Gail Siemko

A Day In The Life Of Gail Siemko

I want to wish my youngest son, #AddisonPearceSiemko, a very Happy Birthday. One filled with much love with that special woman #MaddyAlyson who will treat you as you deserve, with lots of hugs and kisses and cake too!

You came into this world almost seven weeks prematurely but made up for it quickly. I remember your birth like yesterday, a cold winter night, much like today; it only took me twelve hours until I met you, face to face. Everyone left us to get changed, although you decided to make your debut, so I caught you myself. It was amazing to see you all after all these months of being on bedrest, not allowed to move, and there you were, all 6 lb 13 1/2 oz and 21 inches long. Somehow you didn’t have a squished head, instead, it was perfectly shaped like an oval, with lots of dark curly hair that would be shaved off for your I.V. and placed into an incubator at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital! Shortly thereafter, all of your hair fell out, and was completely replaced by the spectacular blondie boy with those #blueeyes that we were always receiving compliments on! We knew you’d be tall just like your Father, and you were also a good little eater, so much that I couldn’t keep up with you. Then, at three weeks came the colic for eighteen WEEKS, we slept at four hour intervals and then at exactly twenty-two WEEKS, Addison, you stopped crying and became a HAPPY BABY, very portable, and regardless of having an older brother that adored and played cars with you, I never heard a complaint from you.

You took your first step at eleven months, and then you ran! You ran all around the house, and at that time was a three-level townhome. There you went, with me and your brother Jonathan following before and after, down the stairs. Since you had an older brother to watch and emulate as you grew, it was good and not so good.

At times, I would find you both trying to get the treats down from the top of the refrigerator, by hearing the garbage can being dragged over by both sons, then the smallest, climbing quickly up to the countertop and cupboards, standing on his tippy toes….just then I swooped in and grabbed BOTH off the garbage can and the counter. Boy, their time out can still be reminisced about today, just ask either one about the incident. No cookies or treats were to be had that day. No, and no sending them to their rooms, as Addison’s room had a TV with games and Jonathan’s had books on tapes. So they were sanctioned to the stairs where I could watch you not move a muscle, save your blankets that were allowed to be of comfort; after all, you were only three and five years of age, respectively.

Then there were your pets, Barney and Fred, Goldfish that you were allowed to adopt, feed and follow the responsibilities at the ages of eight and ten. Cleaning the fishbowl became a huge chore because you both wanted to do it, but the transfer of your fish to a holding bowl made them jump right back out. We had a fun time trying to scoop them both up without squishing the life out of their little gold skins. Then one fatal day, we came downstairs to the family room to find Fred floating on his back in their home. Tears flowed, and we had to call Father at work to calmly discuss what to do. He recommended giving Fred a way to Lake Ontario via the toilet, and he would take you after work to adopt another one.

You were above all others in your video game skills and took it upon yourself to call YTV and Nicholas Picolas to attend his Gameshow with Mike Bosak. I was in the hospital for surgery, while watching you so proudly with your “A” sweat shirt on, you played so well that you won, and brought home a NEW GAME of Mario Bros., a T-shirt and a video of the shows previously. When I saw you on TV, I moved my head so much that the nurse had to inject me with a needle, she didn’t know why I was so excited.

You were never one to sit and be quiet; you were always a busy little guy, especially in your artistry, that is, until the day we found out that all five reams of paper that we had provided you with were now used up and hidden in your closet and drawers of the bed. Uh oh, Father was in his cleaning mode, and there went all of your artwork in one fell swoop; however, I kept at least ten pages and put them in a prominent place in the kitchen.

After growing up gleefully and joyfully in a home that professed much LOVE, LAUGHTER, and weekly LIBRARY visits, you aced your school subjects, including extracurricular activities, and graduated on the Principals List to be accepted at the tender age of 17, to McGill University in Quebec. I always cried upon leaving you after visiting, but it only lasted 3 years, and an extremely inexplicable amount of time to secure full-time employment with your Father at RBCDS. I would say that you have done very well for yourself as you managed to work on many interests and extracurricular projects during the same period, and that was your music. First, with self-recording (www.Idylly.com), then your band,www.RedNightfall.com) which has just released their most recent EP (all of the original members were fellow students from #LordElgin).

