Here’s a link to the Canadian government website for people with disabilities.  Answer a few questions, and the benefit finder will locate all the programs and services available to you.  Quite helpful.

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My dear friend Elena is travelling.  Peru, Ecuador, Columbia….  She’s so little I can’t help worrying about her!  But much like Nkole, Elena has a practical boldness that always seems to carry her through.  And she’s so friendly and so little that people, I think, can’t help but help her.  (I’ve always had the challenging mix of largeness and shyness.) 

Now Elena’s a sweetie.  And she knows I’m not well.  Soooo… she’s sent me a package.  I’ve been anticipating it for weeks… well, months, really, long before it was mailed!  And now, here it is!  Yesterday it came - a mid-sized box just plastered with stamps.  I love stamps… and presents… and parcels in the mail… and the scent of exotic faraway places! 

- Next time: What’s inside?

Go find out!! www.splinterswerve.com

Thanks Splinterswerve for all your support with the beginnings of this blog.  Much appreciated!

[Nkole:]

Doctor’s appointment today.

This morning I took the ferry across the lake to Nelson, where our doctor is located. Bernard is not able to travel, as he must lie down, and it’s both illegal and unsafe. Also, the motion quickly causes him problems. So it was a solo trip. The goal today was to get the British Columbia Provincial disability application form filled out. All went well, despite it being cold and the first snowy day of the season.

Getting to the point where we can actually apply for the program has been quite a challenge.

Here’s the process so far:

• Called the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance, in order to apply for the disability program.
• Discovered that to be able to apply for the provincial disability program, we first had to apply for welfare, even though we certainly would not qualify, because of my earnings.
• Told that Bernard would have to travel to Creston (one hour away) for an in-office interview.
• After explaining that Bernard cannot travel or sit in their office, due to his injury, we were told that there was nothing that they could do, that he would have to come in. Made clear once again that the reason for trying to apply was that he was injured. This did not help.
• Repeated that phone call a couple weeks later, with the same result.
• We happened upon a number for the BC disability advocacy group called the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities.
• Five minutes after explaining our situation to the woman at BCCPD, we got a call from the Nelson branch of the BC employment office, and they immediately got the process started. Thanks BCCPD! A fellow even came here so that Bernard and I could sign the forms.
• We later got some excellent advice from a Nelson advocacy group called The Advocacy Centre. They gave us a practise copy of the large medical booklet our doctor had to fill out, and some advice based on their extensive experience dealing with the Ministry’s disability department. This was extremely helpful both for us and for our doctor. Thank you to The Advocacy Centre!

My opinion is that most ill or injured people would never be able to apply successfully for this program unless they had substantial help. The paper work is extensive, and until we had the assistance of the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities and The Advocacy Centre (Nelson) we couldn’t even begin to apply.

Now we’ll be finishing up the details on the forms and sending in our application this week.

 _____________________________________________________________

Here is some contact information for these two great organisations:

BC COALITION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

#204 - 456 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V5Y 1R3
Phone: (604) 875-0188
Toll-Free: 1-800-663-1278
Fax: (604) 875-9227
TTY (604) 875-8835
website: http://www.bccpd.bc.ca/

Advocacy Access Team
#204-456 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V5Y 1R3
Phone: 604-872-1278
Toll-Free: 1-800-663-1278
Fax: 604-875-9227
website: http://www.bccpd.bc.ca/programs/advocacy.htm

THE ADVOCACY CENTRE
Nelson Office

The Advocacy Centre
#201 - 182 Baker Street
Nelson, BC
V1L 4H2
Tel: 250-352-5777
Fax: 250-352-5723
1-877-352-5777
website: http://www.advocacycentre.org/
email: advocacycentre@telus.net

Office hours:
Monday - Thursday
9am - 5pm (closed from 12-1pm for lunch)

EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME ASSISTANCE BC
1-866-866-0800

We’ve got a tiny new kitten.  She’s half Manx, semi-longhaired, tortoise shell and ridiculously cute in a wild, deranged sort of way.  A little whirlwind.  We’ve had her five days and she hasn’t quite gotten a name yet.  The list is at 20 possibilities and growing.  When she was wordlessly placed on my chest my first impression was of a tiny scruffy hyena-monkey.  (That hasn’t changed much.)  As I’m alone much of the day while Nkole is at work, and am greatly restricted in my mobility, she surprised me with what she hoped would be a sweet little companion. 

Five days in, the kitty has indeed proven to be quite affectionate, sometimes aggressively so.  She’s getting used to her strength and her claws and teeth.  So the fact that I’m lying down means I’ve got to learn a little cat psychology and set a few boundaries.  I can’t say I’m much of a disciplinarian, but I feel within my rights to draw the line at claws-out face climbing. 

Much of the time she’s pressed up tight beside me or nestled snugly in the crook of my elbow.  But her favourite position is curled up on my chest or perched confidently on my shoulder as I rest on my side.  This must be her Manxiness.  We’ve read that they are powerful jumpers, and are often to be found perched at the highest point in any room.  For now, though, she prefers to stay very close and warm.