Take your family's medical history!

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.