Every time I go to the doctor’s office, the doctor asks me about my medical history. My answer is always the same: “I’m adopted. I don’t know anything about my medical history.”
This is a common frustration for adoptees.
Fortunately, I’m no longer completely in the dark about the medical problems that run in my family.
If I learn nothing more about my biological kin, I will be grateful for the information I have about my birth mother’s health. Stay tuned. I’ll have more to say about medical history on Monday.
Absolutely. I wrote a piece about this on my blog, A Slice Of Life Writing. http://lindahoye.com/206/
Thank you for posting this! I am also an adoptee and I share your frustration with regard to medical history since I have no knowledge whatsoever about my biological parents’ medical history. I have attempted to contact the agency who handled my adoption several years ago but since I was born in 1969 in Florida, the records are sealed. So unless a biological relative miraculously stumbles upon my Facebook profile, I keep hitting road blocks.
That’s too bad, George. Is there any effort under way in Florida to change the laws regarding adoption records? Up until 2012, I was a completely “undocumented” adoptee. Illinois changed the law, allowing adoptees to request their original birth certificates. That’s what I did and that document gave me a few tidbits concerning my birth mom. That birth certificate opened some doors for me. I wish you all the best in your search.