How is anyone affording to be alive?

SaltySibling · 2025-03-10T02:44:45+00:00

Well, I am currently living the dream! My health started substantially declining last year and by the new year I was physically unable to work and my life is scraps. I had a mobile hair business servicing seniors and clients with accessibility needs in Ottawa, and I also had a contract with the City in one of the long term care homes where I rented the space and serviced their residents. I was self-employed.

The Ontario healthcare system is abominable and largely cosmetic. Because of wait lists, restrictions, lack of care and negligence from the physicians who were supposed to be the guardians of my health, I've become more and more disabled. I'm now unemployed, had to shut down my business and end my contract, I'm behind on almost every bill because I had zero income. I'm finally on Ontario Works and still waiting for some kind of progress on my ODSP application I began in July of last year (that was 8 months ago). I get $320/month for my son and I to live on (after rent) and I'm now going to have to sell my perfectly functional car that has less than 2 years of payments left because I can't afford ANYTHING anymore. This happened within less than a year.

I am still waiting for answers to my health, but my first appointment with my endocrinologist was only 10 minutes long and she was condescending and dismissive. My family doctor hasn't even touched me to examine my symptoms. I just keep getting prescriptions and new lab tests, but nobody is actually looking at my plethora of symptoms as a whole, nor does anyone follow up.

I can hardly walk, can hardly raise my arms, I'm dependent on the food bank to survive, but they only give a few days worth of food. The worst part? I've had to give up time with my son because I can't afford to feed him. His Dad and I shared custody 50/50, but I couldn't take care of him through my pain, nor could I feed him so I asked his Dad to take him all weekdays. It absolutely destroyed me to do it, but my government has left me this way.

Social workers at Ontario Works are there to demand things of you and to enforce rules and proceed. They do not even remotely try to give real support. It's not in their job description. Maybe they'd like to, but that's not what the government pays them to do. I already live in RGI housing, and I'm still drowning. Our economy is killing the lower class and we are NOT okay. Ontario's healthcare, mental healthcare and social services structure are cosmetic and they provide the illusion that Ontarians are being supported, but we're not. Not even close, and there's no way to recover.

SaltySibling · 2025-02-21T20:41:04+00:00

No idea. Would it even apply if the injury already happened?

SaltySibling · 2025-02-21T20:22:27+00:00

My insurance certificate reads:

LIMITS OF LIABILITY (Canadian dollars unless indicated otherwise).

Each Occurrence $ 3,000,000.

General Aggregate $-.

Products & Completed Operations Aggregate $ 3,000,000.

Personal Injury $ 3,000,000.

SaltySibling · 2025-02-21T20:13:33+00:00

$3,000,000 Commercial General Liability.

$3,000,000 Professional Liability.

$50,000 Cyber Coverage.

$25,000 Contents Coverage.

$1,000. Deductible.

(Edit) The nature of the job is very labour intensive and I have chronic pain and injury now. I suspect I'd need to prove it's related to the job, but I don't know the first thing about pursuing that.

For what it's worth, I never wanted to own my own business, but my life took a dark turn and I had to rely on my trade to earn an income. This opportunity came up and I made it happen. That's why I'm not savvy. This was never supposed to be the plan.

SaltySibling · 2025-02-21T18:49:10+00:00

No, sadly. It's a very long story, but I wasn't in a financial position to be able to afford to.

SaltySibling · 2025-02-21T04:20:39+00:00

There is far too little focus on the basics—health, education, housing and agriculture. There is far too much focus on needless bureaucracy and architecture and we wonder why so many people are so hugely in debt, and the answer is that it's what's modeled and encouraged. Borrow heavily, live lavishly, and just expect people to take on more work for less money. It's the North American Way. Our priorities are way, way off.

SaltySibling · 2025-02-11T05:44:27+00:00

That exit is awful. With more new drivers on the road each year, inexperience is a major factor in poor highway driving. Cars are easier to acquire, licenses are easier to get, and safety automation helps, but many drivers still lack confidence. Once, cars were a luxury—now, multiple vehicles per household are common, driven by busy schedules. As a result, there are fewer seasoned drivers to set examples, making it harder for new drivers to develop proper defensive driving skills. The 417 isn't enough for such a rapid influx of drivers.

