MEL KNOWS . . . KINDA. The Joy Of Thrifting

I know a few things about stretching your dollars, supporting the community, and having fun shopping — and I’m kicking off my debut advice column with a visit to the Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex Re-Store.

Located at 51 Edinborough Street — tucked behind Tepperman’s — a sense of joy awaits you, where every aisle is a little eclectic, unexpected and full of possibility.

It has been my first go-to for second-hand furniture and appliances, and random home renovation supplies.

Combined with wonderful community service, it’s easy to forget all the important work Habitat does, where saving money meets saving the Earth.

Established in 1994, the Windsor location (an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity Canada) has built or restored 165 homes for people who would otherwise be unable to enter home ownership. Providing stable housing is a strong priority in any city; let’s not forget all the wonderful things Habitat does for both people and our planet.

Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex has thousands of volunteers who log annually over 24,000 hours of manpower to build and support home builds, a year after year record of community impact.

Operating as a non-profit organization, Habitat not only builds homes, but also provides geared-to-income mortgage opportunities that help local families achieve affordable home ownership and build equity with every payment.

Did you know they also provide affordable essential repairs for existing homes owned by seniors, low-income individuals, and people with disabilities to ensure ongoing, safe accessible housing?

But that’s not all! The Windsor location also offers appliance pick-up, working or not. And if you are doing a complete kitchen reno at the same time, they will come and remove your old kitchen free of charge
and resell it at the Re-Store.

Metal from appliances which cannot be repaired is salvaged to support their metal salvage program. This diverted an amazing 558,541 pounds of metal from our garbage dumps in 2025!

Have any old electronics lying around? Then drop them off, divert them from landfills, and raise funds for local projects!

According to CEO Fiona Coughlin: “More Canadians are embracing thrifting not only as a smart financial choice, but as a sustainable one.

Every donation, purchase, and volunteer hour at the ReStore helps reduce waste while supporting affordable home ownership opportunities right here in Windsor Essex. It’s sustainability with purpose and
community impact you can see firsthand.”

The real value hits you the minute you walk through the doors — smiling, friendly faces and a store you want to explore.

On my last visit, Customer Service Representative Emma Caldwell-Dumouchelle guided me to some fantastic finds and explained about their one-time delivery fee for items going to the same address.
Before you go, check the ReStore hours online . . . and don’t forget to bring your measurements, imagination, and enthusiasm!

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THE HAPPY FREE LITTLE BEE SAID: “IT’S ABOUT WE… NOT ME”!

Jacob is a 17-year-old high school student who studies frequently after school. He is preparing for his midterm exams.

After school, he eats and goes straight to his room to study. He is an Honour of Distinction student and has the habits of a successful person. He has self-discipline and is very driven to succeed in life. Through his hard work, he inevitably earns one of the highest marks on his exams. Jacob feels happy but stays humble about his astounding marks.

Peter is in the same classes as Jacob. Peter does not study much and spends most of his time hanging out with friends. He is frequently on his cell phone and sleeps in class. He has no drive or motivation to study.
Peter brings a cheat sheet to his exams and passes with a perfect score.

Peter is very happy and brags to everyone that he got a perfect score. He feels he deserves the Honour of Distinction award, even though Jacob has had the best marks in the class for the last six months.

What is the difference in this situation? It is obvious that Jacob has more justified entitlement to his marks compared to Peter.

This is a classic case of correct and justified entitlement shown by Jacob, compared to Peter, who displays unhealthy entitlement.

What exactly is entitlement?

A sense of entitlement is when someone believes they are more deserving or better than others and therefore should receive special treatment.

Entitlement can be a good thing when it comes to being respected, looking after your own needs, and wanting to feel special and unique. But if someone wants more special treatment than others, then it is no
longer considered a healthy sense of entitlement.

WE ALL HAVE OUR OPINIONS
Your voice is important, but so are the voices of others. We must be willing to listen to and understand people’s thoughts, feelings, and opinions just as much as we want to be heard ourselves. Never think that you are always right and others are always wrong. That is unhealthy entitlement.

NEVER HURT OTHERS
Never hurt people if things do not go your way or if they do not do something you ask for.

In life, things do not always go our way, but we should never take our frustrations out on others. Understand that it is okay if things do not happen the way we want them to.

Everyone has a right to say no. Once you accept that, you can focus on doing it yourself. Asking someone nicely and tactfully will get a much better response than yelling at them.

SENSE OF SUPERIORITY
Never feel that you are etter than anyone else or that you deserve more than people you believe are beneath you.

