I certainly have had a very challenging year. Let me share with you my year.

I so desperately wanted a better year then in previous years. It seemed that each year has become increasingly difficult. Here’s my year in review:

Near Fatal Motor Vehicle Accident

On February 4, 2024 I was involved in a work related and near fatal motor vehicle accident. I was making a left turn in what I believed was a legal turn lane. I miscalculated the rate of speed of the other vehicle. The speed limit was 70-80 kms per hour. While I had my flashing ambers on I believe the other driver was distracted and going about 100-125 kms per hour. I don’t believe the other driver made an attempt to slow down until seconds before impact. This left me with life changing injuries that have negatively impacted my quality of life. This is why I have been seeking support. Every where I go, there seems to be one road block after another.

On February 14th my employer filed an appeal

My employer made the argument that I was deliberately and willfully negligent in actions taken leading up to the accident that resulted in a life changing accident.

The Start of Physio and Counseling

Almost 10 months in and I am still in recovery going to physiotherapy and fighting the system to get assessed for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Work Safe sent me to a Counselor. In that counselor’s own words, “I am not in a position to make those types of recommendations” I have had a number of professionals tell me that I would meet the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis. The system is failing me. I don’t know where I will end up. In a few days I will see a Registered Clinical Counselor with the credentials to Pre-Screen me for PTSD and after a couple of sessions will be able to write a report on that Pre-Screening and then I will have to Appeal my Case Worker’s decision to not send me for a PTSD Assessment even though she is not qualified to make that decision.

One Appeal After Another

Thankfully I do have an Advisor from Worker’s Advisory Office skilled to represent me in any appeal they deem is a good appeal and likely to win.

The first Appeal was the one my employer had made. Work Safe Review Board has ruled that I was not deliberately and willfully negligent and that my injuries sustained were not contested therefore the Review Board decided to affirm the initial ruling Work Safe made which was to accept my claim.

The second appeal is just to recoup pay that my case worker had some erroneous reason to cut me off. The advisor I have been working with has been decent. I actually had to file a complaint through my local MLA’s Office in order to gain advocacy to the communication barriers I was having with the Advisor which seemed to have been mitigated. At least, our conversations were more amicable after speaking with my local MLA.

I will be filing more appeals.

Sudden Passing of my Sister

I am tired. I am exhausted. This is a real struggle. I am working through this.

Medication Changing

I spoke with a Psychiatrist recently and she has made some recommendations regarding my medication. My GP referred me to this Psychiatrist. Now I wait to hear back from my GP to find out what direction we are going in.

Service Dog

I now qualify for a Service Dog and now starting the process. There is much to say here but this would require a whole ‘nother blog post. BC no longer requires certification of Service Dogs.

There is legal protection in BC under the Human Rights Code and Landlords are only allowed to ask two questions regarding a service animal:

1. Is this animal required because of a disability? In short, YES!
2. What work or tasks has the animal been trained to perform?

A Service Dog needs to have 3 tasks they are trained to perform and I will qualify with 4 subcategories to meet those needs from a Service Dog.

Where can we find current laws for the use of Service Dogs in British Columbia?

1. BC Human Rights Code
2. Guide Dog and Service Dog Act
3. BC Laws Website

I might have the added challenge of advocating for myself in this but I do have specific diagnoses now that make it perfectly legal for me to gain access to a Service Dog. That being said, I don’t have the financial means to gain access to a Service Dog already trained. This means I will have to train my own Service Dog. This is my only option. Along the way I will have limited help from those experienced in this training as it’s more affordable to pay for more focused one on one training individually. I just won’t be able to utilize my Service Dog Internationally unless their laws are the same as it is in BC. Since I don’t travel much I don’t really need to have this International Certification. I will however, when the time comes I will take the test to certify my Service Dog. This is an informal Provincial Certification that proves my Service Dog is trained and fully capable.