Prebiotic Probiotic Omega WHAT?!?

Hi All,

Is anyone else out there as confused as I am about all of the terms being thrown around by food manufactures these days? It's getting so bad that I think I might have to invest in a laptop with wireless internet to take with me just to go grocery shopping.

Our family always tries to eat healthy. This used to be easier before terms which I can hardly pronounce and would not even attempt to guess at their meanings. How much of these terms (because I don't know what else to call them) do I need in my diet? What if I eat too much omega 3, for instance, will my skin fall off? My research has shown me that basically I have no clue as to what these terms mean or what benefits they will have on our overall health. Guess it’s time for Michelle to head back to school.

It seems that it used to be ALOT easier to eat a healthy well balanced diet when I was a kid. Basic rules were eat something from every food group every day, try to limit sugar intake, stay away from too much processed food, and eat lots of vegetables. Today, I seem to sometimes be spending more time reading labels in the grocery store than I do actually filling up the cart.

Like most families, our biggest monthly bill appears to be food. Partly because we're a family of five, three being ravenous children who can never seem to be filled. My husband and I almost always prepare home cooked meals (at least for supper) and encourage our children to eat healthy by setting that example. It really wouldn't do much good, I think, for us to eat whatever we wanted and make the kids eat all the veggies. And we like eating healthy, it tastes good!

When our youngest son was a preschooler, the only vegetable he ate was potatoes. Through encouragement (and sometimes threats of "nothing else until breakfast"), he now eats a variety of vegetables. It was a long and hard road to get him to even try some of these veggies, but we were determined to try as many as we could to get him to eat a variety. And persistence paid off. Today one of his favorite vegetables is raw spinach. Really.

Schools are also, in my humble opinion, doing a fantastic job of encouraging kids to eat healthier. This year, my kids school introduced a breakfast program which hands out different things every week, mostly bananas, apples, yogurt and milk. Even though my kids eat breakfast every morning, they usually stop in to see "what's on the menu" and pick up a piece of fruit or yogurt and a milk. Schools in this area have also removed pop from the vending machines and filled them with water or juice, and removed deep fryers from the cafeteria. I feel they have come a long way in a short time to encourage kids to eat healthy. Not all parents were pleased with this. There was backlash in the news with parents complaining that their kids wouldn't eat the healthy foods made mostly from scratch in the cafeteria. To this I say, pack them a lunch then.

My children's school has a few kids who have severe peanut, fish, shellfish, and egg allergies. At first I must admit it was a bit difficult to find things that they could take for lunch. With all the "additives" in yogurt, bread, bagels, some cheeses etc. like omega 3 (which is a fish oil and on the "banned substance list"), and products which "may have come in contact with nuts", things were looking bleak for a while. Recess was not a problem because most times, we send fruit or something I made like cookies. I don't see the point of kids eating a fruit roll up for recess, there is NO nutritional value and as far as filling them up, they would be about as full as eating a single grape. We do buy things like dunkaroos and fruit snacks, but it is a very rare occurrence. I know fruits and vegetables are VERY expensive, but our feeling is we'd rather spend money on fruit and veggies than spend $2.99 on a 6 pack box of fruit snacks. Remember, I'm the Queen of cheap!

I know you are thinking it must be easy for us to prepare healthy meals because I have the opportunity to be a stay at home Mom. That does make it easier, but just because I'm "called" a stay at home Mom, doesn't mean I am. I have many activities within my children's school (I'm teaching a class there once a week) and community that keep me busy both inside and outside of home on an almost daily basis. It is not a sacrifice for me to feed my children nutritious meals; it is my obligation to them.

I'm not saying that everything we eat is healthy or organic (we still eat white bread) or that we never have treats or eat out, we just do it sensibly. Most Friday nights are movie nights, a tradition we started when my oldest son was in grade primary. It's a way to unwind from a busy week and spend some time as a family, which we all enjoy and look forward to. On these nights, we will often have pizza, sometimes pop, and chips or something. We don't give them treats everyday, and they look forward to it, rather than expect it.