I congratulate you on your most recent endeavour, one of homeownership, which delivers you and your Bride much Joy and Knowledge in your present role as an active Board member of your new home. I love your Mila and Momo and how you show love to them daily, after all, they are my grand kittens, and you shouldn’t expect less from parents.

Never give up, always be patient with others, and the rule about the library is as follows: always be reading a minimum of three books, hot, hotter and cold, so you can always be learning like what we did when you were little. The library allowed us to borrow the amount of your age, but I made sure we didn’t go over 14. Always ensuring that the #booksontape were separate. Nowadays, being a patron of the library is so much better and satisfying than when I took Grandpa Pearce every Saturday in Hamilton. That’s how he learned from his daughter, similar to you teaching me the Computers and Music. I hope that you enjoy these memories and #warmwishes from a Mom that loves you from the Bottom of Her Heart, To The Top Of Yours!

Addison, my closing note to you, my baby boy, is to keep smiling, singing, and showing love like the Pearces and Siemkos before you.

Mom Oxoxox January 6th, 1987.

addisonpearcesiemko, warmwishes, birthdaywishes, music, rednightfall, idylly, rbcds, pianos,

A Day In The Life Of Gail

Here I sit at the ophthalmologist’s office to see how my new I.O.Lens is working. Yesterday, I joined 27 others, patiently waiting for relief in their serious, disgruntled state of blurry vision. My first time was three weeks ago, and I was given 20/20 vision in my right eye, so I now know what it feels like to get my eyesight back after several years of blurred, painful, scratchy, and extremely dehydrated eyes. I was initially informed that these two operations were not available until two years from last October 2024, that’s when I sat down and cried an ocean; or at least tried to, with closed-up tear ducts! Although my tear ducts were extremely dehydrated, my hubby assisted in dispensing the specially prepared eye drops six times a day, along with two separate ointments for nighttime. After the initial surprise when I was informed that my surgery date was on January 6, I was ecstatic learning that it was only a month away; however, I didn’t have my guardian angel with me for my surgical checkup, and the Surgeon postponed me until my eyes were more hydrated! At this point, he sent me home, tearless and discombobulated. I had been working so hard at getting these #BlueEyes less dry and bloodshot; then, finally, on April 23 was given the nod for my first surgery. It went off without any problems and after three weeks has healed nicely, to the point where I can see distances and bright landscapes. It’s awesome to have your sight restored to the point of 4K, 20/20 vision. If all goes well with my second cataract surgery today, only three weeks apart, I should have the same vision in my left eye. I’m not allowed to perform any of the following:

-NoBENDINGOVER

-NoLIFTING

-NotTRAIPSINGAROUND

-NO SHOWER use your back only on Wednesday, Thursday Friday.

Thankfully, I had washed my hair and this entire senior’s body the day of the surgery! When I reported to the Surgical Operating Unit, it was like old home week, at the hospital for us #secondtimers (95% of the patients ), all knowing, intellectuals. As they were exchanging #warstories, and sharing #thatswhatIhave too, we were slowly called into the Operating Room, one by one! I was number 20, quickly prepared with oxygen, an IV, and heart monitors, and at 2:45, I was me being given sedation and strapped into a head brace with strong tape, no moving allowed. Within minutes, the surgeon was digging into my eye, and minutes later, done! Slapped an eye patch that makes you look like a creature from #startrek #cyborg and in a level 6 pain. Trust me about the pain level, as I have endured #Chronicpain for over thirty years and deal with it by various means, mostly exercise, daily affirmations, and a minimum of meds, and #triggerpointinjections. I did get a #migraine from the procedure, but was finally able to rid myself after using my medication at home.

