From Cochlear of Americas:
“We at Cochlear are very saddened by the devastation Hurricane Katrina has left behind. As always, we are committed to supporting our users and
keeping them ‘on the air,’ even those displaced by the event.
“In an effort to provide some assistance, Cochlear Americas is launching a battery relief program. Through this program, we will provide a three-month
supply of batteries to Nucleus recipients displaced by the storm. The batteries can be claimed by calling a special phone number that has been established in Denver. Details for the program are as follows:
“The toll-free help line is 1-800-458-4999. Hours are 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (MST), Monday ? Friday.
“Recipients will be asked to provide their name, device serial number, and an address we can ship to. Cochlear will ship a 90-day supply of #675 Zinc air batteries at no cost to the requestor.
“In addition, Cochlear is working with the national Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH), to provide batteries. SHHH has organized a relief support group, Hear2Care, to help victims with hearing loss and deafness get technology and batteries.
“Cochlear is also working with our audiology clinics to coordinate services for those who may have been evacuated to a different city. For more information, please contact our Hurricane Hotline at 1-800-458-4999. 400 Inverness Parkway, Suite 400, Englewood Colorado 80112, USA.”
Hurricane Katrina Battery Relief Program
First Gallaudet Deaf President to Retire
Boy, I remember when I was a senior in high school when the students of Gallaudet made news. They protested the selection of a hearing president and won the protest. As a result, I. King Jordan was selected and led the school for the past 17 years. Couldn’t help but feel sorry for the hearing president — after all, he was out of a job.
The article says that administrators questioned that a deaf person would be strong enough to lead the school AND manage raising money. “He [Jordan] improved the quality of the faculty, Fernandes said, increased academic rigor and added graduate degree programs in such areas as audiology and linguistics. Not long ago, many finished Gallaudet and could not get jobs. Now, 95 percent of graduates go on to careers or graduate school.”
During Jordan’s tenure, the university’s endowment went from $5 million to an spectacular $150 million. How’s that for showing admins that a deaf person can lead the school, increase the quality of the education, and increase funding thirty times the previous amount.
Jordan will stick around through 2006 until they find a successor. Rumor is the school won’t exclude hearing candidates, but it’s not likely a hearing one will be hired. Discrimination… but perhaps, hearing candidates know not to bother.
Travel and Vacation
Whenever you travel or go on vacation and stay in a hotel, ask the hotel (in advance while making reservations) for accommodations. Most will put you in a room with equipment such as a visual fire alarm and a TTY phone. Almost every hotel I’ve been to in the past few years has captions unless they have old TVs.
Unfortunately, not all countries are accommodating as described in The disabling cost of traveling. Darn it. I am going to Austin tomorrow and I forgot to ask about accommodations. Ah well, at least, it’s a short trip.
One annoyance of traveling is when I don’t rent a car. If the hotel has shuttle pick up at the airport, you have to call on those phones that automatically dial the hotel. I’m working around it by taking my Sidekick and contacting family who will call the hotel and let them know I’m waiting for pick up. Feels childish to do that, but no choice.
Disability Writes
Just Services with funding from Arts Council England set up Disability Writes to help disabled people who face barriers in getting support and encouragement to write. It promotes the work of disabled writers to a wide audience of disabled and non-disabled people through its Web site and printed publications. People with disabilities can post their work on the site and receive constructive feedback.
Thanks to the Internet and technology, I can do writing — something I might not have done without it. Sure, we have the relay services and all, but some people don’t respond well to calls through the service.
I called a potential client through the relay yesterday and got a one-liner then a hang up. However, last Thursday, I had a great conversation with Janine of JAS Coaching and Training. So my experience with the relay is mixed, but more on the negative side.
USC Soccer Player
Soccer player who happens to be deaf joins USC team. I love a story like this. At one time, I wanted to play college ball, but gave up those thoughts while in high school as I didn’t play volleyball all four years of high school, one of my biggest regrets. I can’t honestly remember what prompted me to stop pursuing volleyball.
Softball was my best sport, but unfortunately, my school district didn’t have softball leagues. My local softball association had so few teams as girls lost interest in the sport by high school. I liked soccer and basketball, but didn’t enjoy it in high school. And with that kind of attitude, how can I move up to the next level?
Besides, my studies were important to me. I know that in college ball, the teams travel and I feared it would disrupt my studies especially since it was hard enough keeping up with the lectures.
I’ve got it in the back of my mind that I want to pursue a masters degree from Texas Tech. The school has an online program and I enjoy online courses as my deafness doesn’t stand in the way. The problem, however, is time. Between three kids, volunteering, and freelancing — it doesn’t leave me enough time to give my studies the attention it needs.
Hearing My Son Calling
Last Sunday night, I had a little, but meaningful hearing moment. I was working in my office and I hear, “Mom! Mom!”
I had to listen for a minute because sometimes something else sounds like “Mom.” I responded, “Yes?”
“Can you come up here?” the voice said.
“You want me to come upstairs?” I said.
“Yes!”
When I got upstairs, my older son was waiting for me. I asked him if he was the one who called. It was. Wish I could get more of these moments. It’s a tiny step forward, but progress nonetheless.
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Delray Nonprofit Clinic
Just reported on a center in Fort Worth that helps build skills. Another one popped up in Boca Raton News. Deaf Service Center helps those who are hearing-impared and deaf. However, the reporter wrote “suffering with hearing loss or impairment.” Ouch. Yeah, we have a fever and need to get plenty of bed rest.
But I won’t get into that since the reporter gets credit for giving press to the clinic. The clinic offers hearing tests, provides hearing aids, distributes assistive technology and provides counseling.
Center Builds Skills
I was born and bred in Fort Worth, Texas. My parents still live there — it’s about an hour’s drive from where I live. Yet, I’ve never heard of this center. It has been around since before I was born. How does a center like this escape my family’s and other Fort Worth residents’ attention?
My parents took me to Easter Seals, TCU, Dallas’ Callier Center, and I’m sure a few other places that I don’t remember. I believe Bluebonnet Elementary offers deaf-related help. Anyone who lives in Fort Worth or has friends in the area — please spread the word. It sounds like an excellent place for people who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Survivor Winner
Did you know that the winner of Survivor: Palau has a daughter who is deaf and had cochlear implant surgery at age 2? His bio
confirms it. I hardly keep up with the contestants’ backgrounds and accidentally found this information. According to New York Daily News, he is leaving (if not already) his fire fighter job with FDNY.
Swimming with the Implant
Whenever I am near water while wearing my hearing aids (and now implant) — pools, showers, bathtubs — I get nervous as it doesn’t feel natural to have it on because water and hearing aids don’t mix. That’s why you’ll see me using an umbrella when it’s only sprinkling outside. I don’t want to get shocked 🙂
I never wore my hearing aids when I worked out because I didn’t want to risk getting it wet from a sweaty workout. However, I always wore them to sports practices and games. Long after I was no longer playing team sports, an audiologist told me about a hearing aid cover that protects the device. But it’s a pain to put it on.
Whenever I rode roller coasters… hearing aids came out then, too. When I went on the shock wave (from Six Flags over Texas and it goes upside down), my hearing aids came out, but the ear molds prevented them from completely falling out. So from then on, I took no chances.
Nucleus has announced the Nucleus Freedom, a water resistant implant! However, upon close reading, it sounds like you still can’t swim or bathe with it on. It’s made to handle mild water situations like sweat, rain, and sprinklers rather than complete submerging.
This is an improvement, but I would not want to wear it when I give my kids a bath since it could fall in. I know there are attachments that help the implant stay on better, but they’re a pain.