tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post8932634241576672116..comments2024-02-18T13:53:30.168-08:00Comments on Surgeonsblog: Fading MemoriesSid Schwabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14182853083503404098noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-42678784210721338152008-05-04T18:44:00.000-07:002008-05-04T18:44:00.000-07:00elizabeth: that's pretty amazing. I wonder if it w...elizabeth: that's pretty amazing. I wonder if it was my grandfather. I was never there myself, although I did contact the Jack London museum once to see if they had any records of him.Sid Schwabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14182853083503404098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-66615626312131950922008-05-04T18:40:00.000-07:002008-05-04T18:40:00.000-07:00Hi Dr. Sid:I think your family must have known my ...Hi Dr. Sid:<BR/>I think your family must have known my family. Have you ever been to Jack London's Ranch? I was told that my family used to own some of the property and the 2 graves of the children on the ranch are my relatives. My grandparents would go every year and clean them up. My mother used to hunt lizards in the Wolfe house ruins when she was a child. I've been up a few times to look at the original manuscripts and the house where JL died, which was across from the house where his foreman lived who spoke with heavy accent....rn.elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03614976066010151817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-84036907073456759872008-04-20T15:49:00.000-07:002008-04-20T15:49:00.000-07:00I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed this post,...I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed this post, Dr. Schwab. Grandparents are treasures, it's nice to know that with time that doesn't change. Best wishes to you in your non-blogging endeavors (ref. to 4.20.08 post)...JPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12023875555959570250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-20625470219022734142008-04-17T01:59:00.000-07:002008-04-17T01:59:00.000-07:00What a great post. Seems he was ahead of his time...What a great post. Seems he was ahead of his time knowing to think on those things you'd prefer, rather than those things unwanted.<BR/><BR/>I'm sorry too, to hear of your mother's Alzheimer's. My grandmother had it. Wretched disease.Chrysalis https://www.blogger.com/profile/00757696627388704079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-9599616239817219952008-04-16T09:55:00.000-07:002008-04-16T09:55:00.000-07:00Such an elegiac and well-written post, Sid! My gr...Such an elegiac and well-written post, Sid! My grandfather died a few days ago and I well know the feeling which you express -- why didn't I write down more of his experiences while I had the chance? Gene was of Swedish peasant stock rather than Russian, and he made quite an impression upon me.Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13215738689578440672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-88681796471564158512008-04-15T19:14:00.000-07:002008-04-15T19:14:00.000-07:00A very simple beginnings would be to check if you ...A very simple beginnings would be to check if you can find his name in the Ellis Island records:<BR/><BR/>http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/Jens Knudsen (Sili)https://www.blogger.com/profile/14078875730565068352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-85744027592202653262008-04-15T18:51:00.000-07:002008-04-15T18:51:00.000-07:00Dr. Schwab, Getting family history and background ...Dr. Schwab, Getting family history and background is important, but some times you may find things that others wish you did not have knowledge about. My mom also had ALz, but I was lucky in the fact I knew much about the history on her side. It was my dad's side where there eventually became what is known as the "big family breakup."<BR/><BR/> I had an aunt who decided she would trace the family tree. Well, she must have went back 300-400 years. You would not believe the things she has acquired. I mean she literally traveled across the world looking for records. Some of it was not appreciated by other family memebrs. Just as an example, there was an old aunt who had a child out of wedlock but then soon after met and married a man who she then had 5 children with and who had adopted her first child early on. This child did not ever know the facts of her birth, believing her father was her biological father. The aunt found it all out and then sent copies of it to everyone in the family including this womans (who was by then long dead) great grandchildren.<BR/><BR/>I think going back a few generations is fine, but when you go back for hundreds and hundreds of years you are bound to find some things better left buried.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-92114167519512369712008-04-15T17:45:00.000-07:002008-04-15T17:45:00.000-07:00You might want to consider ancestry.com. My mothe...You might want to consider ancestry.com. My mother has been on there and has found a lot of information. You can get census records, ship passenger lists, draft cards and lots of other information. You might even find some relatives. It isn't cheap but I think it is worth is. I have no affiliation to ancestry.com.Joan Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17040050344932320929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-36102202108038475272008-04-15T14:34:00.000-07:002008-04-15T14:34:00.000-07:00I have a set of grandparents I never really knew b...I have a set of grandparents I never really knew before they passed. A few years ago, I got a copy of part of a letter my grandmother had written during WWII--the only words of hers I own, and they showed her to be so much like me. I cannot tell you how much I treasure it.<BR/><BR/>You put so much of yourself into your blog. Your grandchildren will be so glad. You're making sure the written-down family stories begin, at least, with you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-46380561822936257752008-04-15T13:30:00.000-07:002008-04-15T13:30:00.000-07:00Thanks for sharing this. How generous of you!I'm s...Thanks for sharing this. How generous of you!