Overall, I am very pleased with the progress and the outcome of the surgeries. It’s been three weeks to the day of my first surgery, and it is still healing, although the brightness and clear vision have been a Godsend! I was entirely blind in my right eye, so the results can only be described in one word #wondrous

And the second eye has been examined today by the very competent surgeon, #DrDanielCote stating he is thrilled with my progress to date. So no BLT for me, just resting my eyesight and body until the weekend. I’m fine with that, as I completed the majority of all tasks required in the home prior to Mother’s Day and enjoyed a lovely meal with my Siemko men on the night before.

Here’s to modern technology and medicine that enabled this type of surgery, which allowed me, along with my 27 other cohorts, the time to chat away their fears while waiting their turn in the O.R. with the surgeon. The last point of oddities in a clinical situation was the fact that you were never given any hospital gowns, funny shoe covers, yet we were outfitted with a hairnet and wore our street clothes. Just different from the other visits and surgeries that I have attended. Hopefully, this left eye will recover as quickly as my other, and I will only have to use readers for the rest of my life.

#cataracts #surgery #danielcote #oakvillehospital

#nursesareunderpaid #opticalsurgery

A Day In The Life Of Gail

#HappyMothersDay2025

It’s that time of year when our hearts turn more to remembering our parents than doing an extra rep of sit-ups. I know that I miss all three of my Mother’s every day since they passed. I was fortunate to have had wonderful relationships with my birth mother, #DorothyCandler, mother-in-law #BerniceSiemko and stepmom #MarjoriePearce. All of these women had many things in common besides their family members and my Father, but more about him next month. I know that I lost my Mom Dot, way too soon to get to know all of her idiosyncrasies, but her humour and blue eyes are both characteristics that I was handed down and given to my sons. She was a very funny individual and never missed a lot of my world growing up in the East End of Hamilton. Sure, we had our disagreements, but when you are thirteen in Grade 9 and wearing hotpants to school, I must agree as a parent, she was right for grounding me. Just ask my girlfriends who enjoyed her company as well, they would visit me and end up chatting with Mrs.Pearce while smoking cigarettes. My birth Mom was my first confidante and my go-to person that made my life so much easier as a young teen, attending high school, then college, and my first full-time job with RBC. I remember her face when I told her about my promotion to @RBCInspectionCda, her smile turned into a frown when describing the role that took me over all of Ontario and New York, two weeks at a time. All she kept reiterating was the fact that my marriage was only three years young and I must be home more often. I gradually earned her acceptance into the business world as opposed to the stay-at-home with your family role, just like she had done her entire life.

We survived and are still married, 50 years since. She wasn’t the only Mom who voiced this opinion, Mother-in-law Bernice said practically the same thing, as they were friends since we were married. My Mom, Dot, was very sick with Brain Cancer, but we didn’t know this until it was too late. The medical professionals were treating her for Sleeping Sickness with high doses of antibiotics, resulting in a diabetic coma and subsequent multiple surgeries. During this time, I fell pregnant with a baby that was carried to twenty-one weeks before I miscarried from all of the stress. The only good thing that came of that was the huge smile that spread across Mom’s face when I told her the news, just before another surgery to remove more of the cancer. She died February 16, 1983, and I miss her and that gorgeous smile that was infectious, but I know she is with me every day.

