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in all MUNICIPAL LOTS (excluding the parking garage) and free parking throughout downtown Sundays and evenings after 6 p.m For more information call 844â€"4520 Remember: FREE SATURDAY PARKING ACCPAC dBase & many more "I‘m on life support," he says, pulling no punches. "If I run out of oxygen for longer than half an hour, I would likely die. And, if my oxygen level gets too Cole felt ill on New Year‘s Eve, and following a seizure, was hospitalized for a month before coming home. Three weeks later, Laing began visiting, initialâ€" ly once a week, to take Cole out in his wheelchair. Now she visits Cole twice a week for three hours at a time, mostly to get him out of the house. However, on bad weather days, she simply visits and does some light housekeeping and laundry. And, she keeps an eye on his oxygen tubing, to make sure it‘s hooked up properly, and not caught in something in his scooter. And, upon leaving, she makes sure his portable teleâ€" phone is handy. Cole he has only 20% lung capacity. He uses between four and seven litres of pure oxygen per minute to breath. "Rita got me going again," said Cole. "She‘s been my biggest help." Home support workers, be they a Red Cross homemaker, a VON nurse, a physiotheraâ€" pist â€" or even a friend, allows him to get out of the house and at the same time, give his wife Aileene some relief. Otherwise, Cole would just be sitting around, breathing through the 60 feet of oxygen tubâ€" ing connected to the oxygen equipment just inside the front door. The condition struck Cole suddenly and unexpectâ€" ed. "It come on in a matter of month. I went from getâ€" ting around without any problems to total dependenâ€" cy on life support. When I came home from the hosâ€" pital I couldn‘t walk 10 feet across a room." Initially, he was in a wheelchair, which both his wife and Laing found difficult to push around, given that Cole is a big man. So, four months ago, Cole got himself an electric scooter. And, with a portable oxygen respiâ€" rator, he can go out for four hours at a time. 4 "The doctor told me I would never be able to go out again, and that I was lucky just to be able to go home from the hospital," said Cole. Since coming down with a serious breathing difficulty early this year, Cole has been "up north" three times this past sumâ€" mer, and during Thanksgiving, "something else the doctor said I would never be able to do." But with home support, Cole has new found new freedom. on Cole lives on life support. "When I first met him, he was sitting in his room, looking at four walls," says Red Cross homemaker Rita Laing. Although Cole is hooked up to his D oxygen respirator 24 hours a day, and uses a scooter to get around, the Oakville man grew increasingly weary of just sitting. He wanted to get out, be it shopping, lunch in a restaurant, or a stroll down the street where he lives. But in order that he may do this, he requires a companâ€" ion. For Laing, Cole is an upbeat client, talkative and full of life. By WILMA BLOKHUIS Focus Editor COMPUTETR TRAINING 47. HOMEMAKEERS:making a difference 97. Oakvilie‘s Business School \\ 6 SATURDAY,OCTOBER23RD â€" «‘\Â¥ // f / _ INTHETOWNESQUARE N / NOON TO 5 PM. iÂ¥ _ f, 4 _ Free pumpkin with every purchase ) Je from a Downtown Business*® _ /}1}" sfi Sm is 4 .z%\ O/}S\\i \ P s =(0\O Y _ m § (@g/fie:‘( F2 T i | q\ $ 338â€"6600 RUBBERMAID‘S lt UNITED WAY «sack99°"" GARAGE SALE °* Something For Everyone ® °* RUBBERMAID COMMERCIAL, RETAIL & OFFICE PRODUCTS * SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1993 9:00 a.m.â€"1:00 p.m. RAIN OR SHINE! 5 7 &4 RUBBERMAID COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS 2130 South Service Road W. & 4 "I have a lot of clients who live alone, people wh just need a little help with their shopping and bank ing. ‘"My work with the Red Cross is both rewarding and challenging," she muses. And speaking on behalf of the 95 Red Cross homemakers caring for 500 clients a week, giving 8,000 hours of care per month, Laing emphasizes "we do this work because we care about our clients. We help families, help provide relief for caregivers, and we‘re supportive in all round manner." She added the Red Cross works in close coâ€" operation with other home support agencies, such as the Victorian Order of Nurses and other home care "I‘ve looked after sixâ€"week old twins," say Laing, adding home support is available to all age and is designed to meet all needs of care, from physi cal disabilities to the person living alone who require: some assistance. *A lot of people think we only look after the elderâ€" ly at home," says Laing, who returned to this area about 18 months ago from Florida and decided to become a homemaker. In Florida, she ran a garden centre. She has already taken Levels I and II of her training, including 120 hours of instruction at Sheridan College, and is about to followâ€"up with Level III, another 120 hours at the college for more specific instruction. Her training takes in everything from home management and nutrition to first aid, emergernicy safety procedures, child care, and caring for Alzheimer and palliative patients. Laing‘s interest lies in palliative care, looking after the terminally ill, those whose conditions are permaâ€" nent. She cares for six to 10 clients a week, and has since becoming a Red Cross Homemaker a little over a year ago, handled palliative care cases. low, I could suffer serious brain damage. 1 somebody with me all of the time, 24 hours a day Cole cannot say enough, especially during National Homemakers Week, Oct. 18th to 23rd about what home support workers are doing "to give me a quality of life . . . to make my life fuller. I try very hard to get out in my cart every day. I will neven get better ... " * ~FOCUS (See ‘Homemakers‘ page 15 i // i@ ) 40 &7 . AE OAKVILLE BEAVER â€" . & nced ... For All Your Costumeâ€"Making Needs! .114 more! o. 10 PW DR Special Selection! BOTTOMWEIGHT SOLIDS 115cm wide. Special Purchase! COTTON PRINTS 115cm wide, 100% cotton. Special Selection! DREAMLAND FLEECE 150cm wide, 100% polyester. Our Reg. 9.98 m Special Selection! Wâ€"Iâ€"Dâ€"E COTTON PRINTS 140â€"150cm wide,100% cotton. Our Reg. 6.98â€"9.98 m f Special Selection! SEQUINED TRIM 3m/1 Special Purchase! CRAFT FELT BUNDLES Assorted colours & sizes. 1 Ib. Approximately 40 9"X12" pieces. CRAFT BATTING 90cm X 115¢cm wide, 1 J J 100% polyester. bag Special Selection! MARTEX 331% BLANKETING Ends 3 OFF Preâ€"priced. Buyâ€"theâ€"piece. Our Reg. Price WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1993 PAGE 13 2‘ : 19 ster. 59“51! NTS 2?1? 3tton._3?“g 3m/99¢ 399 bund 1 99 bag bundle The Best in Sejection and Price Anywher T wf SALE C >3Â¥ To ipP# ME ‘(? PERFECT FOR COSTUMEâ€"MAKING! 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