Rita Lemire is surrounded by angel figurines and family photos in her small Esquimalt apartment. She watches television and sips coffee to pass the time, sometimes taking a nap or sorting through flyers.
The 55-year-old’s life is dramatically quieter from what it was 10 years ago, before she went through a mental-health breakdown and discovered she suffered from bipolar disorder.
“I was on top of the world. I had no idea something was wrong,” said Lemire, who was a property manager earning about $3,500 a month.
Her co-workers and friends were concerned about her mood and personality changes.
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She had been recently traumatized by the death of her sister and thinks that might have triggered her illness. After a few months, she ended up in the hospital and with a lifetime disability.
“It hasn’t been easy,” said Lemire, who was born in Victoria and spent her childhood in England before returning at age 13.
Over the years, she has been able to stabilize her illness but only with a combination of 18 medications that cause side effects such as blurred vision and numbness.
Her financial situation is a constant struggle. Lemire’s disability income is $900 a month and her rent is $765, which leaves her with very little for heat, phone and food, which she sometimes goes without.
“I’ll have oatmeal for breakfast and maybe lunch, too,” Lemire said. “Then for dinner I have a Sidekick.”
Lemire scours flyers for dollar deals on the packet meals and often makes them with water instead of milk.
She also buys potatoes by the 20-pound bag and rarely has meat that doesn’t come in a can.
She occasionally gets food baskets from the Mustard Seed and is thankful for two good friends who stop by and bring her fruit and clothing or take her out of the house.
“I would love to have a porkchop or some chicken,” said Lemire, who hasn’t been to a restaurant in more than two years. “Ingredients and spices are so expensive these days.”
Lemire managed to save $20 for each of her two children and her granddaughter, who all live in the Kootenays, for Christmas. She hopes she would be able to do more if she gets into some kind of subsidized or supportive housing.
Lemire has no Christmas plans as yet, but as a recipient of the Times Colonist Christmas Fund, she will receive a grocery gift card and be able to eat a few meals of her choosing.
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