Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Let's Get Morbid

A few posts ago I mentioned the untimely death of my grandmother. I never knew her; she died a year and a day before I was born.

This is her. Her name was Carmen. She died when she was only 46 and when I was young, that seemed like it was a ripe old age and of no real concern to me.

Now I'm 34, and 46 is only 12 short years from now.

There are a few major problems with this situation. First of all, although I don't see the resemblance at all, my dad says I'm her spitting image. And I think it might be more mannerisms, looks on my face and perhaps there are facial features or something. He gets this glassy look whenever I'm around him, and I know he's thinking of her. So, we know I take after her.

Second, she died very unexpectedly. Great health one day, dead the next. She complained of some severe stomach pains the day and night prior to her death and thought she ate a "bad pear". She died during or right after using the bathroom in the middle of the night. By the time she got to the hospital via ambulance, she was gone.

Her husband would not allow an autopsy. Hence, I have no idea what caused the death.

I've been very interested in family history for the past several years and have finally gotten in touch with some of her/my ancestors...cousins and things like that. There have been emails back and forth and some mention of health problems. I'm interested to find out if perhaps I can find some answers that way.

On the other hand, I have an appointment with my doctor next month to discuss genetic testing to find out if there's anyway they can give me an idea of what gastrointestinal diseases I may have a predisposition for.

12 years just isn't enough time. My daughter will only be 16.

3 backward glances:

kelly said...

Don't you kind of think that if it's your time to die, that if a disease doesn't kill you, a car will?
I don't know if I believe this....I'm just saying, that even with tests and knowing the past, things happen the way they're supposed to.
Yes? No?

Amy said...

i do believe that but if there's something i can do to prevent it from happening at such a young age, then i'll consider it....like wear your seatbelt. we talked about that just the other day.

The Napiers said...

Maybe it was appendicitis. I only say that because what I experience {sever abdominal pain} was similar to her. It could have burst and because they didn't realize it, she could have died from the poison it releases into your body, it doesn't take long. I was fine until 7pm and then by 4am I was in the emergency room. Its possible. Thinking of it that way means it may not be anything genetic you have to worry about.