But as with many things in life, good can rise from bad. In fact, I never would have re-invented myself as an author if cancer hadn’t blind-sighted me. I had written many scientific articles, but never a work of fiction. The first year after stepping back from the lab (I’ve since returned part-time), I focused on my health and recovery. The second year, I enjoyed the freedom of not working for the first time in my life. The third . . . well, the third year, I began to get a bit bored.

That was the year I dug deep and asked the question: What the hell do I do with the rest of my life? I could have gone back to the lab full-time but was invigorated by the freedom my diagnosis had given me. A new challenge lay ahead: I would write a novel. Not wanting to leave science behind, I decided to incorporated genetics into the plot in an accessible and engaging way. Genetics led me to Iceland, a country that is at the forefront in establishing DNA databases to decipher human disease. Once in Iceland, I fell in love with the country, its culture, food, and people. Weaving the country’s literary heritage and culture into the often controversial aspects of genetic databases, I felt a mystery brewing. Thus was born Double Blind: The Icelandic Manuscript Murders.

Today, I am cancer-free and grateful for each and every day. I do not have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. I tested negative for the hereditary BRCA1/2 gene mutations but have a note of caution for others. Several commercial, ‘at-home’ DNA testing services purport to analyze the risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer by examining the BRCA1/2 gene. However, at least one of these companies analyzes just three of the most common mutations even though 1,000 mutations have been reported in these genes. It’s like spell checking three pages in a 1,000-page book. So, please. Don’t rely solely on these at-home kits! Someone who comes from a family of women with breast or ovarian cancer but tests negative for the mutations should not rely on these results alone. A more extensive test that sequences the entire gene is available for women with a family history of the disease.

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Poisonous plants are perhaps not the most cheerful of topics, but one that I admit I’ve become somewhat obsessed with after researching the subject (spoiler alert) for my novel Double Blind.

Some holiday plants are toxic and should be kept out of reach of children and away from pets. Children may be especially drawn to the berries and tempted to taste them.

Eating just a few berries of mistletoe can result in mild gastroenteritis, acute diarrhea and vomiting. In severe cases, this can cause blurred vision, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, blood pressure changes, and even death. All parts of Mistletoe are toxic. European mistletoe (Viscum), containing the poisonous alkaloid tyramine, is somewhat more toxic than the American mistletoe (Phoradendron), containing a toxin called phoratoxin, but both species cause similar symptoms.

The red berries of holly (Ilex) are toxic; ingesting even a few berries can cause vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness and dehydration. Since holly berries can dry out fairly quickly, they may drop from plants where children and pets can find them. Although the berries are most commonly eaten part of the plant, the bark, leaves, and seeds are also toxic. The poison is theobromine, an alkaloid that is also found in caffeine and chocolate, but the concentration is much higher in holly berries.

The beautiful Amaryllis plant is also poisonous. The toxin, lycorine, is an irritant of the gastrointestinal tract. The most toxic part of Amaryllis is the large bulb, which is a common holiday gift. Eating the bulbs can cause abdominal pain, cardiac arrhythmias, and convulsions. Although the bulbs are more likely to be eaten by pets than children, lycorine is considered toxic to humans.

Despite common belief, Poinsettia is not poisonous. Rubbing the milky sap from the plant into your skin can give you an itchy rash (but then, why would you do that?). A child or pet that eats a few leaves may feel ill or vomit but beyond that, Euphorbia is not particularly dangerous.

Best to stick to the roast beef, string beans, and potatoes…but, if someone you are with has ingested any of these plants, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.

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