My mother-in-law, #BerniceSiemko, stood four feet, ten inches from the floor and was full of confidence, love, and never-ending joy for me and my sons. Mom2 welcomed me into the Siemko family with outstretched arms and always had a kind word for everyone she met. Bernice taught me how to make pierogies, cabbage rolls and other Polish foods, which we still make to this day. We became close, then even closer, after I made it my business to assist her and become her caregiver after open heart surgery and subsequent strokes. I never referred to Mom2 as Bernice, as it was disrespectful and that’s just not me, but I did drive into Hamilton three times weekly to take her to appointments and shopping. All of these dates were scheduled around my sons, who were in public school, and my eldest, My mother-in-law, #BerniceSiemko, stood four feet, ten inches from the floor and was full of confidence, love, and never-ending joy for me and my sons. Mom2 welcomed me into the Siemko family with outstretched arms and always had a kind word for everyone she met. Bernice taught me how to make pierogies, cabbage rolls and other Polish foods, which we still make to this day. We became close, then even closer, after I made it my business to assist her and become her caregiver after open heart surgery and subsequent strokes. I never referred to Mom2 as Bernice, as it was disrespectful and that’s just not me, but I did drive into Hamilton three times weekly to take her to appointments and shopping. All of these dates were scheduled around my sons, who were in public school, and my eldest, Jonathan, having special needs, both required my attendance regularly to ensure they received the proper attention to move forward in life. To do so, I was working during the lunch hour for the school and was fortunate to receive a small paycheck for my time. My work was not with Jonathan or Addison; I was assigned to higher grades, and they listened to me. So lunch hours became a given in my things to do today, along with Bernice, or Babcia is what I always referred to her, as this is the children’s only living grandmother.

After a while of driving regularly for Babcia as described earlier, I approached Mom2 about moving closer to us in Oakville, which resulted in her living just eight minutes away, giving us peace of mind and less time away. Mom2 was tiny in stature, however, extremely tall in self-esteem, etiquette, love for her family, walking daily and independence. She raised five children, all born within five years, in the North End of Hamilton, and did it without assistance like the young Moms nowadays! The stories that I have to share are magnificent, and I will do that, not today though, as she was my Mom2 and I loved that she always introduced me as her daughter (Bernice was blonde and so am I, many people would say you can tell she is your Mom by your hair) and we just chuckled to ourselves. After many peaceful years in Burlington, Bernice’s life, vim and stamina began to slow down to a slow crawl, resulting in her being assessed by geriatric professionals and learning that she had some health issues that needed more than a hug or physiotherapy. She required surgery, but they felt that she was too weak for the shoulder repair, so it was meds and rest, much to everyone’s chagrin. Mom2 took it every day and kept close contact with her other family members, but then became very sick with food poisoning, and I remember that day extremely vividly. I carried this little Babcia into my car, then into the Emergency room, where they admitted her for seven weeks before Bernice succumbed to her ailments. I ensured she had all the creature comforts. I was devastated and still miss her, but take solace in knowing that I took all encompassing measures to get my children home from University, and all of the other individual family members in to say goodbye before Mom2 passed over ten years ago. #BerniceSiemko

Well, my third Mom, #MarjoriePearce, entered my world at approximately the same time that Dorothy passed. Mom3 was an amazing person who required time to get to know her, as she was a bit shy and afraid I might not like that she worked with my Dad. Marjorie had the most impressive handwriting, besides Dorothy’s, and would give me some of the best recipes for gluten-free dinners, desserts, etc., which I would then make a mental note and make my own. I wasn’t allowed to give her any gifts at the beginning of our relationship, as her personal beliefs were such that it just wasn’t acceptable, so I baked or cooked for her and Dad. Mom3 was the pruner of all gardening, lawn cutting and most outdoor activities, as my Dad has suffered several debilitating strokes at age forty, leaving him permanently handicapped. This wasn’t a concern of Mom3, no, she just kept at him to try, not to give up. They had three to four cats at all times, and Marjorie was the nurse for them. Sometimes, I kiddingly mentioned that they loved their cats more than me. To which she replied, No, they are your sisters. Oh, okay, thanks, and every time I would visit to take Dad or her to the medical professionals, she was always ready while Dad took longer, and I ended up being in the middle. To this day, I felt like a counsellor, but it all worked out, especially when I had to tell Dad about his using the electrical appliances, like laundry and dishes, at 2:00 AM, as he thought the rates were cheaper. This interrupted Mom3’s sleeping, and there you have it, my job as counsellor was again in need in Hamilton, on this occasion and countless others. I had no qualms about being there; it was always around my son’s schedules, although sometimes I would end up racing to pick them up, and this was not good for my blood pressure. She appreciated my little talks with Dad and thoroughly enjoyed my visits to her backyard for iced tea! Several times, just Marjorie and I went out for a change and enjoyed the quiet of being away from my Dad, who had a large voice, but he always had that. Eventually, she allowed me to gift her with little teddy bears and chocolate for her birthday or Mother’s Day or go out for dinner with the family. This wonderful person allowed me into her life and sent me birthday cards with a small gift of money, to which I always found it a surprise as I didn’t receive gifts often. I loved that Marjorie listened to Paul Reid and CHML, the same shows as Bernice, so when they were brought together, they always had items to converse with each other. I miss her, and all of her idiosyncrasies, but know she is in Heaven with my other Moms. #MarjoriePearce

