to son.

But does the mother get the recessive gene from her mother or from her father? Does a man with Kennedy's pass the gene to any of his descendants?

You are correct that Kennedy's is an inherited disease. As I understand it, the disease is passed from Father to Daughter who then has a 50/50 chance of passing it on to her children (sons and daughters).

Daughters who receive the mutated gene are considered carriers, but can also show symptoms. Sons who receive the mutated gene have Kennedy's and will pass it on to their daughters and the cycle continues.

Please remember that I am not a physician or genetics counselor. I am just explaining my understanding. For more detailed answers, I would suggest speaking to a genetics counselor.

Hope this helps

GENETIC COUNSELING/INHERITANCE

If the mother is the only carrier of the defective gene: there is a 50 % chance of passing the affected gene on to male children (in which they would develop symptoms in adulthood). The chance of passing the defective gene on to female children is also 50 %.

If the father is the only carrier of the defective gene your chances of passing the defective gene to a male child are 0 %. However, it is 100 % certain that you would pass this gene on to your female child, and she will be a carrier of the gene.

Note: Females are usually only carriers even though they might show minor symptoms later in life. These symptoms are normally not as severe as in males and are later onset.

Follow this link to see a genetic chart of the process: http://www.kennedysdisease.org/about_counseling.html