Welcome to the Como Family Medical Database

- The medical issues listed here are developed from your initial e-mail contact when the site was generated. As you read through these issues, additional ailments you are suffering may come to mind, or, as time goes by, you may experience new medical situation. To keep this listing current, please e-mail any additions to me. Thanks for your participation – Ted

Current participation: First Generation (children of Earl & Elizabeth Cayen Como) 7 of 12; Second Generation, 6; Third Generation: 2)

Parental/Ancestral Medical Issues…

Earl Como:

  • Colon cancer (terminal)
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Fluid retention
  • Kidney disease
  • Diabetes
  • Psoriasis
  • Intense back pain from tailbone area

Elizabeth Como:

  • Depression
  • Heart disease (terminal)
  • Migraine headaches

 

Dorothy Cayen:

  • Gram Cayen: Migraine headaches
  • Colon cancer (terminal)

Edward Cayen:

  • Heart Disease (terminal)

Medical Anomolies Among Descendants…

Ear Canal: Female: Can go much further into one ear than the other, when cleaning inside of ears.

Color Blindness: Dick, Chris, Ted, and Don are color blind to varying degree. Tim and Steve have normal color vision. None of the girls are color blind. Since the gene for color-blindness is carried on the X-gene, we inherited this particular problem from mom's side of the family. Since mom's family only had girls, and since females have two X-chromosomes, then the color blindness could have come from either gramps or gram Cayen. None of the color blind boys will pass color blindness to their children, but will pass the gene for color blindness to all their daughters. The girls all have a 50-50 chance of having the recessive gene for color blindness, which means that if they do have it, all their sons will be color blind and they have a 50-50 chance of passing the bad gene on to their daughters. It would be interesting to chart the progress of this gene through the second generation.

Extra Bone: Female: Extra bone running along the outside edge of both feet said to be genetic.

Foot Turns Out: Male, right foot turns out about 20 degrees; Male: left foot turns out about 20 degrees; Female (2nd gen.) right foot turns out.

Medical Issues Among Descendants…

Allergies:

  • Female.
  • Female: Allergies all adult life/athsma/post nasal drip. Allergic to ragweed and eggs though consumes eggs with no problem; suspects also allergic to most chemicals - cannot use perfumed soap or wear perfumed products, allergic to certain metals, paint products, cleaners, gas, kerosene, cigarette smoke, pet dander, glue products. Cannot wash face with soap.
  • Female: allergic to mold and tree pollen.
  • Female: Allergic or Vasomotor Rhinitis (Inflammation of the nose which can be infectious or allergy based, seasonal or last year-round).
  • Female (2nd gen) Allergic to tree pollen.
  • Female (2nd gen) Allergic to tree pollen and mold.
  • Male (2nd gen) Bad allergies.

                        

Anxiety Disorder/Depression:

  • Female: Depression and also suffers panic attacks. Taking 150 mg Sertraline (Zoloft) daily to relieve depression/inhibit attacks.
  • Female: Depression.
  • Female: High anxiety and has suffered bouts of depression entire life. Taking Paxil. When under stress, mind shuts down and cannot function in clear and precise manner; could not take tests in school unless in room by herself; anxious to see if others have had similar experiences.

                        

Attention Deficit Disorder:

  • Female: Diagnosed in adult life with ADD – particular dysfunction with comprehension – which she has overcompensated for all of her life; willing to share diagnosis with anyone suffering similar problem.

