Yesterday, my parents, both over age 70, visited me. While we sat around the table over coffee and cookies, I decided that this would be a perfect time to ask them about our family's medical history. I felt that this is important information for the times when I may need to supply such to a doctor of theirs or to my own physician. Also, I have recently submitted a sample so that my genomic DNA can be genotyped and I feel that if I wish to put any kind of risk assessment into perspective, I need to do so with my family medical history in mind.
So, what did I learn? Well, I learned a lot about going back to my great-grandparents, but the particular diseases and ailments are not important to my readers. I will share this though - I feel really good at having done this and sharing this information with my siblings. I encourage everyone to do the same. Sit down, ask and take notes. Then, share this information with those not at the table and with your own physician. It is important.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Thanks for talking about how important it is to collect this valuable information from your relatives, especially the older ones. If you want to keep it in a secure, safe place and have the ability to update or print off at the click of a mouse, please feel free to use our Family Health History tool at http://www.InheritedHealth.com
ReplyDeleteThanks again! Jordanna Joaquina, MS, CGC
Co-Founder/Director of Genetics
InheritedHealth.com