Do you ever think about what kind of genes you have been passed down, and passed down.

Talk about hand me downs.

I don't have any grandparents left. I think about the love of the land and freshly opened dirt that my maternal grandfather passed on to me. I also think about his pre-mature death at 61, the result of a massive heart attack. I muse over the advances in medicine. If he were alive today he might have been a by-pass candidate and lived a long and full life. In retrospect I think too about his Dad, my great grandfather who died of a heart attack on the day I was born. Up side is that "Mama" McLeod, my great grandmother lived to about ninety.

My maternal grandmother died of a heart attack at 67. I cannot recall ever knowing her parents. (I'll have to ask my mom about them).

So in the gene pool, mark down 2 for heart disease.

On the other side, Grandpa Freeman was a carpenter. He was a really big man, and he was far ahead of his time. He was building "Lazy Susan's" before Susan got lazy. Some of his innovations for corner cabinets still amaze me. Although I never "swung" a hammer to suit him, I still have "jack of all trades" abilities to fix and build. To him I give the credit for this. Grandpa lived into his mid to late eighties and hung on a while after a debilitating stroke.

"Gonnie", as we called her, lived to 66. She had been sick a long, long, while before anyone knew it and she fought a valiant battle before cancer just wore her out.

My paternal great grandmother lived to her late eighties. She was an ornery old woman. Loved her rocking chair and her snuff! We had an endless supply of juice glasses, once she finished her snuff!

I look at cousins, other grandchildren, and their health issues. I have a cousin a few months younger than I who has been undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. His prognosis is very good. I have another cousin who died from breast cancer and its spread at the untimely age of 44. On the other side I lost a cousin, who attended ACU with me and is my age, to cancer.

I think of the traits I have, and that I have passed on. Probably one of my most visible maladies are fibroid cysts. The doctors tell me they don't hurt anything unless they are painful to me. Thing is my son has already undergone surgery for these in his early twenties. I have wondered if my grandchildren will also have this problem.

I also think of traits that have not been passed on and I wonder why. One of the most baffling is that both of my children's parents have a love of reading, yet none of the siblings enjoy it.

I suppose the recent tests Pepa has had and the preliminary results have triggered my gene assessment. Tuesday he had a bone scan and Friday meets with the doctors to assess all the tests results and possible remedy or treatment.

My parents are 78 (soon to be), and 76 (also soon to be), and they have enjoyed remarkably good health. They have remained active. Their main health glitches have been a heart valve repair for Mom and mis-diagnosed colon surgery for Dad. I don't expect the current blip on the radar to amount to anything more. We will deal with and go on because we are that kind of people.

Besides, Mom would never allow any of us to be sick!

My final thought for the gene pool is this:

I prefer relaxed fit, straight leg jeans.

And that's all I have to say about that.

FATHER, thank YOU for all our little intrinsic pieces and YOUR miracle of nature that make us, us. Thank YOU for YOUR miracle and gift of healing and care.