Previously I have written about my Life Expectancy. However, I was recently impressed by Nathan's Death Chart on the Family Search Blog. Therefore I have decided to complete a Pedigree chart of my direct ancestors, going back as far as my Great Great Grandparents.
Paternal Causes of Death
Heart and Lung Disorders feature heavily in my fathers family. There were many miners in the family so it is very likely that this contributed to the lung illnesses.
About two thirds were aged less than 80 when they died.
Maternal Causes of Death
It is a bit more mixed on my mothers side of the family. However it is good to see that three ancestors lived into their 90s.
There is about a 40% chance of me dying from heart or lung issues so it is a good thing that I no longer smoke. It is good to see that the incidence of cancer is well below average in our family.
I have decided that I need to live well beyond life expectancy as I have a lot of family history research and writing that I need to do before my time comes!
great idea Sharon and interesting insights. Looks like being female improves your odds but I'd be watching out for cars.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading Pauleen. We have more deaths from car accidents than cancer!
DeleteYou have much more knowledge than I do of most of my ancestors concerning the reasons for their deaths. On my mom's side, it's easy for her, most of her siblings.At first, I thought of this chart as morbid, but then I thought how knowing my mom's side made my husband and me to change our eating habits.
ReplyDeleteIt is a bit morbid but it is part of my history and therefore interesting to me anyway.
DeleteFor some time I have been ordering a couple of certificates every month for my direct ancestors. It is amazing how many times that dates handed down through the family have been wrong. Australian Certificates include a lot of useful information.
Very interesting and I agree with your comment about miners being more subject to heart and especially lung diseases. Although some ages may not appear to be that old, when considering the times, less medical interventions, those ages seem pretty good. It is always interesting to know these diseases in families. My readings indicate direct links to mother and father are the most important, that the gene pool tends to dilute. But then in my own family, maternal side, I have seen similar medical conditions. Mom's Alzheimer's was something new, never before in the family; ; she died suddenly at only 80 a blessing shortly after the diagnosis; there is a lot of longevity in the family but the senility, dementia and A did not exist before, so how to explain that. It's what makes ancestry, geneaology and research so interesting.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to see that my life expectancy was so low (alternate post) as there are many in the family who have lived into their 90s. There are 3 nonagenarians who are direct ancestors but many more who are grand Uncles/Aunts etc. Going back further, My Great Great Great Grandfather lived until he was 92 (born in 1700s and died 1800s), which I think was pretty good for those times!
DeleteDon't think I'll be doing this - I will live in blissful ignorance.
ReplyDeleteLol. I think it is interesting to see that there are hereditary things that seem to follow family lines.
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