CHRISTMAS FUND

Accident injuries put pressure on grandmother

“Christmastime is different from every other day,” Yvette said. “Even if we try to (ignore) it.” With a limited income, Yvette and her daughter — a single mother to a seven- and 10-year-old — are under a lot of pressure during the holiday season. Yvette has lived with her daughter since her grandchildren were young, she explained. As a result, she had been able to lend a hand in raising the two, and spending so much time with her grandchildren has brought her joy. But a car accident three years ago left Yvette with chronic pain. Pushing through is difficult, the 69-year-old said, but “I don’t have a choice.” She explained that some of her wounds were not properly treated when she was injured. Still healing years later, Yvette is undergoing a specialized treatment called negative-pressure wound therapy, which necessitates visits from a nurse every other day. During the therapy, a vacuum-like device reduces the amount of air pressure on the wound, which is meant to speed up the healing process, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The chronic pain and other ailments, such as diabetes, have taken their toll on Yvette. This year, Yvette will be one of the thousands of Montrealers in need to receive a $125 cheque from the Montreal Gazette Christmas Fund. The fund helps make the holidays a little easier for those in tough situations. Yvette plans on putting the money toward a nice Christmas meal. Every year, she and her grandchildren work together to make all the staples from scratch, from the tourtière to the potatoes. “They really love it,” she said. Yvette hopes her grandchildren’s time with her in the kitchen will prepare them for later in life, by teaching them skills they’ll need when they have families of their own. “Thanks to (the donors), we’ll have a nice Christmas.”