                      

Back Issues (Various):

  • .Female: Back pain suffered entire adult life. On rare occasions, excruciating pain at base of spine which takes breath away. Surgery on T3 to repair degeneration using piece of bone removed from hip; continued problems with neck, shoulders, arms, hands/suspects degeneration of left hip.
  • Female: Degenerative Disc Disease (As the spine ages, the normal buoyant capability of the disc is slowly degraded as the water content is lost and the disc becomes more fibrous. Settling then begins within the disc and degenerative bone spurs can form around the disc and in the facet joints in the back part of the spine.)
  • Female: Lesion in L1-T1 vertebrae, possibly Hemangioma (a non-cancerous vascular tumor); L4-5 disc bulge; L5, S1 collapsed disc involving S1 nerve root; L3-4 flattened disc; right S1 joint dysfunction; slight curvature of spine; right leg now shorter than left.
  • Male: Back pain.
  • Male: Lower back going out of alignment; relieved with diet/exercise.
  • Male: Degenerative Disc Disease: serious degeneration in T4, T5; compression fracture due to auto accident.
  • Female: (2nd gen) Would wake up when in her teens and be unable to move. Mother would have to help her up and once she got moving it would go away; numbness in lower to mid back and right leg upon too much exertion or when bladder full.

                        

Bells Palsey:

  • Female: Contracted while pregnant; half of face paralyzed for weeks affecting eye (noted below under “Eye Disorderes”) and hearing (noted below under “Hearing.)

                        

Blood Pressure/ Blood & Circulatory Issues:

  • Female: Low blood pressure.
  • Female: Anemia diagnosed while giving blood.
  • Male: Suffers Edima which has been ongoing for about 10 years. (water retention in legs)
  • Female: Right side pain that comes and goes/ feels like gall bladder attack except bladder has been removed.
  • Female: swelling of hands/ legs that comes and goes almost daily.
  • Female (2nd gen) Frequent bouts of pitting edema though not recently.

                        

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome:

  • Female: Has had surgery on both hands.
  • Female: Has had surgery on both wrists; left arm left very week, forcing use of right hand as dominant.

                        

Cholesterol Issues:

  • Female: Cholesterol tests have come back high a few times over the last 15 years or so, but so far I can control it with diet.

                        

Cysts:

  • Female: has had six ovarian cysts.
  • Female Cysts taken out of arm pits and neck at age 24/ weeping mole removed from chest at age 28.
  • Male (2nd gen): Pilonidal Disease (cyst/lesion at base of spine which drained continuously until surgically removed.

                        

Diabetes:

  • Male: Tested glucose intolerant but no onset of Type II as yet.

                        

Epstein Barr Syndrome (Condition that is indicated by extreme fatigue and weakness that lasts over 6 months and persists even with rest. CFS may be a viral infection, although the cause(s) are not well understood. CFS primarily affects women, aged 20-50. May resemble the flu. Symptoms are wide and varied and therefore this condition is often misdiagnosed):

  • Female (2nd gen).

                        

Eye Disorders:

  • .Female: Irritating dryness in left eye. It's uncomfortable to ride in a car with AC because air circulation dries it out more.
  • Female: Left eye patched due to constant weeping from episode of Bells Palsey; some effects permanent such as tendency of eye to close on flash photography.
  • Female (2nd gen): Left corneal erosion due to very dry eyes; cannot wear contacts.

                        

Gall Bladder:

  • Female: Bladder removed due to excessive stones.
  • Female: Removed.
  • Male: Advised removal is necessary.
  • Female (2nd gen) Gall bladder removed due to gall sand yet continues to suffer what appears to be gall bladder attack.

                        

Heartburn/Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD, or Acid Reflux Disease, is a digestive disorder that affects the lower esophageal sphincter - the muscle connecting the esophagus with the stomach. Many people, including pregnant women, suffer from heartburn or acid indigestion caused by GERD):

  • Female: Chronic heartburn.
  • Female: Acid Reflux Disease due to dependency on inhalers twice a day for athsma.
  • Female: Acid Reflux Disease.
  • Female (2nd gen): Chronic heartburn.
  • Female (2nd gen): GERD.

