My Long Life Pedigree

I have always believed that I have tenaciously healthy and fortified genes given my pedigree, of longest living grandparents and parents as well. Not even the most unhealthy of vices - smoking and drinking - can prevent them from reaching beyond the human average life expectancy of 70 years for most Filipinos.

My dad and mom are well and alive and most healthy at 79 and 73 years of ages, respectively. My mom's eldest brother is in his mid-80s, alive and drinking liquor (Whisky at that) everyday in the last 50 years.

My grandparents from both side died in their mid-80s, mid-90s, and my most beloved grandmother from my mother side, died at 99 years of age, she did so without turning senile.

I thought that in my generation in the family, average life span will be in the same range. Maybe a few years shaved off 70 years, i generally expect everyone to last that long sans any accident or evil doing that can snuff out life in an instant.

With the exception of my eldest brother, who was a banker and murdered at 48 years old in a gruesome bank heist last year, I still believed that my remaining 5 siblings are still far away from their twilight years, being in their mid-to-late 40s, and regardless of any unhealthy vices.

But I was proven wrong, maybe my generation's genes are not as tenacious and fortified as I thought. My brother Nelson had heart attack 2 days back, his 3rd and last. He died in a few hours, succumbing to cardiac arrest.

He was not in his best physical condition but my family and I never knew of any life-threatening condition that he experiences in the last few years. I may be mistaken as he had a few vices, he drinks occasionally and well, smokes like hell, probably a pack a day minimum. I will probably never know because like any of the men in my family, he has the same level of hardheadedness and phobia when it comes to seeking any medical treatment, preventive nor curative.

In retrospect, I hope now that I did the right decision to quit smoking sooner than i actually intended. With my brother's demise, I have come to realize that maybe its not just superior genes that are required to replicate the life expectancy of my pedigree.

I may never probably be able to replicate the right combination of the kind of diet, exercise regimen, the level of work stress, and most importantly, the level of environmental externalities that enabled a long life span for my elders.


But may be I can lessen the bad externalities and hope that I will last beyond 47 years old. I hope I still have time to correct my diet and mitigate the ill effects of 21 years of smoking.

Meanwhile, let me bury my brother and thank him for reminding me that life is short and indeed, health is wealth.

To my brother Nelson, may you rest in the Lord's peace.

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