From a blogger:

Point taken, however, you mentioned the employer's portion of EI an CPP. This is something that you have NO WAY contributed, again it is taxpayer's money. I realize that you are not at fault for your disability and I'm most sorry that you are forced to cope with it. What I am not hearing though is any sense of personal responsibity..you got pneumonia because of a DATS driver...you couldn't complete school because of the high standards of the faculty...

Michelle's answer:

As a matter of fact I have paid into revenue Canada both as an empoyer and emplyee. I hadself-manged care for all those yes I paid into it. At the time it was cheap for the goverment to give me self-manages $ ...no middleman. It was a fair exchange about $20 percent went to Revenue Canada. Before 1995 the government exe.mpt people under $600 I did not have an issue paying but was hard to find part time help for weekends. The gov't budgeted me $XX and a portion went to my services in house. All costs were creeping so cut my hours back to accommodate. As far as I know the maximum aloud is the same as 11 years ago but wages have doubled.

At this point I only want an attendent 3-4 days for 5hrs. I don't need an Lpn. Much cheaper than Norwood staff. They can train anyone with common sense. Sometime make excellent attendants. If they ever opened a grouphome for ventilators would be cheaper with a good planning team. They have a model in BC and Sask which are thriving . Perhaps in the future. Paying a partime attendant would mean budgeting for government's portion of course. I had an excellent system after trial and error. I had a good friend who was a treasurer and I gave her free baby sitting would audit me monthly by choice, write out check for staff, Rev Can, WCB. By choice . I was allowed to pay her small bonus'. When homecare was established in 1992 ish. I had an awesome working relationship with her. Prior to this welfair was handling this 87-92

I have a progressive Disability call SMA I go through peaks and valleys. Perhaps you have had a bad experience with someone has given up but do you think people create there progressive disabilitied www.fsma.org Modern medicine has come a long way but not enough to save the many babies who die every year from it. My parents both from different cultures had no idea of the gene they were carring. My parents were told I would be dead before I was five.

I've learnt a great deal about my disability and try to prevet sickness but stuff happens

I was always prone to illness but have not had pneumonia in 7 years. I have had many accomplishments. Sometimes life takes different avenues. I have had to make choices based on the hand I've been dealt. Leaving University was the hardest thing I ever did. I wanted to be a teacher...so I volunteered as a teachers aide. It turned into a job for 6 years (paying rev canada..also for my attends..don't make assumptions )and was the school examination office. However life happens. There are times you have no choice in the cards you get. You can suffer, live with it or make a choice to make life better for other with similar experiences. Things change and the information I've had. Sometime had regrets from a wrong hands. But decision making is not easy. I always investigated before make a decision. I have never been so strong. Remember the internet was not yet in 1991 my last University year. to general public availiable to the average person and technology was still achaic then. Had I stayed the coarse the quota was removed the following year. I even asked the dean for advice. I had many physical barriers like heavy books and even using whiteout was a challenge. I did my best but the responsible choice was to leave. I did manage to pay back EVERY PENNY of my student loan when I worked.

You can fill in the gaps of my life with the information I have given you. You have to remember that you cannot know everything in my life by what is in the blog. I've had many joys and heartaches I chose not to share. So please refrain from making asumptions.

The Co2 poisoning was not a choice but I made a choice to deal with it. I live in pain daily. But I deal with it. Perhaps you have never met someone with a long-term disability. Trent I've been making decision for my I could have died many times over but I'm here. I have been making my own decisions since I left home with my mother's consent at 15. Things were not handed to me.

I'm a spiritual person and feel we all have a purpose. The resident council was loosing its power. At the time I moved to GSS I thought it was the end. The council was down hill nobody had any leadership so I filled the gap and became a Leader. Before I was trached I watched so many people just give up it was really sad. The ICU staff were amazed that Day 3 I insisted on getting put of bed. It really surprised them. I know laying around make you WEAKER ..The week I was back at home . I felt I had peaceful feeling of having a new life purpose one step at a time. I've had many mentors over the year some were on ventilators . I had never in my life seen this kind of Apathy as I witnessed at GSS they need someone to show them that people can make changes. There were people dying lack of care and sprit. I had to start somewhere it became a passion and gave me my own self esteem back. I have been for yeas building a net work

I started working on my own personally goals again. I feel now I've played my part as a teacher. Non-profit organizations and humanities are my interest now. Realistically I will never be able to work full time is currently physically impossible. I would do anything to but need to use the cards I've been delt. I've been take free credit courses in bible study for now. I already am an advocate. I just want to do it better. When you are shut-in It is hard to leave. I can't promise I won't fail. I might not be here next year but if you live your life like that you will live a long geriatric life. Taking on a full load would be unfair to anybody. but by starting by auditing courses but doing the reading and small assignments would be a start. How will I know if I don't try. Of course it means working at it.