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August 17, 2012

There's just something about August

...That seems to ensure I fall ill during some part, or all of, the month each year.

The causes and culprits are often different (or at least a bit variable from year-to-year), but after being quite sick with a bad flare-up of one of my GI conditions for nearly two weeks straight now, I woke up this morning and was struck my how many Augusts pasts I've been in a similar boat (which might be a coincidence, but worth noting nevertheless).

Interestingly, my next thought (and please don't read anything morbid or foretelling into this, I'm not implying such) was how, in a roundabout way, that reminds me of an interesting point I discovered quite early on in my life as a family genealogist. It seems, I found, that when adding names and dates of death to my tree, if the person was middle aged or older, and lived prior to about 100 years ago, there was an exceedingly high chance they passed away during the winter.

At first I thought this much just be a bit of a string of coincidental dates of death, but time and time again, with names (from various bloodlines and folks hailing from different areas of Europe and North America) spanning centuries back, it became very obvious that that a much larger percentage of people passed away during the winter than throughout the rest of the year.

I've tried researching this point to see if others have noticed in their own trees, too, but haven't yet found too much out there on the topic. Of course not everyone in my tree perished at the first sign of snow, but if we think back to the world as it was two or three (or more) hundred years ago, it makes sense that those who might have already been weakened by illness or age succumbed during the coldest, roughest months of the year (when, to boot, their diet was often less healthy and/or plentiful than during the warmer seasons).

Extreme temperatures, no matter which side of the scale they fall on, can be hard on even the most rugged, healthy, and able-bodied amongst us, and are certainly trying on many with weak immune systems and/or serious health problems.

For those who are curious, I noticed that the season in which one passes away has become more varied (at least within my own family tree) over the past hundred to a hundred and twenty-five years ago, no doubt a point that coincides with advances in medicine, as well with other improvements (better indoor heating systems, plumbing, etc) that society has undergone in recent years.

There are many, many beautiful elements of summer and August that I adore, some of which you've certainly seen me wax poetically about in posts here over the years, but the fact that August tends to me I'll put out of commission for a hefty chunk of it, is not one I'm keen to sing praises about!


August 1944 cover of Woman and Home magazine, vintage woman riding a bike

{Beautiful flowers, bright days, outdoor excursions, warm weather fashions – all points to adore about August. It’s odd propensity to make feel ill, not so much! Vintage 1940s Woman and Home magazine cover via totallymystified on Flickr.}


Oh well, it's Friday, and I’m hoping (though I strongly suspect it's a pipedream this week) that I might wake up feeling oodles better tomorrow and be up for some garage saling this weekend. That sure would be great, as I haven't gotten to nearly as many over the last two months as we did throughout May and June, and I’ve have been missing it fiercely.

Today though, I'll just ride out another day of feeling less than stellar, enjoy the sunshine that's flooding through the window, and look forward rather eagerly to September's return! Smile

24 comments:

  1. I guess I never put much thought into the dates in which my ancestors over a century ago had passed away on. That is food for thought. :)

    I'm so sorry you're feeling bad, Jessica. :( I do hope that you get to feeling better soon. :::hugs:::

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  2. I'm sorry that you've been feeling bad. I know I hate being sick. It's so tiring and draining. Just take it easy and read a good book with a cup of tea. Sometimes it's best to take it easy.

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  3. I sincerely hope you do feel better and very soon too.
    I have traced my own family tree and to note the times of year my ancestors have departed this earth has never occurred to me. I hope to start up again this autumn, so will be interested to have a look. I think you are right though, those who have been weakened throughout the year may well fall prey to the cold weather later in the year, it makes perfect sense.

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  4. Hope you feel better soon Jessica. Sending you lot's of love and well wishes. xx

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  5. sending you well wishes, Jessica - I hope you feel better soon.

    susan xo

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  6. Interesting about the dates of death, I must take a look at my own family tree and see whether it holds true there. It certainly does in recent times as my mother and father both died in January as did my mother-in-law.
    Love the Woman and Home cover, I have literally hundreds of 1930s and 1940s magazines in my attic, I collected them avidly for many years and still add the odd one to my collection. Hope you feel better soon.