                        

Hearing/Labyrinthitis (Labyrinthitis is an inflammation of the inner ear or the nerves connecting the inner ear to the brain caused by either bacterial or viral infection):

  • Male: Losing hearing; considering hearing aid.
  • Male: Estimates 20-30 percent loss in both ears (hears sounds in right ear at higher pitch than left.)
  • Female: Considerable loss of hearing in left ear, marginal loss in right ear. Has hearing aids.
  • Female: Labyrinthitis.
  • Female: Ear left permanently sensitive to loud noises due to episode of Bells Palsey; deaf to certain pitches.
  • Female: Tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
  • Male (2nd gen) Some hearing loss requiring waiver to join military.

                        

Heart/MVP (Mitral Valve Prolapse is generally the most benign of the various types of heart murmurs, and is probably genetic in origin. It is the most common valvular disorder):

  • Female: Occasional heart palpitations.
  • Female (2nd gen) Heart murmur.
  • Female (2nd gen): MVP.
  • Female (2nd gen) Episodes of tachycardia (high heart rate)
  • Female (3rd gen): Murmur.
  • Female (3rd gen): Murmur

                        

Heel Spurs/Plantar Fasciitis:

  • Female: Used to wear prosthetics; now controlled by exercise.
  • Female: Bone spur getting increasingly bigger on right heel.
  • Male: Wears prothetics in shoes.

                        

Hormonal Disorders:

  • Female (2nd gen):  Hypogonadotripic Hypogonadism (Hormonal disease wherein pituitary doesn’t produce sufficient hormones to bring victim to puberty.) Resulted in infertility.

Hysterectomy:

  • Female due to enlarged uterus and pain due to to Endometriosis.

                        

Irritable Bowel (Irritable bowel syndrome interferes with the normal functions of the large intestine. It is characterized by a group of symptoms including cramp abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. One in five Americans has IBS):

  • Female.
  • Female: Causes diarrhea when under stress.
  • Female: Has had 1 colonoscopy with 1 polyp removed.
  • Female.
  • Male (Five polyps removed in colonoscopy; one removed five years later in second colonoscopy.
  • Female (2nd gen).
  • Female (2nd gen).

                        

Joint Pain/Ailments/Osteoarthritis (Osteoarthritis is the commonest form of joint disease. It is generally considered to be due to wear and tear of the joints leading to damage of the joint surfaces which gives pain on movement):

  • Female: Osteoarthritis in both hips.
  • Male: Joint pain in right shoulder and elbow. No problem when he moves arm in the motion you would use to do curls with weights, or when shoveling something, but if moves arm the other way as in picking up a soft drink, has pain in the elbow and is unable to live much weight.
  • Female: Left knee consistently clicks when she walks.
  • Female: Joint pain in left shoulder and elbow.
  • Female: Right knee clicking and rubbing; painful when going downstairs or sitting too long.
  • Female: Pain and numbness in alternate shoulders, arms and hands that comes and goes.
  • Female: Severe pain in right shoulder in early 20’s, given injections which worked.
  • Female (2nd gen): Sacroilliac (joint erosion).
  • Female (2nd gen) Weak Patellas (knee joints).
  • Female (2nd gen) Chondromalacia of the patella; suffers continuous mild chronic pain and come-and-go hip pain which jumps from side to side; episode years ago of unexplained bursitis in left shoulder.

                        

Kidney:

  • Female (born with one kidney; suffers frequent bladder infections.)
  • Female: constant bladder infections.

                        

Lupus (Lupus – SLE - is an autoimmune disease that can affect virtually any system in the body. Think of it as a self-allergy where the body attacks its own cells and tissues, causing inflammation, pain, and possible organ damage):

  • Female: Tested positive about 1998. No treatment underway.

                        

Migraine Headaches/Fainting:

  • Female: Occasional migraines.
  • Female (2nd gen) Prone to fainting spells;one episode of ophthalmic migraine.

