Know your Family Health History

Prairie Doc Perspective Week of June 29th, 2025
“Know your Family Health History”
Roberta K. Olson, PhD, RN


Foundational education as an RN with a BSN from South Dakota State University provided a broad understanding of how our bodies function.  One of the lessons that was high    lighted over the years was the need to pay attention to changes, e.g., my two sisters needed total knee replacement and so did I; my paternal grandfather had a massive stoke and died at the age of 61 years in 1948 from what? It was never diagnosed. My father thought that his dad, who was a farmer, was too stubborn to get regular check-ups from a physician and probably had heart problems in addition to his high blood pressure.


When I was diagnosed with elevated blood pressure in 2015. My only symptom was ocular migraines; I started taking blood pressure medication.  Both of my parents had low (normal) blood pressure and when I was pregnant with our two sons, my blood pressure was consistently in the low normal range. At first, I thought that perhaps the blood pressure machine wrong but with further tests, I was diagnosed with hypertension.


My blood pressure stayed elevated even with the daily medications that I took to keep the hypertension in check. In June 2024 my pulse slowly dropped to 34 (normal is 70-80/minute). On Thursday my primary care physician ordered an  echocardiogram for the following Monday because my pulse was 40 bpm in the office. On Sunday night at midnight, I was awake, got up and measured my pulse.  It was 34 bpm. I debated whether to wait 10 hours for the scheduled echocardiogram or call 911.  I called 911.


The ambulance came at 12:30 a.m. and I was taken for an assessment to the Brookings Emergency Department. Further assessment indicated that I was in  a 3rd degree heart block and would need a pacemaker.  A cardiac surgeon had accepted the request from the Brookings ED Physician. By 4:00 a.m. I arrived at the Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls via ambulance. I was monitored the entire time by the EMT. Further assessment was done by the technicians and at 8:30 a.m. I was on the operating table with the cardiac surgeon ready to insert a pacemaker. I stayed one night in the hospital for observation and was discharged on Tuesday morning.


We are fortunate in South Dakota to have responsive EMTs, competent MDs at all times in the Emergency Department, and Cardiac Surgeons ready to assist as needed at the Avera Heart Hospital.


Following the “organ recital” discussion with my sisters, I learned that a third cousin who lived in Illinois and is four years younger than I am also had a pacemaker inserted a few years ago.  Our grandfathers were brothers. Genetics in your family history is important to know and understand. Dwelling on every ache and pain is not necessary but know your body and changes in the usual patterns of wellness. Post pacemaker my blood pressure is consistently within the low normal range.


Roberta K. Olson, PhD, RN earned her MSN in Nursing of Children at Washington University, St. Louis, MO and her PhD in Higher Education at Saint Louis University. She served in four academic institutions prior to returning to her alma mater and serving the last 20 years of her career as the Dean of Nursing at South Dakota State University. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Threads. Prairie Doc Programming includes On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show (most Thursdays at 7pm streaming on Facebook), 2 podcasts, and a Radio program (on SDPB), providing health information based on science, built on trust.