<BR/><BR/>I'm sorry to hear about your mother's struggles with memory loss. That's a loss felt by everyone, isn't it?<BR/><BR/>The other commenters say it better than I - hope you will continue to share some of your family hsitory and sotires from time to time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-83975493268171265812008-04-15T13:17:00.000-07:002008-04-15T13:17:00.000-07:00What a great story, Sid. I too, have tried quizzi...What a great story, Sid. I too, have tried quizzing my grandma when she was alive, and elder aunts on the other side to get my families' stories. I've never been able to get my Mom to talk about her childhood, until my parents visited a few weeks ago, following one of her sister's funerals. She said she didn't have a happy childhood, and told some stories of her father that angered me and broke my heart for her. It took her 72 years to tell what she did. <BR/>Sometimes we dig, and unearth ugly rocks instead of gemstones. <BR/>Thanks for your story(ies).gay CME guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05817474200268605557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-19547705857085700412008-04-15T13:16:00.000-07:002008-04-15T13:16:00.000-07:00Dr. Schwab,An inspiring and heartwarming story. I...Dr. Schwab,<BR/>An inspiring and heartwarming story. I am sorry to hear about the Alzheimer's afflicting your mother. I have had multiple family members with the disease so I understand what you mean when you say they are being robbed of you and you of them. <BR/><BR/>When compared to the stories of my grandma, I feel so spoiled and story-less. Not unlike your grandfather, my mother's family fled from Czechoslovakia(now the Czech Republic) after living for 6 years under the Nazis and another decade under the Iron wall. My Jewish step-grandpa lost 7 members of his family to the showers/gas chambers/bullets/labor camps(no one really knows). My grandfather wrote a book about his life in the allied military during WWII, so I have a good sense about what he did and who he was. Unfortunately, he died when I was in middle school and too young to appreciate the stories. <BR/><BR/>What have I done.....hmmm I grew up in Southern California. It is a region made famous by fake tans and boob jobs. Not quite the same as the WWI and WWII generations.<BR/><BR/><BR/>I bet you would enjoy going through your family history and I agree it would be a great excuse to visit Russia if you've never been. Although maybe you will want to wait until our currency can buy something again...Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04303016383746363456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-62958715042073527622008-04-15T10:46:00.000-07:002008-04-15T10:46:00.000-07:00Dr. Schwab,The author of my family book, Rodney Ho...Dr. Schwab,<BR/>The author of my family book, Rodney Horace Yale, wrote in 1905 (or it might have been 1908) and he wrote of our ancestors who lived in the 1100s through to his present, and my grandfather added on and wrote until his present (the 80s). Their research and paperwork was extensive, but they did it without hardly any word-of-mouth knowledge (which I know was the focus of your beautiful post). I think rlbates had an excellent suggestion. It might also be a good idea to check into the employee records of Metropolitan Life. You may have already thought of that, but I just think it might give your mother, your grandfather, etc., a voice when they do not have their own. This could turn into a nice vacation to Russia for you and your wife as well. Best of Luck.Justine Johnston Hemmestadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16173113744180112355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-67554532925120433052008-04-15T10:08:00.000-07:002008-04-15T10:08:00.000-07:00Dr Sid, thanks. It is moving post. Perhaps Jack ...Dr Sid, thanks. It is moving post. Perhaps Jack London's estate would have some information regarding your father.rlbateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15236331355857884458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-32164846768475715182008-04-15T10:00:00.000-07:002008-04-15T10:00:00.000-07:00What a wonderful and moving post.Your Grandpa soun...What a wonderful and moving post.<BR/><BR/>Your Grandpa sounds like a remarkable man.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-55145528428350003692008-04-15T09:39:00.000-07:002008-04-15T09:39:00.000-07:00Who knows? I do enjoy it. The one remaining resour...Who knows? I do enjoy it. The one remaining resource, my mom, can't conjure any of it anymore, and with many movings, and the shrinkage of stuff, lots of the things I remember seeing are now missing. I suppose there are other avenues.Sid Schwabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14182853083503404098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-48690690424321709442008-04-15T09:24:00.000-07:002008-04-15T09:24:00.000-07:00Dr. Schwab,Oops, I wanted to say one more thing bu...Dr. Schwab,<BR/>Oops, I wanted to say one more thing but I forgot. You have written posts about your family history and you give the stories life, writing gives life again, so I just wanted to suggest that maybe in addition to surgical topics which your readers enjoy so much you might also research your family in great depth and write a genealogy book. Just thinking that it would be a gift of great reverence to your grandfather (regardless of how long it takes you to finish it) as well as to future generations of your family. Just a thought because you seem to enjoy it.Justine Johnston Hemmestadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16173113744180112355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-28488748542734205982008-04-15T09:11:00.000-07:002008-04-15T09:11:00.000-07:00Dr. Schwab,What a rich, rich story, thanks for blo...Dr. Schwab,<BR/>What a rich, rich story, thanks for blogging this. Many lives we can live vicariously through others - but it takes a gifted writer to draw us in! My mother's side of the family has a genealogy book called The Yales and Wales, but I don't know anything about my father's side and I wish I did. What a gift to know!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com