Family Medical History - How Much Do YOU Know?

November is National Adoption Awareness Month. Also during this month our US Surgeon General tells us to sit down with our families during our Thanksgiving dinner and discuss what diseases run in our families. For families with with biological children this is terrific. But for those families with adopted adults sitting at the table, it does no good to have this discussion, because we do not carry the genetics of our adoptive parents.

There are reasons for our States to start thinking about giving adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates. Stop and think about what the first thing a doctor asks when you go to him. What is your medical history. In fact you have to fill out the form, and for adoptees it is almost always the same. I can't answer this because I am adopted.

What this means for the general public, is that every time an adoptee goes to a doctor, and they cannot figure out what is wrong, then the doctor has to perfom test after test after test on that person. The end result for the general public and why they SHOULD care is that your insurance rates go up, for all the testing we have to under go.

If our States would only grant adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates, we might be able to find out our updated medical information. We actually might be able to find someone who has our genetic makeup and be able to go to the doctor and tell them that diabetes or heart disease or Schizophrenia or MS, or any other disease actually runs in our family.

Oh, but I keep forgetting there are those of you who are naysayers to giving an adult adoptee access to that one document which states information regarding their own true birth. And if I remember right it is because you have some belief that the women who gave birth to those children all those years ago were promised confidentiality. And even if that woman wanted access, all of you should have the right to say they can't have contact with one another all these years later.

Well, even if they were promised this supposed confidentiality, and it were to go before the courts in North Carolina, it wouldn't be able to be upheld. That is because the relinquised childs records are NOT sealed upon the RELINQUISHMENT. They are ONLY sealed if the child is ADOPTED. And currently and even in the past, I hate to say it but there was NO way anyone could tell a woman her child would assuredly be adopted. Are you getting the flavor of what I am saying?

I really hated having to have to go through all of those test every time I went to the doctor, but everytime I got through it, I would have a good laugh at the expense of the naysayers, and think about their insurance rates going up, even though mine would also go up.

What can you do during the rest of this month, or next month or even the first one in the new year? Well, there is currently a movie out regarding the impact of sealed records on older adoptees. It is called "Adopted: For the Life of Me". (Trailer can be seen on Youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el7FQEDtb-M)

Our organization is here to show this movie to any group who would like to see it. There is no charge. Donations to our organization are welcome.

We will come to your church, home, meeting hall, you just tell us where. We have our own equipment, all you need is a blank wall.

We ensure you this movie will stir emotions in you that you didn't know were there.

Contact us through our home link if you are interested or know someone who may be intererested in seeing this documentary.