On Love and Decisions

There is this condition called autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), it's inherited genetically, pretty much like colour blind or Thalassemia, only that in ADPKD, the manifestation not only limits to the kidney, there might also be cysts in the liver, there might be heart valve diseases, as well as aneurysm in the brain that could cause death if it burst.

So here's a story I read from one of my handbook.

Since ADPKD is an autosomal dominant disease, so there is a 50:50 chance that you could get it if one of your parents has the disease.

So here's how the story goes. There was a man who has ADPKD and was in end stage renal failure, where a kidney transplant from a matched donor is highly desirable if he wanted to live. He managed to persuade both his adult sons to go for a genetic testing to see if any of them are of compatibility. Both his sons are more than willing to donate one of their kidneys to

When the results were out, one of his son was a match, but only to learn that his brother also carry the same gene. He would rather save his kidney to help his brother than to give it to his father.

If you are in that son's position, would you donate your kidney to your aging father and prolong his life for another year or two, or would you save it to save your brother whom was also found to have the same disease but has yet to deteriorate? Your brother is still young and bright, he had a whole long life lying ahead of him. But you both know you'll be haunted by guilt if you just sit there and watch your dad die slowly of his failing kidney.

Who would you pick to save? Your filial piety or your love for your brother?