Space Coast Parent - January 2018

contents
5
» Cover Contest Entries
A few entries from the
cover photo contest
» Out and About
What do you hope to
accomplish in 2018?
6
Dealing with Grief
Helping Kids Through
Tough Times
8
A Backyard
Garden Grows
Accessing Fresh Food
10
Teacher Feature
Science at Home
11
Health
Keeping the
Germs Away
12
Family Fun
A roundup of
kid-friendly
events across
the Space Coast
18
Budget
Cutting Cable Costs
On the
cover
Emma Snyder, 2,
months, Viera.
Photo by Jenny
Puranen Photography
Mom Has to
Take a Break
MICHELLE SPITZER
What happens when mom can’t be
mom?
When mom can’t make lunches,
bathe her kids, make sure they get to
school on time, make sure their clothes
are clean, their favorite blankets are in
bed with them and the 10,000 other
things moms do on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, I’m about to find out
the answer.
My 2018 is getting a very unexpected start. As I
type this (at the beginning of December), I’m
preparing for an unplanned surgery that will leave
me on bedrest for at least two weeks and without
vision in my right eye for at least a month.
My optometrist, Dr. Anne Gregas, has been telling
me for (I’m embarrassed to say) years that I need to
see a retinal specialist. Nine years ago poor eyesight
caused a detached retina in my left eye and I needed
emergency surgery. Gregas knows how imperative it
is to have my eyes checked frequently.
I finally made an appointment with Dr. Paul
Winslow, the same doctor who diagnosed the detached
retina in my left eye. Unfortunately, he didn’t have
good news for me.
This time my right eye had the detached retina. I
told some friends, the good news is I only have two
eyes so this cannot happen again.
I was giving the diagnosis on a Thursday morning.
I’m typing this on a Friday and surgery is scheduled
for early Monday morning.
Thankfully my husband and I have the weekend to
prepare and get childcare in place. We have amazing
friends and family members who already lined up to
deliver us meals, bring our children to and from
school and entertain them when needed.
As moms, it’s pretty impossible to give up control.
We run our ship and we do it well. My life with three
small children is organized chaos, but I like to think
without me behind the wheel, it would be horrendous
chaos.
These next few weeks will be torture for me. I
won’t be able to drive my kids to school. I won’t be
able to tuck in them into bed at night. I won’t even be
able to hold them in my lap.
On the flipside, after this recovery period my eye
will be perfect and I won’t have to go through this
ever again. I can thank my lucky stars I have
persistent, skilled doctors and that I was diagnosed
with something that can be fixed.
I’m sure many of you moms out there have gone
through similar experiences where you have not been
able to fulfill your mom duties. Send me an email,
mspitzer@floridatoday.com. Let me know how you did
it.
I hope your 2018 is off to a smoother start.
FT-0000594087
PSJ Pediatrics
#1 Pediatrics
Office in the
County.
Your child’s care is
our priority!
Excellent Care, Compassionate Care
Dr. Shivani Mitra
Dr. Tarun Jain
3765 Kings Hwy.
Port St. John, FL 32927
321-507-4572
Fax: 321-507-4417
www.psjpediatrics.com
4 | Space Coast Parent JANUARY 2018