The truth is that we are not better or worse than anyone. We all have our own gifts and talents. Everyone should be accepted as an individual. We are all unique, and the best thing we can do is just be you without comparing yourself to others.

Having a sense of entitlement often shows little care for others and focuses only on oneself. As I stated earlier, taking care of ourselves, practicing self-love, and accepting ourselves are all good things.

Showing no care or concern for anyone else but yourself is not good. Everyone in this world matters. People deserve to be loved and cared for. Showing empathy, kindness, appreciation, and making someone feel special are some of the most beautiful things you can do for another person. God will bless you in so many ways.

You are important, and so are your needs. But so is every other person in this world.

Just because someone is successful…

Being successful is wonderful. But never feel that you deserve more admiration or should always be the centre of attention because of your accomplishments. Even if another person may not be as ccomplished,
they still deserve the same kindness and respect. Never push them aside. Never make them feel worthless or like a waste of space.

Help others succeed. Encourage them. Inspire them. But never compare yourself to them. You are a champion, so please help others because they are champions too.

A sense of entitlement and coasting through life.

I am a firm believer that in life, if you want something, you must get it the old-fashioned way. You must earn it!

Nothing should simply be handed to us. We must work hard for what we want. We must put in the effort despite the challenges we face in order to achieve victory. This is justified entitlement that is truly deserved. Being kind and humble along the way adds the cherry on top of the entitled ice cream you deserve to enjoy.

Giving your children necessities such as clothes, school books, birthday gifts, and Christmas presents is perfectly acceptable, and I fully support that. But if you constantly give children everything they want, they may begin to expect it all the time.

Whether they realize it or not, they begin to believe they can do nothing and still receive everything they want. And if they do not get what they want, they may throw tantrums, yell, and scream.

By doing this repeatedly, they may grow up believing that everything should simply be handed to them without effort. Then, when life does not go their way, they become angry and frustrated.

Teaching children to complete simple tasks at a young age, such as studying for good grades, keeping their room clean, and helping with small chores, teaches them that in order to get something, they must earn it.

BLAMING OTHERS
If you make mistakes in life, own up to them and hold yourself accountable. Never blame others for your shortcomings. Once you acknowledge your mistakes, you can learn, grow, and become a better person.

The way I see it, the world does not revolve around us. It is not always about “me, me, me.” Nobody owes us anything, and people do not have to behave a certain way to meet our standards and expectations. There are over 7.7 billion people in the world, and many are disadvantaged. So my beautiful friends, continue being your best selves. Keep doing great things. Look after your own needs but also be considerate and kind toward the needs of others.

If we all work collectively together and treat each other with respect and courtesy, then we can all live better, healthier, and happier lives.

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HAVE A CUP OF JOE WITH JOE – My Weight Loss And Surgery At Shouldice Hernia Hospital

If you noticed my Cup of Joe column was missing from the April 2026 issue and being posted on our Website, you get a gold star! For those who did not notice — shame on you . . . just kidding!

In the first week of March, I became a patient at the renowned Shouldice Hernia Hospital in the GTA where I underwent bilateral inguinal hernia surgery. Biz X magazine Publisher Deborah Jones knew
I would need post-operative home recovery and rest. She insisted I take the month off, and I thank her for her thoughtfulness.

Coincidentally timed with our Safety & Health edition — which looks at many different aspects of wellbeing — I’m sharing the 12 month journey that reshaped my health, from major weight loss to the outstanding surgical care I received at Shouldice Hernia Hospital.

I hope my story motivates readers tackling their own health goals!

Let’s start with a bit of background on my recent health transformation. Back in April 2025, I stood 6’2″ tall and weighed 302 lbs. For decades, I battled chronic high blood pressure (145/95, even with three different medications). I experienced lower leg edema and was frequently short of breath when climbing a flight of stairs.

Then . . . by April 1, 2026, I had lost 100 lbs, weighing in at 202 lbs — nope, this wasn’t an April Fool’s Day prank! My daily blood pressure improved to 115/75, I was down to only one blood pressure medication,
and the edema was negligible. I was no longer feeling short of breath when climbing stairs.

What methods contributed to my substantial weight reduction over the course of 12 months?

With support and encouragement from my friend and doctor, Frank S. DeMarco, I started Wegovy, a widely used GLP-1 medication. Wegovy is a weekly self-injection that suppresses appetite. Combined with daily use of my two home exercise bikes, thrice-weekly strength training at Performance Fitness & Wellness Centre (2451-D Dougall Avenue, Windsor), and better eating habits, I’ve reached my healthiest state in 30 years.

