|
|
Wednesday, October 8th, 2008
| |
8:03 pm - I got it!!
|
windychan121
|
4 months and 2 weeks of waiting ( yes i've been counting the days and hours! ) and I finally have my Baha!!!
I got in the elevator and i said " are elevators always this noisy?? " the lady in the elevator with me and my mum laughed and said " yup! "
I'm discovering sounds I knew were there, but , haven't heard before. I came back from a meeting tonight, we were hiking, and we asked the girls what they are hearing then they asked me. I said that for the first time since i was their age, I can finally hear the cars on the busy street 10 minutes away. )
I'm looking forward to work tomorrow, I'm happy I have it before the 9th becuase I have a job interview after my work with another company, moving from Sobeys to Zellers ( hopefully - their offering me better hours and full time coverage which my current job isn't ) - so I'm looking forward to the sounds to hear at work that I never knew were there.
I when I got home from the doctors office today, I kinda melted down with tears of relief. Saying 4 months of waiting and finally I can hear almost like everyone else.
=)
The wait was worth it, and I can't wait to hear more sounds now!!
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
| |
12:02 am
|
feli_valkyria
|
Anyone know of a link to a closed-captioned version of the Canadian debates for the upcoming election, I would *really* appreciate it.
|
|
(comment on this)
|
| Monday, September 29th, 2008
| |
6:30 pm - Sign Language Block! ( ( Like writers block! ) ) -Help!
|
windychan121
|
Right now, I'm reviewing something in sign langauge and I can't seem to find a couple words I need. I'm a Brownie Leader for Girl Guides of Canada, and one of our challenges for the girls is to learn something in another language! I'm going over our Promise and I almost have it down pat but, a couple words I cant' find.
our promise is
I promise ( know that sign )
to do ( is their an easy way to do this sign? )
my best ( got this one )
to be ( kinda got it but unsure )
true ( Need to know this one! can't find it in my dictionary !! )
to myself ( Can't find this one either
My faith ( got that one )
And Canada ( Got that one )
I will ( would like to know that one )
Help other people ( got that one its fun to sign! )
And keep the ( got that one )
Guiding ( need that one )
Law ( Got that one, but is their a simpler way to do this? )
If someone can link me another site that may have some of these words in it that would be great. I do sign at work from time to time, so even when I don't need them for my meeting, I use them at work.
http://www.lifeprint.com/ this is the site i'm using right now to help me along the way, but the words in brackets are the ones i can't find!
current mood:  amused
|
|
(11 comments | comment on this)
|
| Wednesday, September 24th, 2008
| |
11:25 pm - Popular culture's portrayal of deafness
|
giant_ant
|
Hey guys,
I've just watched the Medium episode (4.4) 'Do you hear what I hear?', in which the main character suddenly loses her hearing, and is profoundly deaf for the episode.
I thought a lot of the scenes were very good in portraying :
- how left out we can feel in social situations,
- how hearing people often lose their patience when having to speak slowly or repeat themsleves,
and they even included one scene where two hearing characters were having a conversation with the deaf character present, in which one was later assigned to 'fill in' the deaf character once the meeting was over,---something that has happened to me before.
This got me recalling an episode I saw when I was young, of Sweet Valley High- the T.V. Series.
According to my memory, it featured a guest character who was introduced as a new girl to the school as being Deaf, the whole episode showing the original characters alternatively pitying/ ignoring/ bullying her. There was a twist, in that the 'new girl' was revealed to actually being a visiting lecturer assigned to talk to the pupils about Deaf Awareness, and therefore addressed each of the pupil's behaviour in turn.... I think it also featured some analogy of how deaf people can be percieved as aliens?!! -- If anyone can recall this, I'd be interested to know!
Anyway it got me interested in other portrayals of deafness in popular culture, whether you think they've been positive/accurate for the most part, or negative like Prof. Calculus off Tintin....
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008
| |
10:14 pm - So hard but yet sweet and fun...ahem.
|
agentben
|
Jeez the way I look at this...people take things for granted. We all do. I know I do...I can taste, talk, walk, you name it and we go on with life. But since I wear hearing aids, and people are talking in conversations and listening to this and that...and it makes my angry sometimes that they are taking if for granted! Plus when people say hmpp hearing impaired that is nothing compared to my problem...really, really?! Huh. I mean you guys know that. But that is just some days and we all get over it, I mean I try. But hey that is just me talking to me, just to get it out of the system...phew, so much irony. Guess life is always like that eh. Whatelse?!