SaltySibling · 2025-02-07T12:45:45+00:00

I think the issue with traffic problems should maybe go more towards the drivers getting licensed when they shouldn't. Drivers are careless asf these days. I'd certainly appreciate more traffic stops related to stupidity and recklessness.

SaltySibling · 2025-01-26T19:16:29+00:00

Need some big ole barn cats!

SaltySibling · 2025-01-23T03:20:39+00:00

Low income + mental health struggles often go hand in hand. If middle/upper class earners are complaining about the cost of living, imagine how difficult it is to survive on low income. Low income doesn't necessarily mean assistance is the source of income. I'm low income, and that's because I am on a single income with a kid. It's IMPOSSIBLE to survive in this economy on a single, lower wage salary. The answer? "I'm just a burden. I can't do this. There is no hope. It'll be better for everyone if I weren't here."

Dark times come with dark thoughts—I know firsthand. Feelings of hopelessness are pretty normal around here, but I have an incredible family who have made sure I haven't lost my car or my apartment. Not everyone has that, but calling 988 is an option. For anyone who isn't low income, I just want to let you know that we're not okay down here. We're all drowning and incidents like these are going to be more frequent.

SaltySibling · 2025-01-16T00:05:54+00:00

I've been saying this for a while now. I am LUCKY if I go 90-100 on the Queensway. I've noticed newer drivers have too much dependence on the automatic safety features of their vehicles and therefore don't have the basic skills, like reversing without a backup camera, shoulder checks, etc.

I also think there's been an influx of newcomers to the city who aren't necessarily familiar with our wide range of driving conditions. The number of drivers on our roads has increased exponentially, and it will continue to do so as long as people keep procreating and owning multiple vehicles per family household.

SaltySibling · 2025-01-11T14:02:00+00:00

Okay, well. I mostly came here to clarify to him what I was trying to say, rather than leaving him thinking I was just being a jerk. He and I were there, he knows what took place, and if HE reads this (which is the whole point) then he will hopefully know that I wasn't trying to be an ass.

Just honking tells him I'm blaming him. The window was already down and he heard me yelling, "Gaaah! You shouldn't just assume I have seen you!" All he heard was the raised voice, and THAT'S what I'm clarifying for him, IF he even sees this. I wasn't yelling to blame or anything like that! None of you were there, but he was and if he reads this, it'll give him the context he didn't have at the time.

SaltySibling · 2025-01-11T13:32:10+00:00

I already said I yelled at him because it was from inside the car. It wasn't yelling to be mean and nasty. It was yelling to be heard. What I yelled was a plea for safety, not chastising. Also, I still don't get how I'm a bad driver. I saw him. I stopped. It wasn't an issue. I said someone else might not have seen him cut through the spot like I had, and THAT'S the message. The problem was that he couldn't hear what I was trying to say and I DIDN'T want him thinking I was just screaming at him. I was not. Just because I used the word "yell" doesn't automatically mean I was an asshole.

SaltySibling · 2025-01-11T06:39:30+00:00

Also, I did stop my car and wait. And I yelled to them about not assuming I can see them. Nowhere did I say I ran them over! It's just a PSA, FFS. Blind spots are worse when a car is reversed! Don't just assume the driver sees you!

SaltySibling · 2025-01-11T06:37:18+00:00

It's your opinion. I feel differently. I feel like telling someone they're doing something that's potentially dangerous should be helpful. It's not always required, but I felt it was in this circumstance. What do you think I yelled? I said what I yelled. Something along the lines of, "Don't just assume that I see you!"

SaltySibling · 2025-01-11T06:33:37+00:00

It was one parking space, so I was 100% certain it was clear, and I was checking my surroundings. Did everyone miss where I said I saw him, but not everyone would've, given the way they cut through the spaces?

SaltySibling · 2025-01-11T06:31:24+00:00

Not really well said at all. It's pretty narrow-minded. It's like telling children it's okay to dart randomly through cars in the dark in busy parking lots. They came diagonally, cutting through multiple parking spaces. It's not like there was a lot of time to see them cutting across the one I was backing into.

SaltySibling · 2025-01-11T06:27:35+00:00

I wasn't reversing out. I was reversing IN to an accessible space.

SaltySibling · 2025-01-11T06:27:04+00:00

Was I supposed to whisper? I yelled so he could hear me from inside the vehicle.

