I have a sense of pride now that I am armed with a few more answers. I am proud to recite the ILLS, ACHES AND MALADY of my family medical history. I welcome the questions if only so I can share what so many take for granted.

“I’ve found her! I know now.”

Though it is only half of my genealogical history, it is a start. A bone connects to another. A step is made.

As I am a relatively healthy individual, it has not really been an issue. In the carelessness of youth I tend to ignore my own health until something goes wrong. Were I to start a family, I am sure my concerns would shift.

Can you imagine being a parent, who happens to have been adopted, with a sick or dying child? Can you imagine the sense of powerlessness of not being able to provide the doctor with what should be easily attainable answers about family medical history? To have only guesswork to battle decease?

Adoptees are presented with a fixed family medical history: like a snapshot frozen in time. If they are lucky, they are provided with a few details about the health of their birth parents at the time of their birth: at a time when they were most probably healthy.

What about the years that follow? An updated medical history is paramount to not only the health of adoptees, but to their children and grandchildren.