Toodles.
current mood:  cranky
|
|
(4 comments | comment on this)
|
| Monday, September 22nd, 2008
| |
6:23 pm
|
windychan121
|
I've pushed all my pet peeves aside today and focused on two main ones, that I think some of you may may not agree/like as well.
First of all,
I do not like serving people who chew gum. Here is why: For myself and lip reading (or others lipreading) when you're talking to someone whose just smacking away their gum while talking to you. Since I'm looking at their lips anyways, I can't follow probably what their saying I heard from one guy " Can I * Smack chew * have *chew chew * 150g of *smack smack smack chew * ham? " Very very irritating for me. I've never noticed it before, but I've been lip reading alot lately, and compared to my other pet peeves with work and outside of work that just jumped right up to number 1.
number 2- Taping your mouth when talking to me about what you want. Or holding your hands over the bottom of your lips while talking to me where I can only see the corner of your moutth. I have customers who talk very slowly for me to follow. I love them so much for doing that! then the ones that don't...
I had one guy who talked really fast without pausing and i got so confused.
I was so bored on my hour I was thinking over the past 3 years I have served three deaf people where I learnt some new sing language from them as well. I've served 6 hearing impaired people as well, some did sign language still which was nice too, better practice for me.
One of my favorite deaf guy came in. He kept on leaning over the counter looking at the lady making cakess with big bucket of chocolate icing. I had to wait for him to face me again for checking his amount of meat. Then before he left, he laughed and signed " That looks so good ! "
I told the cake lady afterwards, and she laughed.
People can make or break your day when you least suspect it!
|
|
(4 comments | comment on this)
|
| Sunday, September 21st, 2008
| |
10:13 pm - Library Experiences
|
hollym4784
|
Hi,
I'm in library school, and I'm severely hearing impaired mysellf, but I wanted to get your input on experiences in libraries. I'm taking a diverse groups class, and thought I would write a paper on working with hard of hearing patrons.
What have your overall experiences in the library been like especially working with librarians or library staff?
Do you ever experience awkwardness when interacting with librarians? I know for me sometimes people get frustrated easily if I ask them to repeat themselves multiple times and refuse to speak up when I ask them to.
Do you prefer visual or virtual communication with the library such as chat reference, email or writing requests on a sheet of paper more so than face to face interaction with staff?
Do you think that communication with librarians are a barrier to learning more about libraries and their services?
What do you think that libraries can do better to serve hard of hearing patrons?
|
|
(5 comments | comment on this)
|
| |
3:05 pm
|
curlyhare1
|
i get really frustrated when theres a movie i want to see in theaters, but i know that if i go, ill leave having spent 2 hours understanding nothing. it really sucks that more movies dont have captioning devices and such. asdlkfha
|
|
(17 comments | comment on this)
|
| Wednesday, September 17th, 2008
| |
10:34 pm - Hehe, finally a place where people understand
|
meshelleee
|
Sweeeeet, I'm so glad this group exists.
Anyway, I'm there with all ya'll with the "tuning people out" when you can't hear or understand them. I also never realized how well I was getting at speech reading and only understanding people when I look at them. I'm at a mod/sev loss myself, but have not gotten any aids because, well, they are freakin expensive and I've been managing pretty well so far. I was lucky to have a Real Time Captioner at school, but the University doesn't let you take them home :(
Anyway, I am just happy to know there are others like me that get yelled at and have friends and family annoyed at them because I ask "huh? could you repeat that? I didn't get that... nodding head, sorry I still didn't hear it". I mean heck, it's not like I'm trying to be rude by not being able to hear them, but c'mon, why isn't there more understanding?? Is it because I can hear you sometimes? Do you think I'm lying when I say I didn't hear it? Ugh.... bugs the hell out of me. Especially when they don't understand that some frequencies I hear and others I don't.... Just because I heard a faint sound on one frequency doesn't mean I can't hear louder sounds on other frequencies. grrr!
K, thanks for letting me vent. :)
|
|
(6 comments | comment on this)
|
| Tuesday, September 16th, 2008
| |
10:05 pm
|
windychan121
|
Never noticed this before my hearing dropped to the mild/severe mark. But my mom keeps saying she gets mad at me when I don't pay attention and people say that at work too. I don't pay attention because I don't hear you the first time. if they talk to me at the side of my ear thats severe hearing loss no way I'll hear it the first time. They know I am hearing impaired and that my hearing changed dramatically over two years. Why is it people get mad family, friends or your own co-workers/boss when you don't hear them the first time?