While Wegovy can cause side effects, I have not experienced any. Over the course of many years (decades) of my weight gain, an earlier diagnosed chronic right inguinal hernia remained asymptomatic.
Following my 100-lb weight loss, that all changed. The hernia reemerged, accompanied by increasing discomfort and swelling. I humorously referred to it as “My Mount Everest.”

Dr. DeMarco referred me for an ultrasound — which identified a significantly larger right-side inguinal hernia — as well as a smaller left- side hernia that had not been previously detected.

On November 28, 2025, Dr. DeMarco wrote a referral letter to the Shouldice Hernia Hospital (Shouldice) recommending me as a patient for bilateral inguinal hernia surgery. I am incredibly grateful that I was
accepted.

Shouldice is an internationally renowned specialty facility in Thornhill (GTA), Ontario. It is recognized as the global leader in non-mesh hernia repair, utilizing a proprietary “natural tissue” technique developed by Dr. Edward Earl Shouldice in 1945.

The hospital is located in a 17,000 square foot mansion on a 23-acre estate in Thornhill, which was originally constructed in 1937 and owned by George McCullagh, founder and publisher of The Globe and Mail newspaper, until his death in 1952.

In 1953, Dr. Shouldice, with his surgical practice in downtown Toronto, acquired the property and established a second facility within McCullagh’s mansion, intentionally selected to provide a “non-hospital” atmosphere reminiscent of a country club or private home. This unique setting is designed to encourage early patient mobility and foster social interaction, both of which are integral to Shouldice’s recovery methodology.

As Cindy Giroux, Manager, Public Relations & Communications at Shouldice, explains: “A three-level wing was added to the mansion in 1968, raising capacity from 36 to 89 beds.”

Administrative offices and admissions are in the former mansion area. The first level houses five operating rooms, a pre-op room, the medical device reprocessing department, and workstations for the surgeons to
update patients’ medical charts. At the opposite end of this level there is a commercial kitchen, a formal dining room for patients and staff, and rooms for maintenance and building supplies.

The second and third levels contain nurses’ stations, common areas for patients and semi-private patient rooms (and one private room). Shouldice operates as a private, for-profit hospital, a model unique in
Ontario’s healthcare system. The Private Hospitals Act of 1973 prohibited new private hospitals, but Shouldice, existing before the law, kept its license. Unlike most Ontario hospitals, which are non-profit
corporations overseen by community boards, Shouldice is a publicly funded, privately owned enterprise managed by the Shouldice family.

“The hospital specializes exclusively in the surgical repair of external abdominal wall hernias,” states Giroux. “Surgeons at Shouldice, trained in the unique hernia surgical technique, collectively perform over 7,000 procedures annually with notable expertise.”

Giroux continues: “While most current hernia surgeries use synthetic mesh, the Shouldice method employs a four-layer suture technique to overlap and reinforce the patient’s own tissue.”

The hospital reports a 98.5% success rate for primary inguinal hernia repairs. Complication and recurrence rates are well below the global average, often less than 0.5%.

Patients usually stay for three to four days. During this supervised recovery they participate in prescribed exercises and communal dining to encourage movement, following a “walk-it-off” philosophy that aids
healing and reduces the risk of blood clots.

Situated within 23 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, the Shouldice hospital stands out for its non-clinical atmosphere. Each patient room has private closets, dressers and a private washroom (toilet and sink) and is intentionally free of a television and telephone, promoting patient mobility during recovery.

There are pool tables, shuffleboard tables, exercise bicycles throughout, and the common areas feature large-screen televisions and tables for cards and board games.

Several prominent individuals have chosen Shouldice for their hernia repair including celebrities, athletes, and politicians such as the late NDP Leader Jack Layton, former Prime Minister Joe Clark, U.S. Senator
Rand Paul, and U.S. Consumer Advocate Ralph Nader. The hospital keeps patient identities confidential, but some former patients share their Shouldice experience publicly.

Shouldice manages its own intake process. Local patients (within 1.5 hours) attend their clinic directly, while those farther away, like me in Windsor, complete an online Medical Questionnaire.

After it was reviewed, I received admission confirmation for Monday, March 2, 2026, along with instructions for blood work, ECG, allergy and diet forms, and medication lists.

The staff at Shouldice were helpful throughout, from admissions to nutrition advice and payment assistance. All medical costs were covered by OHIP, and my room and board were $50 per night after my
hospitalization insurance coverage.

Meals in the formal dining room were fresh, nutritious, prepared onsite, and served by attentive staff — nothing like typical hospital food. The meals were more like five-star restaurant dishes. My favourite was Eggs Benedict one morning for breakfast.

