Back in 2014, I discovered that I had some rather severe food allergies. The one that causes me the most discomfort over a prolonged period – 6 weeks is milk protein; I am allergic to all three types of whey. I developed an allergy to shrimp while in Jamaica with my sister in 1998. I love shrimp, and I would often take two Benadryl, wait 40 minutes and eat shellfish, sometimes shrimp. I had never reacted to other shellfish and I did not want to. After years of doing the Benadryl trick, I made the allergy worse and in 2014, I was told I could not even be in the same room if shrimp is being cooked. I am also curiously allergic to green bell peppers, the Doctor advised me to stay away from the other colours also, but I have never reacted to them and I do not now. I suspect it is tied to my diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diverticulitis. I am severely allergic to one antibiotic used to treat kidney infections. All these ‘allergens’ cause severe anaphylactic reactions in and on my...

The North is a very small town so when the local pharmacy needed part time help, I applied and got to work the counter on the retail side and eventually I counted pills behind the counter to fill prescriptions. This was my favourite job and I wanted to explore becoming a pharmacist. Before long, I was also working part time in the cigar store, which was owned by the pharmacist’s wife, Sarah. I really enjoyed working in the shop too. On slow afternoons, it allowed me time to do my homework and socialize with other teens working retail from different schools. I eventually quit my job at the mall because I got tired of my commission being stolen and having to be really nice to Big M all the time; it became a habit that she wanted me to go shopping with her for a discount. Quitting that job also allowed me to pick up more shifts and the drug store and smoke shop. Brady and Sarah were excellent to work for and I was very happy working all the shifts they wanted to give me at the pharmacy ...

Growing up Christmas was my father’s favourite holiday. Every year we would go to the bush, find a beautiful spruce tree and cut it down, drag it home, and then Roxanne and I would decorate it. Sometimes we would listen to Christmas carols as we added our balls, popcorn string, garland, tinsel, and fake snow. The Christmas carols rarely drowned out Big M’s complaints about “putting up all that shit” in the house. Big M doesn’t like decorations.   Roxanne and I always did our best so dad would be happy at Christmas. Typically, school would let out a few days before the holiday and that meant it was time for Roxanne and I to save the family some money and work upstairs in the family business.   Our days started early and ranged from serving breakfast, bathing the residents, cleaning their rooms and commodes; often we also prepped all the meals and did laundry. We also cleaned our own apartment, kitchen and my parent’s bedroom. We served lunch and dinner and then put the resi...