Gilbert Won't Make You Sick

by Patsy Collins

Dominic and his little brother Gilbert were beginning to get on each other’s nerves. They normally got on well together at home, mostly because they kept out of each other’s way. That wasn’t possible in the caravan though. Bad weather meant they were stuck indoors for hours on end. Gilbert’s games were too childish for Dominic, and anything that interested Dominic was too complicated for Gilbert.

Dominic began to wish he’d never agreed to come. His mum had talked him round at the last minute.

“We hardly get to see you, now you’ve started college. We all miss you, especially Gilbert. You know how he’s always looked up to you.”

Dominic had imagined a week in the sun, showing his eight year old brother how to skim stones and study marine life trapped in rock pools. He’d thought fondly of racing Gilbert on the beach, making sure he only just beat him. He thought they’d mess around on the dinghy and build enormous sand castles. That would all have been fun, he would have enjoyed that. Dominic wouldn’t even have minded taking care of his brother, so his parents could spend some time together doing whatever they wanted to do. It hadn’t worked out like that. Instead, they’d all been stuck inside playing endless games of snakes and ladders and beat thy neighbour.

The boy’s parents asked Dominic to mind Gilbert whilst they went shopping.

“We’ll get some magazines for you both and ask around to see if there’s anywhere indoors we can visit.”

“Good idea, Mum,” Dominic said. He didn’t think being shut in with Gilbert on his own would be worse than it had been with the four of them. He was wrong, first the younger boy asked constant questions, then he began whining that he was bored. The brothers were soon bickering.

“Dom, you’re really boring now you’re grown up. Why can’t we do something interesting?”

“Just shut up, you make me sick!” Dominic shouted at Gilbert.

Gilbert’s eyes filled with tears.

“I’m sorry, Dom. I just thought we’d be able to have adventures and stuff.”

Fortunately their parents came back at that point. The magazines and comics cheered them up and the argument was soon forgotten.

The following day the weather had considerably improved. The boys made up for lost time and ran around exploring the beach, building a sand fort, and trying to catch seagulls. When they eventually sat down to rest, Gilbert had pieces of seaweed stuck to his skin.

“You look like a sea monster,” Dominic laughed, as he tried to brush it away.

“Yeah, well you look like a banana,” Gilbert retorted.

“What are you on about now?”

“You look all yellow. Even your eyeballs.”

“Yeah, right and your tongue is bright blue.”

“Really?” Gilbert tried to stick out his tongue far enough to see it.

The boys climbed over the rocks looking for hidden treasure until they got hungry, then they raced back to the caravan. Gilbert almost won.

“What on earth has happened to you?” their mum demanded.

“It’s just seaweed, Mum,” Gilbert said. “Dom said my tongue’s blue, but it isn’t really is it?”

“No, it’s not, I just said that because you said I’d turned yellow,” Dominic said.

His mum told him to look in a mirror. He really was yellow.

“It looks like jaundice,” Mum said. “Do you feel all right?”

“Yes. I thought Gilbert was joking.”

Because they were on holiday, the family had called NHS direct to find out how to see a local doctor. They were told of ‘drop in’ centre, just a few miles away.

Gilbert hoped they’d get to go in an ambulance, but Dad said they couldn’t, so they all went there in the car. They left the caravan on the camp site.

The doctor examined Dominic and asked him lots of questions. Eventually he said, “I think he may have Gilbert’s Disease. We will need to do a blood test to be sure as there are other causes of jaundice.”

“You mean I really did make him sick?” Gilbert asked.

“No, Gilbert is the name of the person who discovered this syndrome. Actually I should really have said Gilbert’s syndrome, because it’s not really a disease at all.”

“I’m not worried about the name,” Dominic said. “I just want to know if you can cure me?”

“Well, no I can’t, but don’t worry, there isn’t any need.”

“What do you mean, no need?” Mum asked.

“Gilbert’s syndrome very rarely has any symptoms. This mild jaundice is probably as bad as it's going to get. Although it might recur, it’s only temporary and won’t damage your health.”

“How did he catch it?” Dad asked.

“It’s not contagious. It’s actually a hereditary condition, I expect one of you has it. You easily could have without being aware of it. Gilbert’s syndrome is actually quite common, about one in twenty people are affected.”

“What exactly is it?” Dominic asked.

“It’s a build up of a chemical called Bilirubin, everyone produces it from their haemoglobin.”

“Is that the stuff that carries oxygen in the blood?”

“That’s right, Dominic. In people with Gilbert’s syndrome, the Bilirubin isn’t broken down as quickly as it is in people who don’t have the condition. Usually that doesn’t really matter, but just occasionally, it causes jaundice. That most often happens if you’ve been ill or stressed, or as in your case when you’ve been very physically active.”
“Will I get it too?” Gilbert asked.

“That’s quite possible, boys are more likely to develop it than girls, but it’s nothing to worry about.”

“So, what happens now?” asked Mum.

“I’ll take a blood test. If there are raised levels of bilirubin, with no other liver problems then that will indicate Gilbert’s syndrome. I’ll make sure your own GP is informed of the results.”

“Thank you, what I really meant is what difference this will make to Dominic’s life?”

“Well as he’s well in himself, there is no need to make any changes to your holiday plans, unless he shows other symptoms. If that should happen, you can either bring him back here, or call NHS direct for more advice. If, as I suspect it is Gilbert’s syndrome then Dominic won’t need to make any changes. If the test shows it’s not Gilbert’s then your own GP will advise on the next steps.”

As the family drove back to the caravan they discussed what they would eat for supper.

“Aw Mum, I was hungry hours ago,” Dominic said. “I don’t think I can listen to you talking about food then smell you cooking it without chewing Gilbert’s arm off.”

“Don’t let him eat me, Mum,” cried Gilbert, pretending to be afraid.

“Let’s stop for fish and chips then,” Dad suggested.

The boys raced to the chip shop. Gilbert very nearly won.