Oh gads. My best of luck to you. I think if your birth certificate doesn't show up, you may have to present a couple of witnesses on your behalf to swear that you were born (joke).
In the Canal Zone case, this gentleman is in his 70s, born outside of the U.S., and at this point, witnesses would be hard to find especially since he has been out of touch with everybody in Panama for a zillion years.
I was born! Really I was!
I’ve never had need of the birth certificate before. I’ve thought of getting a copy just for the heck of it, but never got around to doing it. I may even get a passport now – just in case I decide to visit the British Isles.