So while I stumble around the grocery store scratching my head trying to read labels and determine what exactly is in what product, as confused as anyone else, I am truly trying to make an effort to teach my children the values of a healthy lifestyle.

You've all heard the old adage, "Healthy living begins at home". It's something we truly believe in and take part in because we believe our kids are worth it.

Until next time,

Michelle

When I Was Jennifer

Hi All,

After reading the story of adoptions in The Chronicle Herald yesterday, http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1038595.html I had some of the same feelings as the people in this story on adoption reunions. Sometimes they work, often times, they don’t. It’s funny because my Mom and I were talking about what people expect to get from meeting their birth parents just yesterday.

You see, before I was Michelle Symes, SuperMom and blogger extraordinaire (LOL), I was Michelle Kozera, student and athlete, and even before that I was Jennifer MacDonnell.

I was adopted when I was about two months old by my loving and caring parents. I NEVER call them my "adoptive parents" because to me, they are just my parents.

I can not remember a time in my life when I didn't know that I was adopted. My parents tried to explain adoption to me when I was about four years old. After thinking they had done a bang up job trying to explain something so complicated to a young child who had never had any other Mom and Dad, they took me to visit my Grandparents. My Mom tells me the story of her asking me to explain to my Grampy the story of adoption they had told me. I told my Grampy I was "dopted". He looked puzzled and asked me what dopted meant. I confidently told him that "someone dopted me on the floor and Mommy and Daddy picked me up and took me home." I don't think their efforts had failed, I think that's about as much as a four year old could understand at the time.

Being the most curious and nosy person I know, I myself am always a bit surprised that I have never had the need that some adoptees feel to meet their birth parents. My parents have told me all they know about my birth Mother. She was 18 at the time of my birth, came from a large family, and didn't feel like she had the resources to raise a child. Being a mother myself, I can not begin to imagine the grief she must have felt having to give me up. But I am glad she did. I don't mean glad as in the fact that I don't think she loved me, I know she did. She came from the very small community of Inverness, and in the 1970s, it was not like it is today when teens often raise their own out of wedlock children.

I have never not known love. Even when I was Jennifer in the orphanage before I was adopted by my parents, I know I was loved and well cared for. I know this because over the years, my parents and I have run into people from that orphanage and they have always treated me with kindness and expressed genuine interest in my well being.

The only frustrating part of being adopted that I have run into is the fact that I have very little family medical history. And I can't get it unless I meet my birth mother and ask her myself. Although I would like to have this medical information for myself and especially for my children, I don't seek it. My birth Mother was young when she had me, and hopefully had more children. Maybe she's married. Maybe her husband doesn't know about me. Do I have the right to just barge into her life and ask her to divulge medical information? Technically I do have that right, but what kind of pain and disruption would that cause her? I have always known that I could probably bypass all the “red tape” of government to find my birth Mother. Chances are if I pick up the phone book and make one call to Inverness, I would probably find birth relatives or even my birth Mother in a couple of hours but I never have. And I probably never will. Maybe knowing I could easily find my birth family makes me not so curious.

I have a wonderful family and two younger brothers who were a surprise to my parents as my Mom was told she could never give birth to children. I had Grandparents who adored me, a large extended family, and I have NEVER felt like an outsider in my family.

I must admit that I have always wanted someone who looks like me. Maybe it's vanity, I'm not really sure why, but it's just something I've always wanted. I must have "one of those faces" because throughout my life, I have, more times than I can count heard that I look "just like-so-and-so". And I can't tell you how many times people have called me Jennifer, or told me I look like a Jennifer. Strange. When my oldest son was born, I remember wondering if he would look like me. And I'll never forget the day we Mom came up to visit us and met her first Grandchild. I met her at the door with the baby in my arms, and told me he looked just like my husband. I told her I knew (and he did look like my husband), but she was supposed to tell me that he looked like me because no one else did!