Everyones getting it easy at work right now with wanting sick days ( I had to fight for two sick days right now which shouldn't happen ) and having time off that they want off for school and what not. I sometimes wonder if she''s making me work so much because of my disabilities ( more then just hearing impairment ) or just becasue she doesn't want me running my volunteer meetings one day aweek which apperently i cannot get off.
I've reached a point right now with my Baha where i'm not getting my hopes up for my next appointment. Last Friday the 12th I was suppose to get it. Talked to Shelly and Shram and apperently I had a Zits on the bottom of the surgerical area. So he used silver nitrate and siccors to burn and snip it off. I came out of the hospital so disappointed. I hate when that happens. Either being disappointed from evens that never happen, or I'm the " Disappointment " to people.
october 6(or 8th) is my next appointment. I know i should hope for it then, but hey, look what happened last time? Walked in pouncing off the walls all happy dappy about my new hearing aid thinking the four months is finally up then bam. extra 2 weeks of not hearing anything.
Maybe with the baha people would stop being mad at me for not paying attention or won't be such a disappointment if I don't hear how to do a task probably.
current mood:  depressed
|
|
(4 comments | comment on this)
|
| |
2:03 pm - bte's and tmj?
|
solipglossed
|
Does anyone suffer from TMJ? I think my bte's are aggravating my jaw from the pressure of something being in my ears. :( suggestions on how to feel better?
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Monday, September 15th, 2008
| |
9:43 am - Zoning out
|
pettyfan_121234
|
Does anyone else ever seem to have the problem of tuning people out when they’re talking to you?? It only happens when I can’t understand something someone’s saying to me… Unfortunately this happens to me with someone I usually walk home from school with everyday. I don’t know if I can’t understand her because I walk with a limp (due to CP) and the fact that she walks much faster than me, or if it’s because she has a really soft voice.. Most likely because of a combo of both… Anyways, I was just curious if anyone else experiences the same thing I do and what I should do about it. Thanx.
|
|
(16 comments | comment on this)
|
| Thursday, September 11th, 2008
| |
2:00 am - So lost now a days
|
windychan121
|
So this Friday I maybe getting my Baha put on. Or next Friday. I'm Super excited about it.
I've been to a lot of big meetings where the tables are set up where. Today was Registration for Girl Guides. The tables were back to back from each other and the leaders, myself included were facing the walls so we can see our girls sign up for the fall meetings.
There were conversations all around me I just tuned out completely. My other leader taped my shoulder when she was talking to me to make sure i was paying attention, but with my lip reading improving alot lately, it gets tiring trying to keep up with everyone. I just kinda faded out tonight, sat back in my chair with half a smile. I had no idea what was going on, only when a kid came up to register i talked to the mum. I hate things like that. I'm going to a conference with a 100 something people in Toronto in November, There will be a big screen and everything, but noise wise im worried about. I don't need someone to sign for me, I only know maybe 10 phrases now. I can sign deal, no problem ( taught my parents thoughs ) , okay, the happy birthday song, half a pound , thank-you and i can't remember the rest.
i love being around people but so many, are going to talking to me at once...how do people cope in those situations not hearing half of the conversations or loosing out on some of the funny jokes / songs because of the noise volume. it has happened to me before at big camps, and just think about back then from now, my hearing has indeed decreased a lot.
I sure hope this Baha helps me out alot.
|
|
(3 comments | comment on this)
|
| Wednesday, September 10th, 2008
| |
2:23 pm
|
recordedbook
|
Hi there,
There's a group of us conducting a survey on captioning/ subtitles in the theatre, and we would love to have people fill in a short questionnaire of their experience(s).
Please note that this is open to Hearing, Hard of Hearing and Deaf people, from all countries and regardless of whether its been a good experience or bad.
We only ask that you have seen at least one captioned performance in a theatre, -no movies/films.
Fill out!
Thank you very much for your time, and please feel free to pass this on to anyone else you feel could contribute.
|
|
(comment on this)
|
| Tuesday, September 9th, 2008
| |
6:00 pm
|
|
| Monday, September 8th, 2008
| |
8:09 pm
|
mistypaw
|
This is one of those times I truly hate being hard of hearing. Normally it never bothers me.
In the supermarket a man asked if he could fix the rusty patch on my car. Now, that is a thing that had been worrying me, because it would eventually become a hole. So, thinking the price reasonable, I agreed.
When I came back, he had fixed it nicely, and even hammered out a few small dents and fixed some small scratches. They really never bothered me, but I suppose it's good to have it done with.