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  7. I hope you begin to feel better soon, lovely!

    Speaking of genealogy, I too had become very involved with mine, however, I have rather slacked off. It seems I am rather one-track minded. I'm either listing loads on Etsy, or sewing, or doing genealogy. I can never seem to find a good middle ground to do it all.

    xoxo
    -Janey

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  8. I hope you'll feel better soon darling!

    XO

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  9. I'm sorry to hear you aren't feeling well. Having gut issues is not a good thing. Unfortunately everyone in my immediate family has a gut issue, from Crohn's to cancer, I know how bad it can be.

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  10. Get well soon dear Jessica, thinking of you. xx

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  11. I hope you wake up feeling much better, it is somehow worse to feel ill when it is hot and sunny!

    My Mother works for Age UK an old people's charity in the UK and they still lose a lot more of their members over the winter months than at any other time of the year.

    I wish I had more time for genealogy it takes so very much time to do and I just don't have enough of it right now.

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  12. I've just discovered your blog and love it!
    I do hope you feel better soon.

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  13. I'm sorry to hear you've been unwell. Hope you feel much better soon. I actually find that, despite not having any medical conditions (thank goodness), I find summer takes its toll on my body much more than does winter. I do not handle the heat well at all and I become more prone to nausea and headaches, despite always ensuring to keep hydrated. I think perhaps the heat saps my energy and weakens my constitution. Cold weather is much easier on my body, personally. So it's interesting that you often get sick in August - I wonder if your body has a similar response to the heat that mine does...?

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  14. Be well! How fun to see this post on my birthday (8/17/50). And yes, August does signal the impending autumn! I love the image, especially the bike basket! Loved the lime dessert awhile back--using old ice cube trays for frozen boxed desserts is a wonderful memory.

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  15. My dear, you know I understand this very well. I too have struggled through the heat this summer. Hopefully when cooler weather returns you will feel a bit better. Sending you a gentle virtual hug!

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  16. Love your blog, so I'm a new follower =)

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  17. True in my family - my mother passed in a February and my father in December. I always thought sick people made it through the holidays and then felt it was time to pass away.

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    1. I've wondered if that played a role, too, and suspect it might. Another things I've noticed (more so in the last century) is that people often pass away shortly after, or even on, their birthdays. While sometimes this is coincidental, I suspect that for many the desire to reach their birthday one last time keeps them going during their final months/days.

      ♥ Jessica

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  18. Hi sweetest ladies,

    Thank you each very much for your caring well wishes. I'm still sick a dog (as the expression goes), which is made all the more unpleasant because I actually really adore August - including the sweltering heat. Oh well, just so long as I get to feel a touch better by the time my beloved autumn rolls around.

    Heartfelt thanks & scores of hugs to you all,
    ♥ Jessica

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  19. I am so sorry to hear that you are feeling ill!!! *Huge hugs!!* I hope that you feel better very soon!!!

    (I can't wait for September either!!)

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  20. Hi Jessica,
    I'm new to your blog, and I just love your posts! You write about such interesting things that always keep your readers excited for the next post. You look lovely in your oufits and seem to be such a great person! Keep the wonderful posts coming, I will keep reading! Take care my friend!

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    1. Hi April, thank you very much for the immensely nice compliments, they really brightened my day, dear lady.

      ♥ Jessica

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  21. You have an interesting point that I'd never thought about before. My sister is the genealogist in the family so I will have to ask her about our ancestors' death dates. I wouldn't be surprised, because winter would have meant spending more time indoors in crowded and unhygenic conditions. Cold and flu season is inconvenient today but could have been fatal back then!

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    1. Hi Kim, thank you for your comment. I'd be very interested to know if your sister has unearthed a similar pattern, as I highly suspect (at least amongst populations in cooler climates) that my ancestors were not the only ones who had a tendency to pass away during the coldest months of the year.

      ♥ Jessica

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