I have always wanted a sister, and when my brothers were born (when I was seven and eight years old), I was honestly disappointed. Especially since my Mom had sworn to me when she was pregnant with my youngest brother that he was a girl. I'm over it now, of course, and love my brothers dearly. I remember grumbling about the story of my youngest brother being a girl to my husband one day and he asked me if I had a sister and she contacted me, what would I do? I had never thought of that before. I told him I would be surprised, but she would not be my "sister". Physically she would be my sister, but she was not there when I was growing up, my brothers were. She wasn't there for all the family trips around the Cabot Trail, all the fun times we had as a family. She could possibly become a friend, and biologically a sister, but not emotionally.


People always ask me, when they find out I'm adopted if I've met my birth family. I tell them that the only thing I would want to tell my birth Mother is thank you. Thank you for not getting an abortion and thank you for giving me life.

To my parents, thank you for always loving and supporting me and giving me a wonderful life. To my birth Mother, thank you for giving me the opportunity to live this wonderful life.

Until next time,

Michelle

The Mock Holiday

Hi All,

On the grand scale of "holidays" Valentine's Day is at the very bottom for me. I enjoy Groundhog Day more than Valentine's Day. Top of the list is my birthday and Halloween. Even though my parents have forgotten my birthday on occasion ( I forgive them because they weren't actually *there* for the actual birth day, I'm adopted-although after so many years you’d think they’d remember) and my Grandfather died on my birthday, I enjoy it 100 times more than Valentines Day.

So you can imagine my surprise when Son #1 came up to me and asked me to take him shopping for Valentine's Day.

The conversation kind of went like this:

Me (Completely puzzled, because Son #1 has clearly inherited his Mother's "cheap" gene) "What do you mean you need to go shopping for Valentine's Day?"

Son #1 ”I want to buy something for (we'll call her Mary) Mary."

As my husband picked me up off the floor, we tried to explain to our oldest son *who's only 11* why we don't give each other gifts for Valentine's Day.

Husband ”There are many reasons....I don't need a special day to tell your Mom I love her, I tell her every day." *And that's true, he really does.*

Son #1 (Clearly ga ga over Mary) "But it's Valentines Day!"

Husband "Your Mother and I decided a long time ago that we don't believe in Valentine's Day." *True, by the way*

Son #1 (To me) "So when can you take me shopping?" *YIKES*

Me (Joking of course, the kid makes Scrooge look like a philanthropist) "What does your Mom get from you for Valentines Day?"

Son #1 "The privilege of driving me to the mall to go shopping." *I kid you not, that's what he said.... in case you've forgotten, HE'S E-L-E-V-E-N!!!*

Mom "Son, when you're married, you don't celebrate Valentine's Day anymore, you celebrate your anniversary." (I am clearly not prepared for this conversation)

Son #1 "Huh."

In our house, my husband and I call Valentine's Day the "Mock holiday". We stopped buying gifts for each other for Valentine's Day years ago. And there are many reasons, mainly the fact that I think getting a chocolate heart with 6 tiny chocolates inside (which would be gobbled up by three kids in 5 seconds) that cost $10 is a ridiculous waste of money when I could buy at least 10 yummy Hershey bars for the same price -not that I would, of course. Add that to the fact that I'm cheap...remember? And I think with cheap goes low maintenance, because I'm that, too. I do LOVE to get flowers, and my husband is much better than he used to be about buying me flowers. I don't need flowers that cost twice as much on Valentine's Day compared to other times of the year (and die a day later, I might add) to arrive here on Feb 14th. I got flowers just last week, before the Valentine's mark up. My husband clearly knows the way to this cheap girl's heart.

Anyway, whether you celebrate it or not, Happy Mock Holiday to all of you!

