91Ô­´´

Thank you, unknown Canada Post driver

On March 9, my cousin Sharon and I were doing our usual one-hour walk when she started having stroke symptoms.

We did not have any cellphones on us but I saw a Canada Post driver delivering mail in the Songhees area near 165 Kimta Road.

I asked him to call 911 for an ambulance. He did and stayed with us until the ambulance came. He relayed the 911 questions to us and we responded.

Thank you, Canada Post employee, for your speedy help. My cousin did suffer damage to her left side and speech.

But she has worked so hard in rehab at the hospital and went from being in a wheelchair to a walker and now walking. She will hopefully be released from the hospital in May.

We hope you read this or someone tells you how grateful we are for your kindness, patience and help. It is true about the kindness of strangers.

Ed Clifford

Victoria

Considering the needs of an aging population

Re: “Think of what will be missed with that lifestyle,” letter, April 25.

The letter suggests couples who choose the double income/no kids (DINK) route will regret this choice once they are elderly and have no progeny to run errands for them, drive them to medical appointments and share holiday meals.

This transactional approach to child bearing runs up against the fact there is no guarantee one’s children will turn out to be willing or able to step up to the bar when it comes to payback time.

Indeed, some of these designated caregivers may live thousands of miles away where housing is more affordable.

Still, the strategy of investing in offspring for old age is, indirectly, a sad acknowledgement of the abysmal level of foresight, planning and funding at all levels of government for the increasing needs of an aging population.

Hannah Wells

Cordova Bay

Children no guarantee of happier times

Re: “Think of what will be missed with that lifestyle,” letter, April 25.

I would like to add something to the letter about the DINK lifestyle. I spent the last two years working at care facility before I moved up-Island.

My husband and I don’t have children. Children do not guarantee this happy picture of Christmas dinners and no proud bragging rights in their field of study.

Many of the happiest moments are created by the staff of the very caring place where I was employed. In the two years I was there, even though family could visit, I hardly saw any except when a resident passed away to collect their items and money.

Family is important, but so is the chosen one you surround your self with when it matters.

Jen Popovich

Lantzville

Don’t expect children to be our nursemaids

Re: “Think of what will be missed with that lifestyle,” letter, April 25.

We chose to have children for the joy they bring and to raise fully functioning, independent adults – not to have someone tied to our apron strings, beholden to us forever.

We enjoy their company whenever we can get together, but our children live in other parts of this continent, and we wouldn’t want them to up sticks and move here to be our nursemaids.

It is not their duty, but if they choose to do so I would be very grateful, but I don’t expect it.

I saw what that did to my sister, who lived near our mother, and I wouldn’t want to inflict that on our children.

Julie Morrison

Sidney

You don’t need children to have a great life

Re: “Think of what will be missed with that lifestyle,” letter, April 25.

I am a 77-year-old DINK (double income, no kids) with absolutely no regrets!

In our hippie days in the 1970s we got married in Banff and we both decided we did not want to have children. To this day I have absolutely no regrets – you don’t miss what you don’t have.

I was privileged to work for Air Canada and my spouse, for CP Rail in Montreal and Calgary. We travelled a good part of the world and had a wonderful life.

Unfortunately, I lost John in a car ­accident some 18 years ago and I moved to Victoria, where we had planned to retire. I have not once regretted not having kids.

I still live alone today, very happy and yes lonesome at times … but I stay active with swimming masters, fitness, skiing, biking and I work six months in the summer as a bilingual city tour guide.

On my bucket list still: The insert of the Tuesday paper featured the 55+ magazine with two people skydiving. That one is next for me.

And yes, this has become my reality!

Lorraine Fallis

Esquimalt

In search of food in a dumpster

There are people regularly looking in the back dumpster for bottles to cash in. I now save my empties if I see someone, so yesterday I gave them to a young man.

The bottles were in a dollar store bag, and after thanking me many times, he asked to keep the bag.

In this day and age it really is ridiculous that people have to resort to this. Now there are those who would jump to the conclusion he’s looking for drug money.

The point of this letter is the humbleness and sincerity that he exuded when I gave him the bottles, and which I find when I have given to others in the past, that are looking in the dumpster.

If he wants the money for drugs, his addiction would have a story, like every other homeless person who needs to resort to doing this.

In my opinion, there should be no other way of looking at this situation, which is escalating for the worst in these times.

Being a low-income senior, I could find myself looking for a bottles in a dumpster someday with the rising costs of food and accommodations.

Valerie Bellefleur

Victoria

Cougars would be welcome in Oak Bay

Re: “Colwood families get very close look at cougars in their yards,” April 25.

I live in Oak Bay where venison is available to cougars for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Here kitty, kitty, kitty.

Elizabeth Causton

Victoria

Better services needed for children with autism

My son was born with a rare genetic disorder called partial trisomy 13, which has resulted in significant developmental delays for him.

He is now 19 and generally has the cognitive ability of a two-year-old, is non-verbal and has some behavioural challenges.

He requires 1:1 care and supervision, and help with pretty well all daily routines, including showering and tooth brushing.

He exhibits several autistic tendencies such as repetitive behaviour so we had him tested when he was a young child but was told he wasn’t on the spectrum.

We paid for a second opinion and that secured him the diagnosis, along with access to funding and additional benefits.

To me this is an illogical and inhumane way to treat people with disabilities and their families. I have yet to hear a valid reason why a person has to fit into a particular box before they can have access to support.

The system should be entirely needs-based with little or no interest in any diagnosis the person may or may not have.

How independent are they? Can they perform their own daily personal care routines? Can they dress themselves? Are they social? Do they have behavioural challenges? Etc.

We were lucky that we were able to afford to get a second opinion so that we could ‘win’ the diagnosis lottery despite his rare condition. I imagine there are a lot of people and families out there who were not so lucky.

Graham Tarling

Esquimalt

Gambling on sports might be a mistake

Have you noticed that almost every second TV advertisement is promoting sport betting? We are being encouraged to “get in the game” by betting on various aspects of our favourite sports.

Many have succumbed to the addiction of gambling to the detriment of individuals, marriages and families, and overall mental health.

As long as you are 19 or over you are enticed to “get in the game.” Fast forward five to 10 years, how will this impact society and families?

How are they able to ensure that athletes do not get caught up in this money grabber? Several have admitted to being addicted.

Pete Rose sure paid the price. Will it turn out that allowing the promotion of sports betting to be a big mistake?

I love TV sports and especially the Stanley Cup playoffs, but have been saddened to see what is happening.

Brian Currie

Saanich

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