While it was a lot of work it forced me to think about our family history of illness. My father lost his battle with mental health when I was 16 and that essentially ended my contact with that side of my family. I had no idea if my aunts had health problems and apart from the obvious health problem my father had I had no idea about issue like high blood pressure and cholesterol. Both Brent and I had to remind each other that we had immediate family members who had cancer (other than Brent's father who lost his battle in 2002).
It also helped me reflect on a lesson I had learned when I was about 14. I had been in a fashion show of vintage and new wedding gowns at my church. I had a beautiful dress from the 1950's, tea length with a sweet little lazy jacket that went over top. At the time I was 110 pounds and probably a size 7. When I met the woman whose dress I was wearing she was in her fifties and easily 60 pounds over weight. I wondered how this woman had gone from being a size 7 in her twenties to at least a size 16 in her fifties?
I have come to realize that health is something that often slips away from you when you aren't paying attention. Like the owner of the gown I have put on weight since my wedding, about a pound a year. Not too bad when you go from 120 to 140 but in another 20 years that would put me at 160 and all of a sudden I am that woman! So having to reflect my family medical history reminds me of things I need to be watchful for as I age and as the boys age.
Back to the paper work. I am extremely grateful to Dr Wigington of the Brighton Family Health Team for taking the time to do all the paperwork to help get us to Grenada. I know it took time away from other patients and probably added to his already long day. We are also grateful to the nurses who are starting on the long process of getting our immunizations completed. We'll be seeing lots of them in the coming months.
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