Now that 45 has arrived, I think it's time to do a life's review. So, I've decided that first item on the agenda is a health roll call. In other words, who had what and what did them in.
My Dad -- diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight. All led to kidney failure at age 76. He smoked, ate the "meat and potatoes" diet, and loved his sweets.
Dad's side: cousin with breast cancer, cousin with testicular cancer, Uncle Ron had strokes, high blood pressure, drank in younger days, diabetes. Aunt Carolyn has diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease.
My Mom -- high blood pressure, hypo-thyroid, overweight. She died of oral cancer at age 73. Never smoked or drank... however, she worked around a lot of smoky fires, almost on a daily basis. She grew up with her Father who smoked cigars and married into a smoker's family.
Mother's side: Uncle Roger had heart issues, high blood pressure. Uncle Mick -- ???. Cousins -- ???
Grandpa David Marshall -- diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight. All led to a heart-attack in the night at age 69. In his younger days, he drank, smoked, and loved his sweets. His Dad had diabetes, died at 69. His Mom lived to be 82.
Grandma Doris (Reeder) Marshall -- diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight. All led to kidney failure, dying in the hospital at age 69. Breast cancer. She drank, smoked, and loved her sweets. Her Dad died from injuries from a fall. Her Mom died at age 70.
Grandpa Ralph Alford -- died in the hospital at age 64 of emphysema. He was a heavy smoker and worked in smoky and rough environments. His Mom died at 80 from old age. His Dad died from TB.
Grandma Irene (Schacher) Alford -- he died at age 86 from cancer of the brain, then liver. She was very overweight for most of her life, but lost a lot of it after the age of 60. Exact time frame of weight loss unknown. Her Dad -- ?. Her Mom died at age 83.
I sometimes wonder just how much control do I have over how I die. Weight can be lost through diet and exercise, diabetes avoided by eating fresh vegetables and fruits, same with high blood pressure and cholesterol... but it's that cancer factor that I always come back to. I have limited control over it. If it happens, it happens. That's one of the hardest pills to swallow.
CSM
My Dad -- diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight. All led to kidney failure at age 76. He smoked, ate the "meat and potatoes" diet, and loved his sweets.
Dad's side: cousin with breast cancer, cousin with testicular cancer, Uncle Ron had strokes, high blood pressure, drank in younger days, diabetes. Aunt Carolyn has diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease.
My Mom -- high blood pressure, hypo-thyroid, overweight. She died of oral cancer at age 73. Never smoked or drank... however, she worked around a lot of smoky fires, almost on a daily basis. She grew up with her Father who smoked cigars and married into a smoker's family.
Mother's side: Uncle Roger had heart issues, high blood pressure. Uncle Mick -- ???. Cousins -- ???
Grandpa David Marshall -- diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight. All led to a heart-attack in the night at age 69. In his younger days, he drank, smoked, and loved his sweets. His Dad had diabetes, died at 69. His Mom lived to be 82.
Grandma Doris (Reeder) Marshall -- diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight. All led to kidney failure, dying in the hospital at age 69. Breast cancer. She drank, smoked, and loved her sweets. Her Dad died from injuries from a fall. Her Mom died at age 70.
Grandpa Ralph Alford -- died in the hospital at age 64 of emphysema. He was a heavy smoker and worked in smoky and rough environments. His Mom died at 80 from old age. His Dad died from TB.
Grandma Irene (Schacher) Alford -- he died at age 86 from cancer of the brain, then liver. She was very overweight for most of her life, but lost a lot of it after the age of 60. Exact time frame of weight loss unknown. Her Dad -- ?. Her Mom died at age 83.
I sometimes wonder just how much control do I have over how I die. Weight can be lost through diet and exercise, diabetes avoided by eating fresh vegetables and fruits, same with high blood pressure and cholesterol... but it's that cancer factor that I always come back to. I have limited control over it. If it happens, it happens. That's one of the hardest pills to swallow.
CSM
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