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11 | Thursday, February 2, 2 0 1 7 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTO N.com Wahidi preparing workshop, could be ready by this spring continued from p.9 Then came the winter fall. "When I slipped on the ice, injuring my arm and head, it was a life-changing accident. "She (Sarah) was crying and holding me. I came to (minutes later) and drove myself to hospital. "(After) that was when the depression that I had always felt was under control started to torture my soul. "When the depression took hold, I struggled to keep it together for my children as they make me so happy, but when you have the strain of a mental illness, with the added ` bonus' of poverty and not being able to always provide, I felt I was not a good mother and not much of a person either. "I was on some crazy (prescription pain relief) dru^. I'd get the kids off to school and I'd be on the couch until 2 p.m. sleeping. "I was proud of my family and being a wife, so the death of my marriage and mother, after a long illness..." shattered her, she said. "I was lucky to have a doctor that understood me. I had to be brutally honest with him for him to help me. " She was put on anti-depressants by her family doctor, Dr. Ernest Elajcsar, for whom she has high praise. Wahidi says the anti-depres sants have helped immensely and that she continues to take them daily "As soon as you feel something is not right (in your head) go to your doctor. If you' re not on the same page, go to someone else. This is all about sharing information." Wahidi has been receiving financial support from the provincial government^ Ontario Works program. Her Ontario Works case worker was excellent and noticed she was struggling mightily with a host of issues. That person suggested Oliver Groves, a mental health worker with Halton Region. "Oliver was professional, kind and honest and would follow up Graham Schreiber. "He would call me often, inviting me for dinner with his family, insisting I meet him for coffee, and always keeping in touch. "He would leave kind messages, often more than five, and I just could not call back I am indebted to him for his perseverance. He somehow understood what I was going through. He would try to bring me into the land of the living." Tife is a constant battle for her, but she feels the need to ac knowledge that. "While a part of me would prefer to keep things ` warm and fuzzy', people need to know that when they feel something is not right with themselves or someone close to them they MUST seek many avenues to get support and help. Also, what helps one per son may not be right for someone else. "As human beings, we have to share information to help each other. It is our duty as part of the human family "I always felt like I was pretending everything is OK. Finally, I said, `Please, God. I can' t go on. (But) now I have a comfort. I leave everything in God' s hands. "I came so close. I don' t even know how I am here sometimes. Get support from people who really (care). "It' s eased off," she said of the pain and dark thoughts. "It' s over there," she said, indicating she' s been able to keep the demons at bay "... I am pretty much `out the other side', and looking back, I was in the fight of my life. I thank God I'm still here." · · · Mina Wahidi with me and send me gende reminders through calls or email that I would have an upcoming appointment with him." Her connection to the Rotary Club of Burlington Takeshore also provided Wahidi with a compassionate resource, fellow Rotarian To help someone having thoughts of suicide, or to learn the signs of deep depression, Wahidi recommends taking the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) course. She is also preparing her own workshop, The Funny Thing About Depression, which she hopes to make available this spring. HALIBUT HOUSE f is h & X Ira fa lg aR d . H ild a sS t. c h ip s 270 H a y s B lv d . , O a k v i l l ^ J 289 - 725-9887 (B e s id e W a lm a rt) V alentine's Bedroom Event Experience the tim eless beauty o f hand-crafted solid wood furniture. Haddock Fish & Chips $9 95 (6 o z; fish 1 ) Buy 1 Order and Get 2nd Order at 1/2 Price! With Coupon Eat-In Only V alid at O a k v ille Location Only of a new bed Ends February 15th Expires: February 28th, 2017 Lunch & Dinner Hours: 11am - 9pm Grilled N o rw e gian Salm ona an d Chips $14 95 (6 o z fis h ) Bay 1 Order and Get 2nd Order at 1/2 Price! With Coupon Eat-In Only V alid at O a k v ille Location Only PENWOOD 34 Q u e e n S t r e e t , M o r r is t o n (51 9) 8 3 7 -3 5 5 5 1 24 2 G a r n e r R o a d W e s t, A n c a s t e r (90 5) 6 4 8 -6 8 8 8 # M ad eln O n tario Expires: February 28th, 2017 Lunch & Dinner Hours: 11am - 9pm *See in-store for details p e n w o o d f u r n it u r e .c o m