I was adopted. I am hoping that one day my birth parents do a Net Search on my birth date or other adoption-related information and come across this web page. If by any chance you had a baby boy on April 9th 1974 with a given first name of Garth and middle name of Douglas, congradulations! Your search is over and you've found your son here! Bookmark this document immediately, and feel welcome to read my social history below, my own home page at www.marky.com, and send me email to marky@ottawa.com [2003 Note: Discontinued email address]. I eagerly look forward to hearing from you soon.

Addendum: 2001-04-11: Birth father contacted me.  Since this information has served its purpose, I'll likely remove this page eventually.  For now, this is historical information for reference only.

Addendum: 2001-04-10: I found my birth mother on March 20th!  I'm leaving this up for my birth father to discover eventually... My personal wish is that I would also be able to at least say "hello" to my birth father in person once in my lifetime while he is still alive.  At the same time, I do want to respect my birth father's wishes on his decision whether or not he wants to contact me.   I just want to be able to say hello once in person in my lifetime -- at the very least.  Garth, if you are reading this -- that's you.

Yours truly,
Mark Douglas Rejhon

 

This information was prepared from the records of The Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa-Carleton compiled in: 1974   [All information is non-identifying information]

BIRTH HISTORY

DATE OF BIRTH:	April 9, 1974
PLACE OF BIRTH:	Civic Hospital, Ottawa
TIME OF BIRTH:	10:45 P.M.
LENGTH OF PREGNANCY:	40 weeks
LENGTH OF LABOUR:	8 hours
TYPE OF DELIVERY:	Low Forceps
BIRTH WEIGHT:	7lbs. 5oz.
APGAR RATING:	9-10 The Apgar is a measure of various infant responses – colour, heart rate, respiration, muscle tone and stimulation (cry).
CONDITION AT BIRTH:	Good
DATE ADMITTED TO CARE:	April 18, 1974
NAMES GIVEN AT BIRTH:	Garth Douglas

APPERANCE/DESCRIPTION: You had a fair complexion with red hair and a boyish grin and a great deal of energy and inquisitiveness. You were a responsive, social baby who took great interest in your surroundings and were becoming more and more active each day. You were described as an enjoyable baby who was no great problem to care for.

HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT: You were consistently healthy, although you did not gain weight rapidly, by September 1974 you were nearly 15 lbs. You weight gain was slow but consistent, perhaps because you were quite a spitter. You had your first two immunization needles with the third due mid October. You could follow sounds and turn your head to voices and were very interested in your environment. You were holding your head erect and sitting with support, you could lift your chest and roll tummy to back. You were moving about actively when on the floor. In response to any attention you were smiling and chuckling, reaching for toys and playing with your feet. You liked to spend time in the jolly jumper. It was thought that you were teething as your gums were hard and you were drooling constantly.

PLACEMENT HISTORY: You were placed in a well-known foster home where babies received excellent care and stimulation. There were two school age children in the family, and two pre-school foster children. This Non Ward care was for three months while your birth mother decided what she wanted to do.

On October 18, 1974 you were placed on adoption probation with your adoptive family. You were well received by all members of the extended family, friends and neighbors. Your adoptive parents provided you with the affection, stimulation and the physical care you required.

Your adoption was finalized on June 5, 1975.

 

MATERNAL BACKGROUND

AGE: 16

ETHNIC ORGIN: English, German and Irish.

RELIGION: Protestant

MARTIAL STATUS: Single

APPERANCE: Your birth mother was 5ft. 6in tall and of average bone structure with a fair complexion, pale skin and delicate coloring. Your birth mother had light blond hair and green eyes.

HEALTH: Your birth mother always enjoyed good health. At the age of eight or nine she was hospitalized for slow muscle growth of some organs. Your birth mother felt well during her pregnancy and received regular prenatal care.

EDUCATION: Your birth mother completed her school year, grade 12, by tutoring. Her best subjects were chemistry, biology and art.

EMPLOYMENT: Your birth mother held summer jobs but no permanent position.

PERSONALITY: Your birth mother was described as sensitive, perceptive and creative. She had a sense of humor but basically was serious by nature. Your birth mother was able to present her point of view with conviction if necessary, but when nervous she had trouble expressing herself clearly. Your birth mother was considered to be thoughtful and kind.

INTERESTS AND LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES: Your birth mother was good at drawing, decorating, baking and housework. She enjoyed music, dancing, skating and horseback riding. Your birth mother liked meeting a ride range of people and socializing.

BIRTH MOTHER’S FAMILY HISTORY

BIRTH MOTHER’S MOTHER: Your birth mother’s mother was 5ft. 6in tall and of average weight for her age. She completed four years of high school and had done general office and secretarial jobs. She liked flowers and enjoyed reading. She was also mechanically inclined. Your birth mother’s mother was allergic to bee stings.

BIRTH MOTHER’S FATHER: Your birth mother’s father was 6ft tall and weighed up to 200 pounds. He had some college education and was an engineering technician. He was subject to hay fever and bronchitis; he had also suffered from a hernia and had some back trouble. Your birth mother’s father enjoyed vegetable gardening and landscaping. He liked camping, boating, hunting and also liked to golf and curl.