So it’s on this day that I decided to write about my three Moms and dedicate my relationship with every one of them, all different in their way. I will always miss them, cherish them, love them unconditionally and be very appreciative of all of my relationships with them, Mom, Mom2, Mom3.

Happiest of Birthdays

Dearest #MaddyAlyson: Madeliene, I wish you the happiest of birthdays, one filled with much love, joy, happiness, laughter, one that lasts for days, with hugs and kisses from everyone you meet, dancing under the serious moonlight with that crazy man of yours, #Addison Siemko, and a glorious cake of your choice from @Larocha that lasts for days. May you enjoy your party with many well-wishers calling or dropping by on your special day. Lastly, you finish your Proposal in record time, and it is accepted by the powers that be, receiving an extremely high rating. Happy Birthday to me, the world to you!

P.S. I Love you around the world and throughout the skies, around the world a million times and back to you, AND THAT’S A LOT!
All my Love and Kisses,
GAIL Mom2 Dennis and Jon. Oxoxox 🤗

#warmwishes #happiestofbirthdays #familyfirst

A Day In The Life Of Gail

As I sit here, I remember all of the past Saturdays and wonder where all of the time went by. I’m reminded of days when the entire family would get into the family car and travel to a different destination on #familyday. We would have our breakfasts, clean up well, and go and pick up a very important passenger, Babcia. She sat in between the boys in the back seat and assisted me with all the bottles and juices that were constantly being requested. After about an hour on the journey, it was time for restroom breaks, but that was the driver, Dad, to identify quickly as if we needed a break by that point. We made it to Fruitland, and if it was Mother’s Day, reservations were made at the all-you-can-eat restaurant along the QEW.

We went in with a youngish Mom and Dad and a very young for her age Babcia, along with Four year old, and Two year old, that had their Sunday best clothing on. After the waiter took our drinks order, the boys, Jonathan and Addison started to get antsy in their seats and required a good talking to with their Dad in the men’s room. After a few minutes, they all came out, slowly walking back to the table and ready to go up to the all-you-can-eat buffet. As per usual, their eyes were bigger than their bellies, but they had to eat the majority of the food selected, as this is one of our rules in the house, and still is. After a mere hour, which seemed like five haha, we managed to get to the desserts and tea selection, but these two little ones with eyes bigger than their belly, had three desserts themselves. At the end of our little excursion to Jordan, we managed to clean up, get the car tidied up with more bottles and apple juice, then back into our trusty Nissan onto the Mountain Brow, for a different drive home. We all thoroughly enjoyed these special Sunday outings and tried to recapture fun every Sunday, choosing a different destination until we practically ran out of places to go. We always as our Mom/Babcia where do you want to go? As she was the elder, and raised five of my hubby’s siblings on her own, we felt this respect should be shown to a woman we grew to adore.

I’m back to reality on Easter Weekend, thinking of my family and so happy that we started #familyday over thirty-five years ago.

#HappyEaster to you and your family.

#Justagail #familyday, j#onathansiemko #addisonpearcesiemko #adayinthelifeofgail