Alain Paradis

A former girlfriend, Chris Otto My father, Paul, and my mother, Carmen, taken at my sister Louise's wedding. The Paradis siblings: (left to right) Luc; France; Louise; Marc; Alain in bed

This page of Janetta's website was given to me for assisting her with her website.  I was introduced to Janetta via the Internet in the summer of 2002, by a mutual e-friend.  She had mentioned that Janetta was seeking some assistance with her website.  I've always been a glutton for knowledge, and enjoy a challenge, so naturally, I obliged. I was born in Quebec, in 1960, but lived all but the first three months of my life in Ontario.  I'm the second youngest of five siblings.  I had as normal a childhood as any former child would allege.  When I was 20 years old, I was diagnosed as having Multiple Sclerosis, an autoimmune disease of the Central Nervous System (brain & spinal cord), whereby the fatty insulative coating on nerve cells (myelin) is attacked by the body's own immune system (white blood cells). In the early 1980s, before my MS started to debilitate me, I briefly pursued a career as a photographer.  I had very good camera equipment and also reasonable darkroom equipment.  A girlfriend I met in a black-and-white photography class that I took at the Ryerson Polytechnical Institute took the sepia print seen to the left.  I took the picture of her seen directly below the photo she took of me.  She was the last able-bodied girlfriend I had before my MS started to debilitate me.  The colour photo below the black-and-white photo of her is a self-portrait taken with a self-timer.  I processed both the film and print of that photo.  As a result of the progression of my MS, I abandoned my pursuit of a career as a photographer, and I sought sedentary employment.  I was fortunate that I had an aptitude for computer programming. My MS progressed from my using a cane in 1986 to requiring a walker and manual wheelchair in 1990, and a power wheelchair in 1994.  I was driving home from work as a computer consultant in my modified van in January of 1996, when I was involved in a MVA (Motor Vehicle Accident) where I sustained a number of injuries.  The trauma of the injuries combined with subsequent corrective surgery instigated my MS into ultimately leaving me bedridden.  Fortunately, I had the foresight to purchase Income Replacement coverage on my No Fault Automobile Insurance.  Consequently, Im now retired and living near my parents in a longterm care facility named Hallowell House, in Picton, Ontario. Im able to operate my computer via VRS (Voice Recognition Software).  Through it, the microphone attached to my computer acts as both a keyboard and a mouse.  For the rest of my environmental controls I utilize an ECU (Environmental Control Unit).  Apart from it having an integrated telephone, I can summon help, turn lights/fans on & off, and control my TV & VCR. This is a more recent photo of my family taken September 1st 2004.  Left to right: Luc; Mom-Carmen; me; Louise; France; Marc; Dad-Paul

	Family photos from Christmas of 2006. My brother Luc's family enjoys Christmas dinner 2006.  He's on the left, and his wife Melody sits at the head of the table flanked by their daughters Kayla & Melissa.  My parents are on the right. My mother must forever fend off smooches from my brother Luc. My sister Louise sits beside our nieces Kayla and Melissa (Luc & Melody's daughters). Sisters Kayla & Melissa sit on a sofa.

	Paradis men play cards in the summer of 2007. My father recently dropped by with my brother Marc from Montréal for a game of cards.  My brother Luc then joined us with his daughters Kayla and Melissa.