Family History from Someone Without the Answers

Family history is no big deal to a young kid. Up until the time I was about ten, I didn’t really even think of my ancestors or lineage. Sure, I played Cowboys and Indians, but I never really thought about what side I would have been on centuries ago. Then came that one elementary school class assignment where you are asked to go into depth about your family tree and the age-old question, “What are you?” Boy, did I sure feel like an orphan as my classmates chatted and got right to work on the “exciting” project.

Now, I’m not an orphan, but both of my parents were adopted and had yet to find their birth parents. That was always an awkward parent-teacher conference when my teacher brought up the topic of “Kalyn didn’t do the assignment.” My parents would have to explain the problem – that they, too, wouldn’t have been able to complete the assignment, seeing as they didn’t know much at all about their family history and background.

After a few years, my mom found out she was about 1/2 Native American but wasn’t sure of any other race. My dad found his biological mother who actually wasn’t sure of who his father was (another awkward conversation.) I was happy I knew at least half of my lineage but still felt a slight void. However, I never really had many problems concerning the lack of family history, although having a nurse practitioner for a mother always helped. That is, until, I found a new physician after she passed. Enter the new world of doctor’s checkups and the dreaded “Family History” questions. Has anyone in your family ever suffered a stroke? Heart attack? Cancer of any kind? High blood pressure/cholesterol, etc.?  How am I supposed to know? All I know is what has happened to my parents so far – lung cancer took my mother away from me at the age of 55 and my dad recently beat prostate cancer. Leaving me very unsure of what all exactly that means.

Red Sky recently started the GoRed for Women BetterU challenge in the office to help promote a healthy heart, especially since heart disease is a leading killer in women. As an office, we have started the 12-week challenge to a Better U. The reasons for our participation are very different. For one coworker, it may be to lose weight, another’s might be to set a good example for children, and yet one person’s might be due to a family history of heart problems. My reason is similar to the latter.

Not knowing my family history makes me even more concerned since I have nothing to go off of. I can go ahead and assume that since I don’t smoke and I don’t have a prostate, I will probably be spared my parent’s problems, but that does not ease my mind when it comes to heart attacks or other hereditary weaknesses and issues. Just the presence of cancer in my family, even when based on one’s gender or lifestyle choices, can be a wakeup call to the possibility of other types of cancer or problems that could become a reality in my future.

While family history is quite arguably one of the largest precursors for heart disease in people, not having that is definitely a factor in my choice to take part in this challenge. While it would be nice to know, I don’t need to have solid proof in something to necessarily believe it could exist. Instead of just hoping for the best, but being prepared for the worst, I think taking the precaution of being heart healthy is a wise choice, whether my family history tells me or not. Sometimes not having the answers is just as influential as having them all.

- Kalyn Neils

(Please join Red Sky and all of the other community and national sponsors in Going Red for Women on November 3 at the Boise Centre)