4/14/2016
Topic:
Working in Pain - Eligible for Support?
millie
|
I am a 54 year old woman, have worked in Canada p/t for 10 years as a PSW.
Over the last 2 years have had increasing pain in my joints and body as well as hands.
I have had x rays and blood tests and scans which showed arthritis in my hands which has progressively got worse.
I also recently saw a specialist who diagnosed me with fibromyalgia.
I still continue to work as I have a Consumer Proposal which has 2 years left but I am finding my job increasingly hard because of pain.
I take painkillers daily and always take enough to try to minimise the pain while I am working but sometimes it is too much and I spend the next day in bed or resting.
Because of this I have been unable to work full time in this 10 year span even when there were full time jobs offered, I could not apply because I know that there is no way I could manage with this condition.
I usually work 2 / 3 x a week and make around $1400 a month, sometimes less.
Very often I refuse shifts because of pain but am reluctant to tell employer as am worried they may find a way to get rid of me.
Modified work is not an option as a PSW as it is a fast paced job and the residents need us so I will use the word " struggle"
I struggle with the job because of the pain in my hands and joints.
I have heard that I could possibly get disability and other benefits.
I am totally in the dark about this as I have never claimed benefits as I was sponsored then I went to work in this field.
Please could anybody advise me.
Thanks
Millie |
4/26/2016
Topic:
Food odours and neighbours
millie
|
Hello
We live in an apartment building and are a mid aged couple. We are both Canadian.
I cook for my husband on daily basis.
We really enjoy curry and maybe twice a month I will cook it.
My neighbour who is in her 80s and frail mentioned casually that the smell of curry triggers her asthmatic breathing problems.
I get that this is a food issue but curry is my husbands and I favourite food.
We really enjoy it but as I repeat I cook it no more than twice monthly but obviously there is the strong smell.
We do have a fan in the kitchen but no window.
We both enjoy spicy food and I do cook other spicy food and add spices to that so it gives off an odour and not necessarily curry.
Husband is in his 60s and works hard and at our age we don't have much, apartment life, no pension, he works in a factory, I work in health care part time.
The neighbour has not directly complained to me about any smell, also nobody else on the landing has because it rarely does smell bad but today she has mentioned this.
While I care for her health, I would not want my cooking to trigger any health problem but int he same breath we want our curry.
The walls are thick, old building and concrete, so think it is almost soundproof. Building was built back in the 60s.
The worry is if I make a curry she may complain and our landlord may consider us a nuisance and we may get thrown out.
He will obviously favour the poor 80 plus year old with the health problem.
Please give advice. Should we stop the curry but even if we do ... we still enjoy spicy foods and I use spices maybe twice a week in meals.
There is no window in kitchen but we do have an overhead powerful fan. |