BIRTH MOTHER’S SIBLINGS: Your birth mother had one older sister and a younger brother and sister. Your birth mother described her older sister as bright but unmotivated in school. She quit school at the age of 16 when she was in Grade 9. Her younger brother completed Grade 7 but failed Grade 6 due to poor motivation. Your birth mother described him as being mechanically inclined. At the time of your birth, your birth mother’s younger sister had completed Grade 5 and was a good student who enjoyed school.

OTHER CHILDREN BORN TO BIRTH MOTHER:

 

PATERNAL BACKGROUND

AGE: 19

ETHNIC ORGIN: English, Scottish and Irish.

RELIGION: Unitarian

MARTIAL STATUS: Single

APPERANCE: Your birth father was 5ft. 9in. tall, of average bone structure and lightly muscled. He had very long carrot-red hair and eyebrows and had blue eyes. He was fair with a freckled complexion, and therefore his skin burned easily in the sun. He had a long face and large ears.

HEALTH: Your birth father had pneumonia three times in early youth. He had a sensitive mouth and throat tissues and was subject to ulcerations of the mouth. At the age of 12 he had a three-inch bone spur removed from his knee. He had orthodontal work at the age of 13 and some teeth were removed. At the time of your birth he was just growing out of a tendency to have chronic croup. In general he seemed to enjoy good health.

EDUCATION: At the time of your birth your birth father had completed some university. He was good in math and sciences but said he lacked direction in some studies.

EMPLOYMENT: Your birth father worked for a manufacturing company. He had a hard time holding a job, at times because he was unable to cope with the day to day grind of working. He would have liked to work in a field, which would give him an outlet for his artistic abilities, for example something involving design, architecture or abstract art.

PERSONALITY: Your birth father was a shy, gentle, extremely kind man. He did not like to hurt or disappoint anybody. He was very sensitive and perceptive. He was a very intelligent young man, who at the time of your birth, was very confused about his identity and his goals. At this time it was very difficult for him to make decisions and when in conflict he tended to become passive.

INTERESTS AND LEISURE TIME ACTIVITITES: Your birth father was very artistic and creative. His apartment was beautifully decorated. He liked tie dying and making mobiles. He was a good cook and was creative in this field too. He said he had never been "very physical", meaning he was not very athletic. He enjoyed cycling, swimming and liked outdoor life away from the city. He was an avid reader with a wide interest in classical and folk rock as well as enjoying acoustical instruments and guitar music. He was also on his school’s bowling league.

 

BIRTH FATHER’S FAMILY HISTORY

BIRTH FATHER’S MOTHER: Your birth father’s mother had deep auburn hair with hazel eyes and a fair complexion. She was 5ft. 6in. tall and weighed 125 pounds. She was described as having an average body build. She had a university degree but became a full time housewife when she married. Your birth father’s mother died of cancer of the breast and liver at the age of 49. Prior to that time she enjoyed good health.

BIRTH FATHER’S FATHER: Your birth father’s father had blue grey eyes and medium hair. He was 5ft. 8in. tall, stocky and wide. He was a boxer. He had a ruddy complexion with skin that burned easily in the sun. He had heavy shoulders with proportionate features. He had university education in history. He was very keen on keeping shape and enjoyed non-competitive physical activity. He was subject to very violent migraines most of his life, which seemed to have some allergic basis (chocolate, zucchini, and milk).

BIRTH FATHER’S SIBLINGS: Your birth father had a brother and sister. His brother was 5ft. 8in. tall and weighed 125 pounds. He was considered skinny with a light narrow build and long fingers. He had a light complexion, blue gray eyes and dark brown hair. He had busy, prominent eyebrows and some red in his beard. He completed Grade 12 and at the time of your birth was a university student. Your birth father’s brother had a mild case of latent polio. His sister was 5ft. 5in. and weighed 115 pounds. She was a brunette with blue eyes and fair complexion, which tanned easily. She was of average body build. She completed Grade 12 and took courses in translation. Your birth father’s sister also suffered from migraines and had latent polio in her ankles at the age of 16 or 17 and "claw" feet corrected by an operation.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BIRTH PARENTS: Your birth parents were very much in love. They had gone through a tremendous conflict because neither could bear to hurt the other and each wanted to make the other happy. They had different outlooks and wishes about your future. Your birth father’s original plan was to stand by your birth mother until you were born and perhaps for a year afterwards. Your birth father stayed with your birth mother during the birth and fed you in the hospital. They lived together before you were born and were planning to marry after you were born. However, after some practical experience of having you in their own home they realized that they were not ready for the responsibility. Your birth mother moved out of the common-law relationship and found her own apartment and started a job. Your birth parents parted good friends and still gave each other emotional support.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ADOPTION: Your birth parents very much wanted to keep you, but when faced with all the responsibilities of parenthood and both of them feeling unsettled about themselves they decided together that adoption was the best plan. Your birth father hoped for a family for you that didn’t have rigid views but would have a stable home that could provide all the opportunities for you that he would have liked to be able to provide. Your birth parents felt confident that the Children’s Aid Society would provide a good home for you. Actually carrying the decision through and signing the adoption consent was a difficult thing for your birth mother and she found it hard to control her emotions. Your birth father found it easier but was very sensitive and concerned for your birth mother. However, your birth mother felt she was doing the right thing, and felt confident that her decision to relinquish you for adoption was the best option for you.

Prepared By: Adoption Disclosure
Supervisor: Wendy James
Date: November 14, 1995

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