Until next time,

Michelle

You're some lucky, Buddy!

Hi All,

I would not be so outraged if I didn't have Amigo. He's my sweet little beagle. Before him, when I heard stories like I saw and read about this week concerning Celtic Pet Rescue of course I was concerned... I'm not made of stone.... but weren't there worse things to worry about than animals? I mean there are starving children all over this world.

Amigo himself came from a rescue organization (Beagle Paws www.beaglepaws.com) based out of St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador. Beagle Paws rescues beagles that have been abandoned, abused, unwanted, or their owners can no longer care for them. I found this organization by accident, when we were looking to get our first family pet. I had chosen another beagle (all done over the internet and phone), but after learning more about our family and our surroundings, they recommended Amigo. Our family had to go through a screening program before being allowed to adopt. For me, I was glad to see them ask so many questions, it made me feel like they just didn't hand out dogs to everyone and really tried to match the right dog to the right family.

On February 17, 2007, we will celebrate Amigo's 3rd "birthday", which is actually the day we picked him up at the Halifax airport and took him to his forever home. But enough about Amigo because I could go on and on about that sweet sweet beagle.

There must be a rumour going around in the abandoned/lost pet community on Boularderie Island that the Symes family will take you in. And feed you. And bathe you. And find you a home. In the last 3 years, we have found homes for one cat, who was living in one of our sheds, and one dog, "Buddy" who we moved in for a couple of days while we figured out where we find him a home. One dog we couldn't help very much because I was afraid he might have rabies. When I called the SPCA about that dog, they were going to come and get him. Then, they called back and said they weren't because we live outside of CBRM, and could we possibly transport him to the St. James Road (only a few kms away) then they could pick him up. Oh, and to make me feel better, they told me there's no rabies in Cape Breton. Yeah....ok....ummm...let me think about that one.....NO!!! Put a possibly rabid dog in my van and drive it down the road? Really? The dog disappeared shortly after, and I never saw him again.

The cat living in the shed was there for who knows how long. I found him sitting on top of the patio table AFTER I had sent the dog in to scare of any *eek* mice. Amigo never saw the cat (he gets by on his looks mostly), but while I was taking the gardening tools from the shelf, I saw something move out of the corner of my eye and slowly turned around to find the cat. He's now living a good life as a mouser in a barn in Kempt Head.

The dog, Buddy, we found last year in April. From what we can piece together by talking to neighbours is Buddy may have been lost or abandoned in January. He had been on the run for 4 months. A family had moved away, and "Buddy", as the kids called him, got left behind. Buddy showed up here so skinny that when I bathed him I could SEE his ribs. He ate 5 full bowls of food the first time I fed him. He was so skinny that Amigo's harness fit around his torso, even though he was about 4-6 inches taller than Amigo. He really was a beautiful and sweet tempered dog.

We bathed him and fed him, and housed him for a couple of days and called a local vet to see if they knew anyone missing him, or anyone wanting him. I didn't bother to call the SPCA since they had be no help at all with the other dog. The vet called Celtic Pet Rescue, and they agreed to take him. By the time the vet brought him to Port Hawkesbury, someone else had offered to adopt him. "Buddy" is now living on a huge farm in Antigonish and I am sure he is a loyal and loving pet.

When I think how close he came to going to Celtic Pet Rescue, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I know that nothing has been "proven" yet, but just looking at the pictures of the state of a place you send animals to be SAFE...there are no words to describe it. The white cat I saw on the news with pee all over it, the lack of food in the bowls, the feces and filth, you can almost smell it through the tv. Sickening. And inexcusible.

Buddy, you don't know how lucky you are.

You Can't See Deaf

Hi All,

So we have a big event taking place in the Symes house in the next week. Exciting and nerve wracking news all at the same time. Our little daughter will be having a "nail put in her head" (her words) next week. And really, it's not that far from the truth, except for the fact that it's a screw and not a nail. I'll get to that in a second.....