                        

Nervous System:

  • Female: Facial Herpes Simplex; Bilateral Facial Neuralgia; nerve damage.
  • Female: Undiagnosed neuropathy about 1988 which resulted in quick onset of numbness from waist down with no feeling of bodily function, though no problem walking. Headaches and body pain for weeks finally dissipated in 6-8 weeks/ no aftereffects apparent; Eye, small finger or thumb will twitch on occasion; suffered Restless Leg Syndrome until began taking magnesium and potassium; pinched nerve in 2nd toe from right on right foot required surgery.
  • Male: Undiagnosed neuropathy that, over a weekend, caused very severe back pain and left both legs devoid of sensation or reflex. Back pain continued about a week and began to dissipate; after three weeks, numbness began to dissipate; after 5 weeks most effects gone except apparently permanent loss of knee reflex in both legs and some difficulty running, climbing ladders, etc.

                        

Osteoporosis (Osteoporosis is a disease in which the density and quality of bone are reduced, leading to weakness of the skeleton and increased risk of fracture, particularly of the spine, wrist, hip, pelvis and upper arm. Osteoporosis and associated fractures are an important cause of mortality and morbidity.):

  • Female.

                        

Perthes Disease (Disease of the hip joint in children producing in the early stages a limp that often comes and goes but may get worse as the disease progresses. Eventually, the child may feel pain in the knee, thigh or groin. The affected leg may be slightly thinner and occasionally shorter):

  • Male (2nd gen) Including limping and hip pain.

                        

Reynauds Disease (Raynaud's is a condition that causes some areas of the body such as fingers, toes, tip of your nose and ears to feel numb and cool in response to cold temperatures or stress. The condition is a disorder of blood vessels that supply blood to the skin. During a Raynaud's attack, these arteries narrow, limiting blood circulation to affected areas.):

  • Female.
  • Female: diagnosed in 1991; poor circulation in hands/feet; does not feel pricks in arms up to elbows and legs below knee.
  • Female (2nd gen): Not diagnosed but classic symptoms.

                        

Seizures:

  • Female.

                        

Skin Ailments:

  • Male: Contact Dermatitis (Allergic reaction to something in contact with skin.) Developed around 1999 in armpits, around neck and crotch producing red rash, caused by laundry soap. Now uses "Tide free" or some other non-allergenic detergent; uses non-allergenic deodorant and shower soap.
  • Female: Eczema.
  • Female: Lichen Sclerosis (discoloring of patches of the skin that tends to spread over time, cause unknown) Has 3 affected areas spreading very slowly, if at all, on lower lower back, right side, and left underarm.
  • Male: Psoriasis; occasional Contact Dermatitis (uses only Ivory soap and particular brand of deodorant since any other causes severe redness and pain in armpits. Very severe reaction about 1999 to handling lawn fertilizer with skin on hands peeling and splitting, requiring wearing of white cotton gloves for a week to cover medication and prevent infection.)
  • Female (2nd gen.) Psoriasis.
  • Female (2nd gen.) Psoriasis.
  • Female (2nd gen) Psoriasis.
  • Male (2nd gen) Psoriasis.
  • Female (2nd gen) Small skin tags around neck, armpit and chest area; lots of miles; other “skin things” which start out like pimples but after many weeks turn into what appear to be moles (round, raised and pinkish brown.)

                        

Sinus:

  • Female: Chronic sinus problems.

                        

Sleep Apnea:

  • Female: suffers sleep paralysis.
  • Male: Awoke several times completely paralyzed. After a time would be able to wiggle a finger or toe and thus break the paralysis. A couple of times has been unable to move anything and has had to return to sleep and wake up again before being able to move. Twice has woken in the middle of the night unable to breathe as if a lump was in throat and unable to swallow. Both times got up out of bed and stumbled around, wheezing, trying to breathe again and it was a few minutes before got breath back. Both times thought there was possibility of passing out from lack of air before regaining breath. Both times had eaten Italian-type food which was heavy on melted cheese.
  • Female: Has problems sleeping but no discerned apnea; doesn’t require lots of sleep.
  • Male: Occasional bouts of insomnia which last about a week.
  • Male (2nd gen) Sleep Paralysis.

                        

Ulcers:

  • Female: Ulcers on and off through adult life, including of the stomach and colon.

                        

 

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