Stories From Under A Bootheel (Rants, Laughs, and Tears)

Chapter 2 Kinsmen and Kindness Part 5 Genetics

Pie was barely fifty when she died which is way too young. She inherited a heart defect and the B blood type from our grandmother. Apparently, that blood type is more susceptible to cancer. Fortunately, not all of us got it.

I don't know if genetics is solely to blame. It has been my experience that it is frequently only the good that die young. My sister had type O blood and was perfectly healthy when she died from minor surgery to repair her shoulder. She was scouting out the location for the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, walking along, talking to her friends when oblivious to a crack in the sidewalk, she tripped, fell and dislocated her shoulder. She had surgery to repair it and died from unexplained complications.

Of the seven cousins only three are left, Earl, Cookie, and myself. If my theory that only the good die young is correct, then the three of us have little to worry about. Earl is in his eighties now, but even that is young in this branch of the family tree. Family lore has it that our grandfather's paternal grandfather lived to be 99 years and 9 months when drunk and oblivious to the dog at his feet, he tripped and fell down a flight of stairs. I am inclined to believe this story of his demise, because it reflects so many of my family's genetic traits including owning dogs, being oblivious to one's surroundings, and drinking too much. Earl tripped and fell down his stairs a couple of months ago damaging his shoulder but he survived; so, my thesis stands.

Whereas longevity, obliviousness, owning dogs and getting drunk are clearly hereditary; I just hope kindness is also. The kindness of Sweetie Pie and my papa are what I want for my posterity. I've also been told my father's father was a very kind man. On the other hand, Earl told me my father's mother had been really strict on him and Bubba, but I suspect they deserved it. Sweetie pie told me that she'd been told that that grandmother was quite the party girl in her youth.

Unfortunately, that grandmother and grandfather had both passed before I was even six years old; so, I have few memories of them. She died from a heart problem (English/French genes?). They say he died shortly after from a broken heart (Welsh genes), but it was probably a stroke.

Apparently, both my grandfathers were exemplary in their kindness and both my grandmothers were exemplary disciplinarians. That seems to be the case throughout the generations, kind men and strong-willed women (American genes). The women had to be strong willed to put up with the men. Although kind, the men could be quite difficult. My wife says those genes are universal to the male of the species and she is always right (German genes).

Kids, I am including here some info on family genetics and medical history for your benefit. I participated in an early study by Pathway Genetics that checked for various genetic risks. It was in the days before such testing became widespread and it did not test for everything. It did say I had a sensitivity to caffeine which I already knew and didn't care because I was already addicted. The only important risk they detected was a susceptibility to lung problems like emphysema and pneumonia. Again, no surprise since that combined with smoking killed my dad and cousin Bubba. Earl like my dad quit smoking "cold turkey," but at a much younger age so he either didn't get the gene or had quit before the smoking did any damage. Fortunately, I never started, but have had chronic pneumonia, but not since I got the vaccine. I guess the major risks for Earl and me now are stairs and becoming good.

They didn't test for any of the FHM (Familial Hemiplegic Migraines) genes. They also didn't test for the HLA-B27 antigen on chromosome 6 which is responsible for your Uncle Jake's AS and everyone else's plantar fasciitis and bowel problems. I got tested for this later. There is no guarantee that the presence of this antigen will result in any medical condition. It just means you are susceptible and that somewhere up your family tree there were Vikings. Again, I already suspected this because of my Viking hand (another name for Dupuytren's contracture). I think you were tested before you were born and do not have this antigen in your genetic mix. You might still have gout, kidney stones, FHM and Dupuytren's to look forward to.

Your grandmother who is very much into genealogy sent off my DNA test sample to Ancestory.com and the only surprises there were a 1% North African and 1% Middle Eastern components. Both seem unlikely, but I really want to believe I am that diverse. Her genealogy research confirms the mostly northern and western European roots. She traced one branch back to the Plantagenet royal family who I've been told trace back to Charlemagne. I suspect going that far back, all present-day Europeans share those genes. Less reliably, Charlemagne traced his ancestors back to Julius Caesar's sister and even less reliably, Caesar traced his ancestors back to the Trojan war hero Aeneas who was the son of Prince Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite; thus, making us all descendants of the gods. There are certainly a lot of people in the world who think of themselves that way. Don't be one of them. I'd rather you think of all people as having God in them.

Thinking about genetics and all of those who have been dealt far worse hands than our family has made me sad. (blue genes?) Fortunately, your genetic tests indicate you have nothing to worry about. (green genes!)