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Kay Rene Qualls, left, of Heppner, Ore., and DeeAnn Shafer, of Richland, Wash., pose for a photo in front of the Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Heppner, Ore. They found out recently that they were switched shortly after being born 56 years ago. (AP Photo/E.J. Harris, East Oregonian)
Question: Have you ever felt that you were switched at birth, considering the family that raised you — and your extended family?
D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.
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florined on May 11 at 2:29 p.m.
LOL, well there were times as a kid when I thought that was the only explanation for their “unjust” treatment, but I have several physical characteristics that pretty well show that my true parents were the very ones I called Mom and Dad.
tarynahecker on May 11 at 2:36 p.m.
There were times when I was younger when I wished it, but I think I’ve grown into my family and decided dysfunction suits me well.
JeanieSpokane on May 11 at 2:39 p.m.
Well, looking at photos of the women in my family, going back generations, there is absolutely no way I’m NOT related to them. Freckles. Red Hair. Short. Squatty.
Liz on May 11 at 2:56 p.m.
well, this was always a secret fantasy of mine.
But, alas, I look too much like them for it to be so…
Walkabout on May 11 at 3:11 p.m.
My husband thinks I was either adopted or switched at birth. It sure would explain a lot of things.
JohnA on May 11 at 3:11 p.m.
Nah, I think I was just spanked at birth. Too small to need a switch.
hhuseland on May 11 at 3:33 p.m.
I would love to be able to read the entire story.
spokelooneh on May 11 at 3:54 p.m.
“Herb Huseland on May 11 at 3:33 p.m.
I would love to be able to read the entire story.”
Pssssssst, Herb. Shhhhhh. Here’s a little secret no one knows about.
Type “Kay Rene Qualls” without the quotes in a Google search, and about a 130,000 references to the entire story will appear before your very eyes!
Keep this trick to yourself.
Cindy_H on May 11 at 4:16 p.m.
Way to go spoke. Type the best kept secret on one of the most read blogs in Idaho. Geez. Now everyone will know!
Anyhow, I’ve never felt I’d been switched at birth, but on any given day I’m pretty sure at least one of my children were. No children of mine could behave the way these guys do. Seriously!
Stickman on May 11 at 7:57 p.m.
I am convinced that my wife, Walkabout, was either switched at birth or adopted and never told. She has nothing in common with any of her siblings and looks nothing like any of her family. We laugh about it all the time, and though I know it not to be true, my underlying feeling is that something bizarre happened back then.
Escapee on May 12 at 9:49 p.m.
No, I wasn’t switched at birth. I was just dropped on my head too many times. JUST K-I-D-D-I-N-G!!!