Hey Mom, Sorry About Killing You
If You Snoop Long Enough, You’ll Find Answers You Might Not Want
Those that know me know that I was adopted after my biological mother died unexpectedly on August 17, 1971. That was 3 weeks after I was born. The circumstances of her death were unknown to me and apparently everyone else in my life. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get answers.
Perfectly healthy 25-year-old women just don’t go around dropping dead for no reason, not even in 1971. I needed to know why for several reasons.
First and foremost, well, honestly, this should have been first and foremost, but it was, in all honesty, a secondary concern, if there had been something wrong, a disease or something, I think I have a right to know. Not just because she was, for a short time, my mother, but because family history is such an important risk factor in many illnesses. If I should be looking out for something, for myself and my kids, I have the right to know.
But the truth is, I had another, more pressing reason for my continued snooping. It’s not the prettiest reason and frankly, it’s likely a character flaw more than anything. But I can’t stand being lied to and that’s all I’ve ever gotten regarding my mother’s death for over 50 years, lie after lie after lie!