So when I handed him the money... it turned out I misheard him speak and it was quite a bit more than I thought. Oh I was SO embarrased. I don't think another person who isn't hard of hearing or deaf can identify with how I felt at that moment. My husband was understanding, but I'm so mad at myself. We're in no ways rich, and our dryer just broke. I know there's no use in it now, but damn it I feel like crap. I needed to get it off my chest and share with people who might be able to empathise. I hope you don't mind.
current mood:  stressed
|
|
(11 comments | comment on this)
|
| Thursday, September 4th, 2008
| |
5:25 am - Sweat makes my hearing aids go kaput !
|
|
csp400
|
Hi,
I have been using a pair of BTE's for about two months now.A recurring problem with these hearing aids has been, sweat getting onto the microphone. I solved this problem on the first day by getting a buzz cut. My hair has grown since then and I have to take extra precautions to protect my hearing aids.
Today I had to travel from one end of the city to another and back in very crowded buses. On 2-4 occasions during the trips, sweat got into my hearing aids. When I got home I noticed two problems with my HAs :
1) My left HA was off balance: Sound was slightly muffled and overall volume was lesser than right HA. Increasing the volume of left HA results in feedback noise that wasn't there previously.
2) A soft fluttering/crackling sound in both HAs: Soft fluttering noise is heard in response to a soft sound like rustling of paper, faint TV noise from another room etc. This crackling sound is more prominent in the left ear.
I tried the HAs in telecoil mode and they are working great, no balance problems or crackling sounds.
I am planning to take it to the company's repair centre first thing in the morning.I must say I am slightly disappointed. As a former CIC user I never had to face this problem before. I have to travel across the city in warm weather fairly often and it's a very sweaty job. I hadn't realized that BTE HA's are that sensitive until now.
Do other users face similar problems like this? What is the best way to cope with it? I already use dehumidifiers and the cleaning kit but I don't think they can solve the current problem (besides I don't even know if the problem can be solved at all)?
Regards and Thanks,
CSP400
|
|
(4 comments | comment on this)
|
| Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008
| |
12:19 pm - Did you know ...
|
buran
|
... that being deafened in D&D 4th edition gives you -10 to Perception checks?
(do I get just a -5 when I wear my hearing aid?)
current mood:  silly
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Sunday, August 31st, 2008
| |
6:36 pm - help?
|
solipglossed
|
Day three and not any better.
I feel like I have wads of cotton shoved in my ears. My left ear is so tight that I don't feel like I'm putting it in correctly. She said my left ear was suppose to be tighter though. I have TMJ and I' really worried that it's going to effect it. Is it suppose to feel protruding around your tragus(triangle part of the ear that sticks out).
I don't feel like I'm getting them in right because the little pully thing to get them back out isn't positioned where it was when she put them in. Except no matter how many times I try I can't get it to go where she had it. I'm getting a headache just from the pressure. It's making the backs of my ears really sore as well. :( Is there like any sort of padding or something for them, or do you just tough it out and get use to it?
Will I ever hear silence again, or is it going to be constant "noise". I don't know if it's a combo of my hair rubbing the mic, or if it's just static but either way it's annoying.
Today at work I felt more like I could hear the air conditioner/light bulb hums and the radio more than the people standing around me, when before the aids it was the opposite. I was able to hear the people(understanding them sometimes, depending on how far away.. but I could still hear them) but now I'm hearing everything else and the people are in the background as noise.
I'm really tired right now and upset because I feel like I'm hearing less of the things I need to and more of what I didn't use to hear, but didn't need to hear.
( pictures )
|
|
(26 comments | comment on this)
|
| Friday, August 29th, 2008
| |
3:23 pm - :(
|
solipglossed
|
I got my hearing aids today. While I'm happy I have them I'm a little emotional because everything is so loud. I went to the grocery store and I felt like I was in a movie where I was able to hear everyone's thoughts all at once. Before I was ok with hearing out of my right ear. If you were infront of me I could hear you. Now hearing everyone from like 20 feet away all talking at once it a bit overwhelming. And everything is LOUD. My parents speaking, shutting a car door, the turn signal, the dish washer, and just typing on the keyboard, a nail polish bottle falling over(things that normally are not loud - or at least don't sound like I set off a bomb). It hurts my ears :( I walked into the room a minute ago and my mother was watching tv, and talking on the phone and the dishwasher was going as well, it was too much to stand so I grabbed my drink and ran back to my room.
Please tell me I will get use to this, or it gets better? Or is it just tuned to loud to begin with? I go back next friday for a checkup on them.
( picture of how tiny they are )
|
|
(30 comments | comment on this)
|
|
|
|
|
![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small}
hard_of_hearing