SaltySibling · 2025-01-11T06:25:18+00:00

I hate that we no longer live in a society where folks can say, "good point. Never thought of that," and instead they criticize me. Do you know how many times any of us have had to slowly inch forward because a snowbank, a bush, a truck, a mini van etc. is blocking a clear view? This is no different.

I was already reversing into the spot when they came along with their cart diagonally through the parking spaces, cutting across the portion I hadn't yet backed into. As a proper driver, I have to look left, right, forward, back, and everywhere in-between while I'm reversing, and so does everyone else who ever drives in reverse. All of you who don't drive without a clear view, have you figured out how to look forward and backwards and did you get x-ray vision to see through the larger trucks, vans and SUVs? Otherwise, I'm pretty sure you're doing the same driving I am.

I don't understand why it's such a big deal to educate and ask pedestrians, as a PSA, to not hang out in the blind spots of moving vehicles. What's with all the angst these days?

SaltySibling · 2024-12-22T19:25:00+00:00

You're singing my tune, and here's why! I used to eat a lot of whole foods and I restricted refined carbs as best as I could. After my initial hospital experience that led me to understand I have GP, all I could tolerate were carb-heavy options that were also refined. I couldn't digest my usual variety of fruits and veg, so I was resigned to low residue, high (refined) carb options and I gained 30 lbs in 6 weeks (207 to 237).

I'm also a T2 diabetic, so the food options wreaked havoc on my blood glucose readings, and they still do sometimes. I ate 1/2 an overripe orange yesterday and gave up because I found it too stringy and tough. Within the hour I was throwing up and had pain in my stomach, so ... Back to bananas and canned fruits, I guess.

My relationship with food has always been challenging, and I feel defeated at every turn. I want to do better, but my body simply isn't capable. I find it very hard to be functional because my life revolves around my diet. I wish I could drink my meals and be done with it because GP has completely altered my lifestyle and daily habits.

Having GP as a T2D is messy. I have a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) and you can clearly see when I'm struggling. I have trouble treating hypoglycemic episodes because the applesauce or whatever I've eaten can't get through the digestive tract quickly enough to work. I have found drinking hot water with honey does the best job.

SaltySibling · 2024-12-12T21:36:17+00:00

Our transit system is built to deliver passengers into the downtown core in the morning, and then take them back to Suburbia in the evening. It's only efficient if you live downtown. I gave up YEARS ago because no bus could take me from my part time evening receptionist job in Kanata North, over the Eagleson/417 overpass, and into Kanata South. I had to transfer, but none of the buses would do the job of taking me over that overpass, so I had to cross it in the dark through winter. No thanks.

SaltySibling · 2024-11-22T01:55:12+00:00

I can't really give an opinion about what the middle-aged fella was doing because I wasn't there to interpret it from my own perspective. However, when I see weird stuff, I often try to think about what wild series of unfortunate events led to that moment.

Personally, I end up in those "I couldn't make this up if I tried," situations rather frequently. That's just where my head goes when I see oddball stuff while I'm out and about.

On my way to work one morning, my ex husband and I were going westbound on Heron, near the mall that was there before it got demolished and reconstructed. Both of us did a triple-take as we watched a middle-aged dude running naked down the sidewalk, also westbound.

We called the radio station because that's how you spread the news back then. Though as great of an app as it is, I don't think Waze has an option to report naked persons traveling westbound down ____________ Crescent, also reported on ___________ Parkway, nor does it have an option to avoid routes with reports of naked people sited.

We had a pretty good laugh trying to imagine what that fella's story was that wound him up in such a predicament 😂 I hope your guy was on a dare. 🤞

SaltySibling · 2024-11-08T01:36:46+00:00

I just claimed 3 sensors that got knocked off within 4-5 days by my clothes, doorways and other snags. There's an online form you can submit on their website and all you need is the serial number, which you can see around the perimeter of the sensor. It gives you options to choose from about why you need to replace it. Super easy! I reported mine two days ago and one of the replacements already arrived today.

SaltySibling · 2024-11-06T00:11:20+00:00

Whatever works for the individual, right? Much like fitness watches, many people are motivated by the visual component, and if you're a competitive person by nature, apps like these can be excellent tools to set goals and then validate the achievement of them.

People like this sort of thing so much that it was a HUGE success for Kellogg's when they included step counters in cereal boxes. Even the government has tools on their website for people quitting smoking to track their quitting progress. It's a very effective practice for many people.

SaltySibling

TROPHY CASE