February 25, 2007
For the last couple of months, I have barely contributed to the blog because, counter-intuitively, I've had too much to write. Mostly, I've discovered previously unknown (to me) family. Now that I've had time to ruminate...
During my heart procedure three months ago, the doctors deduced that given the lack of obvious risk factors I must have only one: a family history of heart disease. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that last December I started wondering about genealogy, especially my family back through my biological father, from whom I became separated when I was a couple years old. Wondering morphed into searching, just not by me.
Leah's parents have a passion for genealogy and are also each retired librarians. It wasn't long into the search that Adrien, Leah's father, started amassing records--birth, immigration, census, marriage, death certificates and death notices. And, one day, Adrien found my grandmother's address and phone number and indications that she was in her late 80's, alive and living in Florida. It was an utter shock. A couple of days later I called her.
My grandma was exceedingly happy to hear from me and we talked...for the first time. As it turned out my paternal family line, not surprisingly at this point, is filled with people with heart problems. Specifically, one particular heart problem related to the lower anterior descending (LAD) artery, the exact site of my stent. My father died at age 45 from heart disease, my grandfather died at 39 from a sudden massive heart attack, my great-grandfather died in his 40s of a sudden massive heart attack, my great-great-grandfather died of heart disease, and so on, presumably, into the past. It seems that by encouraging me to go to the doctor, Leah has broken a long tradition in my family of the males dying young.
Grandma Marjorie, with an endearing Australian accent, told me all sorts of family stories, including important genealogy bits. For example, my grandma's father and mother were born in England and Scotland, respectively, and I have several extended family members living in Australia. This will add a new dimension to future travels.
I also learned of other relatives living in Florida: an aunt, an uncle, cousins, even a first-cousin twice removed! Late in January, I went to meet them, all of whom made me feel quite welcome. The weekend flashed by; we met, talked, ate and my grandma, aunt and I went to play bingo (I had never played before and won with some help from my aunt, who won much more).
Obviously, a couple of days isn't enough time, so Leah and I are planning another trip in early May. Hopefully this time it won't take me more than a month to post about it.