Dr. Simmons and Dr. Yilbas performed my two surgeries over three days with support from surgical nurses and an anesthetist providing local anesthesia and IV conscious sedation. Four hours post-surgery, floor nurses assisted me with getting out of bed and walking as part of the recovery protocol.

After being discharged Saturday, March 7 in the morning, I took the VIA Rail train home to Windsor. Six weeks later, my recovery is complete. I’m back to gym sessions, daily cardio, and long walks with my dog, Bess.

I have consistently supported Canada’s national health care system. While not flawless, it offers better options than many other countries and lets me choose my preferred medical delivery model.

I chose Shouldice for my surgery due to long wait times of 10 to 12 months with Windsor’s general surgeons. While Windsor has excellent surgeons, feedback from many local Shouldice alumni, plus Shouldice’s mesh-free, natural tissue technique, convinced me it would offer a better outcome with less risk of recurrence.

The Shouldice Hernia Hospital employs 10 to 15 specially trained surgeons (and several assisting physicians) and provides free annual check-ups at the hospital or through Mobile Exam Clinics across
Canada.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a mobile clinic in Windsor scheduled for May 25 to 29 at the Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton Windsor at 1840 Huron Church Road.

Alumni patients can book appointments for exams and rechecks online at the beginning of May through their booking portal.

The clinic also welcomes anyone wishing to consult with two Shouldice surgeons about hernia surgery.

Thank you to Cindy Giroux for generously helping me share my Shouldice experience with Biz X readers.

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MEL KNOWS . . . Kinda – Take Your Pain Seriously

On a scale of 1-10, how do you rate your pain?

1-3 is mild and manageable. 4-6 is moderate to severe. 7-9 is severe and debilitating. 10 is unspeakable.

These are questions asked each time patients have an appointment at one of the several dedicated pain management clinics in Windsor.

A well-kept secret of the medical community in our area, this service is instrumental, if not a true lifesaver, for so many individuals in Windsor. Being able to describe what you are feeling accurately is the first step
towards advocating on your behalf and getting the help needed.

I stumbled upon it when a family member was diagnosed with an immune disorder that causes joint pain, with additional TMJ pain in the jaw and face. Although they treat many different forms of pain, including pain from accidents, athletic injuries, chronic migraines, neuropathic pain, post surgical pain, and general body pain due to aging, the list is extensive.

They are treated with only kindness and solutions — finally someone listened — and had a solution to manage my daughter’s chronic pain. A true gem in the medical field. 

As defined, pain is uncomfortable and can destroy the joy in life. All too often opioids are prescribed without any long-term solution of chronic pain management or follow up.

The clinic actively monitors all patients with a kind and patient staff. Although it is more complicated than this, I am not an expert in this subject and it is multifaceted. I appreciate the efforts to keep my family and our community from being left behind in a very overburdened medical system.

I have first-hand experience of being raised by a parent who struggled with chronic pain and addiction. Without similar services, it was a daily struggle that left many hardships, even in her passing. So hard to watch — the historic solution to pain was more pain medicine — eventually destroying her quality of life. 

Windsor and Essex County are experiencing a severe record-high substance use and addiction crisis with rates of deaths and medical intervention above provincial average. More than 25% of our unhoused population struggles with addiction.

I want this introduction to pain management to be a positive one, so let’s touch on the wonderful services this clinic provides.

They offer Ultrasound Guided Nerve Blocks, Fluoroscopy Guided Epidurals, Botox Treatments, and Platelet Rich Plasma, just to name a few. They also have other alternative options to explore, such as Medical Cannabis, Lidocaine Injections, and Cortisone Injections. All with the guidance of their very experienced — and kind — nurses and doctors.

They believe chronic pain shouldn’t hold you back from living life to the fullest. They are passionate about changing the philosophy of pain management by increasing access to innovative and integrated healthcare solutions and providing the highest quality of care possible. Sounds outrageous — right?

However, my experience dealing with them for almost two years has been consistent, kind and caring — treatment oriented and solution based.

I am overwhelmed writing this — knowing what these organizations have done for my family.

On a scale of 1 to 10 are you ready to manage your pain and live a better life?

NOTE: DUE TO CANADIAN STRICT ETHICAL GUIDELINES, SPECIFIC PROMOTION OF ANY ONE ORGANIZATION IS HIGHLY REGULATED PREVENTING DIRECT REFERENCES.  PLEASE RESEARCH THIS SERVICE, AND YOUR PRIMARY PHYSICIAN CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND REFERRALS.

