Family’s history can shed light on health

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Having a parent with diabetes means it’s more likely you will develop the disease, and the genetic connection is even stronger with Type 2 diabetes, which is strongly affected by weight and dietary habits.

Reading that information in a recent issue of Diabetes Vital magazine made me think back to filling out those forms we get in doctor’s offices, asking whether we have a family history of a whole list of ailments.

How long ago did you fill out that form? Last year? Five years ago? Ten years – or more?

Maybe there’s new information you’ve accrued since then, but not passed on to your healthcare provider.

Especially if you’ve lost a parent or sibling in recent years, it’s a good idea to make sure the cause is part of the information your provider has.

And those of us who do genealogy may know more now than we did a few years ago about the health records of our ancestors.

Who had what ailment? At what age did it start? Which side of the family was it on?

For some diseases, the concern is even greater if the person was diagnosed at a younger age.

And if someone had breast cancer, the doctor really needs to know if it was in your female line.

And don’t forget to mention psychiatric history. Did a grandparent or great-grandparent have Alzheimer’s disease or age-related dementia, for example?

A simple list of diseases on a questionnaire may not trigger you to remember all the information you have at hand.

Maybe you want to consider your family generation by generation, and write down the causes of death you can find.

Give copies of the information to your children and siblings, as well.

In many cases, we’ve spent years finding out what we know about our families. Shouldn’t we use that information to improve our health.

If you come upon a cause of death you haven’t heard of, you might find it defined in Rudy’s List of Archaic Medical Terms at www.antiquusmorbus.com

Many of us have an ancestor who suffered from “dropsy” – swelling of the body or part of the body because of a collection of fluid. Some cases of it today would be called edema.

A century ago, “consumption” often meant tuberculosis – the most common cause of death in the second half of the 1800s in Maine.

And “dog bark” was whooping cough, or diphtheria.

It was a long 22 days, I’ll tell you. That’s how long it was until I could get to Minnesota and hold new grandson Aidan Wilcox Saucier – but he was worth the wait. Heather took a three-generation picture of us with Tony, and we’ll get a four-generation photo with my mom when they come to Maine.

I can’t believe I have a descendant who’s a Minnesotan! His other grandparents are Minneapolitans and Duluthians. Amazing.

I had a hunch that while I was away, another special little guy would make an appearance, and so he did.

BDN reporter Nok-Noi Ricker and husband, Cory, welcomed son Darby Xion Ricker on May 24 in Bangor. He visited the newsroom at 10 days old and was pronounced both beautiful and cuddly.

I don’t know yet if the little boys have any ancestors in common, but we do know that they both have electricians in the family and share a tendency to hang out in hardware stores.

Saturday, June 14, will be Flag Day. Put up your United States flag and take note of how great it looks when others do the same.

The Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society will hold its annual attic and book sale 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the town fire station. Sale items will include collectibles.

Subscribe to the Shiretown Conserver by joining the society for $5, sent to DFHS, 874 West Main St., Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426.

The cover story for the summer issue is “One of the Greatest Generation’s Sacrifice,” a tribute to World War II Tech Sgt. Ora Murch by Lowell P. Tyler.

The Blacksmith Shop museum will reopen this year after replacement of the sills.

The Observer Building Museum will open about July 1 because of work to the facade.

Send genealogy queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or e-mail queries to familyti@bangordailynews.net.