Most people know who their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, family are. They have stories of how the family traveled to different parts of the country, stories of hardship and triumph. Families know of common illness and if they are prone to twins.
I was adopted. I have none of that type of information about my family, what nationalities run in my family. Common medical conditions are unknown.
Majority of people have a family tree, roots go deep to support future generation. I am the beginning of my family tree, the roots are unknown.
You go to a doctor, or ER as I have, what do you tell them for family medical history..I am adopted. My daughters see a doctor for their pregnancies, they want to know family history, all they have is my history and their father’s family medical history.
All those forms where the request you to mark your nationality. I and my children mark, “other”. We do not really know for a fact what nationality we are.
So I ordered a DNA kit.
What do I expect from this DNA kit?
To learn of my nationalities. I will never know how my ancestors reached this country, or what hardships my relatives faced and overcame. I will learn what nationalities run through my veins.
The DNA tests will inform me of medical conditions I am predisposed to. Does not mean I will get heart disease, but will inform me if I am predisposed to heart disease. Allowing me to take precautions with diet and exercise.
The DNA tests will inform me of genetic medical conditions that are inherited. This can be a little scary. So far in my life, I have good health, no major health problems. Do I really want to know if I carry a genetic medical condition. Not so much for myself, but for my children and grandchildren.
As an adoptee, this is a place to start filling in some of the gaps of a family history. There is a small chance of learning of some DNA relatives. Meeting those relatives would depend on if they choose to meet me.
As an adoptee there are times I feel like I am a cloud, without roots or a place. The DNA information will not change the fact I am adopted, but will provide information to give me a sliver of family history to pass forward.
amtolle
Me, Myself and I 