You can't imagine the joy we felt the day our little girl was born. We adored our boys, and from the minute we found out we were having a girl, we were both shocked and thrilled. Although she wasn't quite as planned as her brothers, we were as happy as clams to be having a daughter. That day she was born was very emotional for my husband and I. We now had a beautiful daughter, who we named after his late Mother, and it seemed like our little family was at last complete. And, at the same time, we were scared to death. We were used to boys, what would we do with a girl? Does she need a doll or something? We need to buy some dresses. Can't we just buy her a pink Tonka truck? Today, our daughter is what we refer to as a "boy in a dress". She LOVES her dresses and doing girly things, but she is as tough as nails, probably thanks in part to having 2 big brothers. She is funny, smart, and beautiful. And, she is hearing impaired.

We found out about her hearing impairment during a routine screening when she was about a month old. At first, the audiologist thought there was something wrong with the equipment when the readings (from what we call her "wonky" ear) came back at nil. After several more tries, our anxiety rising steadily, it was determined that there was a problem in one of her ears, maybe nothing serious, and she would need to come in for another test. After the next battery of tests failed, it was determined that she had a profound hearing loss in one ear, and may benefit from a hearing aid. Being the neurotic Mother I am, I was devastated thinking of her having to go through life with a hearing aid, especially through childhood.... kids can be so cruel. I see now how vain and full of self pity those thoughts were. Those were my first thoughts, but they soon changed.

After more testing, it was determined that a hearing aid would not benefit her, as it was her cochlea that was not properly formed and a hearing aid would not help her hear. Funny how perspective can change so quickly. More crying from me, but this time not for vanity reasons, suddenly vanity was the least of our problems. They were telling us our daughter would never hear as clearly as regular people. She was disadvantaged and there was nothing we could do to help her. These tears that flowed, were worries that she would miss out on opportunities in life that she deserved.

Now if you met our daughter, you may not realize she is hearing impaired. Or you might, like others do, think that she is ignoring you or just shy. Hearing impairment can't always be seen, and that is often times a challenge for us. For example, if she is in a noisy spot, like the grocery store, she can't always clearly hear what someone is saying if they're talking to her. Some people get offended by her not answering, or the way she keeps saying "what?" and I quickly tell them that she is deaf in one ear, and they always look surprised. You can't see deaf.

A couple of years ago, her wonderful audiologist told us about something called a BAHA (bone anchored hearing aid). This is something we had never heard of before, and when we read up on it, we were wondering why no doctor, ENT, APSEA(Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority) teacher or speech therapist had ever mentioned this BAHA to us before? Since we found out about her single sided deafness, we were told the only thing that would help her was a cochlear implant, and since she could hear in one ear, she could not have that operation.

A titanium screw is inserted into the skull, behind the "wonky" ear, (the operation part) and once the skull has healed around the screw, between 3-6 months, the BAHA can snap directly on the screw and it picks up sound. The BAHA conducts the sound through the skull, and the sound is picked up by the "good" ear. It is often used for people with unilateral hearing loss.Our daughter got to test a BAHA for several weeks this summer, by wearing it on a headband pressed up against her head. When she first put the headband on, the audiologist plugged her "good ear", stood behind her and asked her if she was 7 and she said, "no, I'm 6". My husband and I nearly fell off our chairs. It was truly a miracle.

When we went back to Halifax to meet with the surgeon who will do her operation, he asked her if she liked wearing her BAHA, and she told him she didn't want to give it back. When he asked why, she said, "because I can hear". We never knew just how much she missed until then.Next week, our beautiful daughter will have the "nail" put in her head. A few months later, she will hear much better than she does right now.

Funny how I cried selfishly when I thought she was going to get a hearing aid, and now I cry with joy with the thought she will hear so much better. Perspective is a wonderful, humbling thing.

This is her beginning.

Wish us luck.

Until next time,
Michelle