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Congratulations! You Scored A GOAL!

Goals, goals, goals!

Let’s think about this for a second folks. Without goals, how can we look forward to something? How can we feel that immense great feeling once we have achieved it? How can we feel like “YEAH I DID IT?”

I mean once you reach your goals, you feel like Rocky Balboa running up the Philadelphia steps and raising your arms in victory.

The talented actor Denzel Washington said: “Dreams without goals are just dreams and they ultimately fuel disappointment.”

What are goals? Goals are something you want to achieve and accomplish in the future. A desired result.

Goals give our lives so much meaning and purpose. They give you focus and direction and a clear path to where you are heading. They give you motivation and you start to develop progress and movement. Whatever you want to do in your life, you have to set some goals.

The first question you want to ask yourself is: what do you want to do?

What is it you want to accomplish? Where do you see yourself in your life?

This is called your VISION. Once you have a clear idea of what you want to do, then here comes the GOALS.

Start with a short-term goal. A short-term goal is something you want to reach in a short time like a week, a month or under a year. You can’t just start from the beginning and jump to the end. There is gradual progress to get there. But consistency, hard work, self-discipline, passion, and an optimistic outlook will get you there. Short term goals, in my humble opinion, are like stepping-stones that ultimately lead you to your long-term goals, which are your vision of where you want to be.

Some people avoid goals because of their fear of failing. You will fail and fail big, but that does not make you a failure.

Failing and success are your best friends, because to succeed we must go in loops and U-turns and heavy traffic. These are lessons of learning and growing that fuel success. This is what failing teaches us.

On the other hand, failure is when you give up too easily and decide not to try again. Remember, success is not an easy one-way ticket to paradise. Reaching your goals and subsequent goals will always have
some type of obstacles in the way.

If you are afraid to reach your goals, remember that fear is useless unless it drives you. Use your imagination for a second.

Let’s say you are on one side, and in the middle is a big, scary monster named MR. FEAR. At the other end of the side is your GOAL. If you are afraid, then you will be stagnant and come up with things like: what
if this happens or what if that happens.

If you are afraid and give it a try you are approaching the middle and then you start to get anxious the closer you get to MR. FEAR, then you go back to the starting line.

 Now here is the kicker. In reality, you are standing on one side, and the other side is your goal, which is realistically attainable. But guess what? In the middle, nothing is there. MR. FEAR is not really there . . . so you are free to GO FOR IT. You are creating the monster MR. FEAR in your mind and if MR. FEAR is not challenged, you will remain at the start for a long time.

After goals, then comes the STRATEGIC PLANNING. 

Having a vision and a goal is great, but without a plan you lose direction. Planning is basically writing down what you are going to do to reach your goals for the short term and long term. It is like a coach for a football team going to the drawing board and showing the players the plan they need to follow in order to win.

Now the most important part of reaching your goals is MASSIVE ACTION. The reason this is the most important is because without action, you will not reach your desired destination. It is that simple.
When you have a clear vision, an attainable goal, and a great plan and you put in the work, then you are on your way to SUCCESS!

Let’s look at the five rules for setting a goal (THE SMART GOALS RULE):

Specific Goals- You must have a goal that is specific. A specific goal gives you a clear direction of where you are heading. For example, maybe you want to run a marathon, or maybe you want to become a
happier person, or maybe you want to lose 10 pounds etc.

Measurable Goals- Basically, keep precise track of small achievements along the way that leads you to your bigger goals. I suggest you keep a journal on hand to track these small achievements

Attainable Goals- Reaching an attainable goal is what you should aspire to do, but don’t make it too easy for yourself. The point is to work hard for your goals that are attainable. The feeling in the end, once you reach it that way, will be more gratification for you…It is about raising the bar and your level of expectations that will make it worth it in the end.

Relevant Goals- Goals need to be important to the journey you are heading toward. How important is this goal to you? The reward and celebration at the end should motivate you enough to reach your goals. It should keep you on track and help you keep making good progress to reach it. If you feel that the goal is not important, then I strongly believe you are wasting your precious time, and you should try something else. You must feel that passion and excitement about getting there.

Time-bound Goals– Setting a deadline gives you more initiative to take action and work hard. It gives you a certain amount of time to achieve it, and you will not procrastinate. But remember not to stress yourself out. Work hard but simultaneously have fun!

Well, there you have it, my friend, this is the moment that will shape your destiny.

This is the moment you must say to yourself: “I CAN DO THIS! I WILL DO THIS! I MUST DO THIS!

And one day you will stand on top of that mountain and scream loud for all to hear: “I DID IT”!

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