Why History?
11 August 2008
Perhaps before I wander on too far or too fast, a brief examination of why history is important to me, and should be to all of you.
I really became interested in history when I had to go for medical testing for a genetic disease that is prevalent in my family. In fact, there are THREE genetic diseases and conditions that are passed from parent to child in my family, but lucky me, I have none of those - no I have a FOURTH disease/condition.
I have the exact same illness that killed my great-grandfather, but in my case, it costs $20 a year for me to not only stay alive, but healthy. I was sickly all my life, as a child, teenager, even in my 20s and 30's. Today at age 46 I am healthier now than I was at 26.
The problem was, my condition is extremely rare for children, so years of testing, shots, hospital stays and a few close calls with the Grim Reaper all might have been avoided if we knew then what we know now. A whole life growing up sickly, all that could of been avoided for one line of information and $20 a year.
That's why genealogy & history are important! We are finding more and more genetic links and predispositions to many illnesses and diseases and it is the simplest of things that leads us to the information we vitally need. Who is sick in your family, and why? Are these not answers we shuold all strive to find out, as much as we can?
In my case, I can tell which ancestors in my family likely had my condition simply by the contents of the old garbage pit behind their homes from 100 years ago - all I have to do is look for a certain type of soda bottle.
Imagine if your quality of life, even life itself might be improved and/or saved all by the evidence of a few soda bottles in an old garbage pit in your backyard.
Sometimes, not always, but sometimes, that's what is it all about.
11 August 2008
Perhaps before I wander on too far or too fast, a brief examination of why history is important to me, and should be to all of you.
I really became interested in history when I had to go for medical testing for a genetic disease that is prevalent in my family. In fact, there are THREE genetic diseases and conditions that are passed from parent to child in my family, but lucky me, I have none of those - no I have a FOURTH disease/condition.
I have the exact same illness that killed my great-grandfather, but in my case, it costs $20 a year for me to not only stay alive, but healthy. I was sickly all my life, as a child, teenager, even in my 20s and 30's. Today at age 46 I am healthier now than I was at 26.
The problem was, my condition is extremely rare for children, so years of testing, shots, hospital stays and a few close calls with the Grim Reaper all might have been avoided if we knew then what we know now. A whole life growing up sickly, all that could of been avoided for one line of information and $20 a year.
That's why genealogy & history are important! We are finding more and more genetic links and predispositions to many illnesses and diseases and it is the simplest of things that leads us to the information we vitally need. Who is sick in your family, and why? Are these not answers we shuold all strive to find out, as much as we can?
In my case, I can tell which ancestors in my family likely had my condition simply by the contents of the old garbage pit behind their homes from 100 years ago - all I have to do is look for a certain type of soda bottle.
Imagine if your quality of life, even life itself might be improved and/or saved all by the evidence of a few soda bottles in an old garbage pit in your backyard.
Sometimes, not always, but sometimes, that's what is it all about.
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