Bionic Ear Blog

I can relate to the Deaf couple who worry because they can’t hear sirens. Every Wednesday at noon, I hear the city sirens (for testing purposes), but I’ve missed a couple. Thankfully, I’ve got a hearing family, but I know there are many deaf couples who don’t have this option and it’s a problem.

The story is about the city sirens, not cars, but it prompted a memory. Way back when I was a new driver in high school, we learned about a GM program that installed siren alerters in cars for free. The hardware alerted me whenever a police, fire, or ambulance had its sirens on so I could pullover or do what’s necessary.

Unfortunately, the thing freaked me out every time it went off and it was wrong 95 percent of the time. We took it out as it was causing more anxiety than helping. One thing about deaf drivers is that we use our eyes and usually notice the flashing lights.

Info on GMAbility and from Edmunds

Posted by at 8:26 AM | Permalink

For the deaf, captioners are the true TV stars — Amen!

It’s amazing that I can catch just about anything on Food Network and TLC in captions. In the past, I’d ignore the ads for a new and interesting program on these channels as they were usually not captioned.

Not anymore.

They get paid a nice sum, so it’s a respectable career.

Posted by at 7:38 AM | Permalink

When I worked in the federal government, I attended events and meetings of our department’s deaf group. It had about 40 members — an amazing number to me as throughout my life, I never met more than a couple of deaf people at one time. But that’s Washington, D.C. for you. After all, it’s the home of the largest liberal arts university for the deaf and hard-of-hearing — Gallaudet.

The group held a baby shower for three of us who were expecting around the same time — me with my first (seems so long ago). I couldn’t believe it when I heard (read) that one of them had hoped her child would be born deaf. I’m all for being proud of your culture, but to wish this?

I bring this up because the director of the London-based theatre company Deafinitely Theatre felt the same and succeeded. Why wish for something that will make your child’s life harder. It’s very difficult to live in a deaf-only world even with a town in South Dakota, but obviously not everyone can live there especially those in other countries who prefer to stay where they are.

Posted by at 7:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Wristwatches Get the Back of the Hand says that more people are skipping the wristwatches and relying on handheld devices for the time. Why am I posting this here? I stopped wearing a watch because of my cochlear implant.

??????

I understand the confusion. Because of the implant, I got a medical bracelet that says my name, that I have a cochlear implant, not to do an MRI, and I read lips. I wear it on my watch-wearing wrist. When I tried it on my left wrist, it was making too much noise and bothered me when I wrote. I be a southpaw, indeedy.

I would’ve liked to wear the medical bracelet as an anklet, but how many people check there when a person is unconscious? They’re more commonly worn as necklaces or bracelets.

I tried wearing my watch with the bracelet, but it drove me insane. So now I rely on my Palm or Sidekick II for the time. I’d rather wear a watch, but what can I do?

Besides, when you go to a formal event, do you want to rely on gadgets for time? I think a classic watch or timepiece is more appropriate.

Posted by at 8:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Three of Cathy’s deaf dogs still need homes…and maybe a 4th. They are in Georgia. Transportation can be arranged. We only have till next weekend to save them. Even if you’re not in the market for a dog, you might know someone who is. The three deaf ones that need help are:

Felix, 3-yr-old Aussie/JRT mix, FEMALE (applications FAILED 2 TIMES) http://www.deafdogs.org/adoption/profile.php?dogname=felix&id=20

Mitzi, 4-yr-old ACD http://www.petfinder.com/pet.cgi?action=2&pet=4054187&adTarget

Hennessey, 4-yr-old mastiff/pit mix http://www.deafdogs.org/adoption/profile.php?dogname=hennessy&id=102

And there looks like there is a problem with Spaz’s adoption. Spaz, 3-year-old pit mix http://www.deafdogs.org/adoption/profile.php?dogname=spaz&id=23

Any and all ideas, offers or thoughts are welcome.

H E L P. Please.

Otherwise, next week (4/24), they go to a shelter. And will almost certainly be PTS. If interested, please contact Cathy at catsaye@tmail.com or Catrock5@yahoo.com

Posted by at 5:38 PM | Permalink

Univity of Texas at Dallas Professor awarded a $1.3 million contract to build an interface that allows PDAs to send sounds to those who wear cochlear implants. It could potentially replace speech processors with PDAs creating more affordable and accessible technology.

Posted by at 8:17 AM | Permalink

rediff.com: Say hello to Tom, Dick and Harry is a film with three characters: one deaf, one blind, and one mute. They live together and fall for the same girl. They also work in the restaurant / bar together with the girl who owns it. This Indian movie should be a fun one. I hope it comes t o the U.S. At least on video.

Posted by at 8:39 AM | Permalink

Freak accident… awful. Falling Tree Kills Deaf Italian Tourist. That’s one advantage of having an implant — even if you can’t hear what’s said, you can’t miss screaming. Anything louder than usual catches my attention.

Posted by at 8:16 PM | Permalink

I love this article from Mass Live because it’s how I feel about books. I lived two blocks from the library while growing up.

When we were looking for a house, I kept asking where the nearest library was located. We looked at a house within a block of the library, but it was not to be. We found a place, but the nearest wasn’t, but not close enough that it’d be a place I drive by regularly.

Then finally it happened in 2001 — six years after we moved here. The city built a library within biking distance. I don’t get there as much as I’d like, but it’s wonderful knowing it’s there. Sadly, my older two haven’t taken a keen interest in reading and the library.

I didn’t read many books after my first child arrived. I stole a little reading time while riding on the metro (subway) to work in Washington, D.C., but it wasn’t enough to go through many books. When she was 18 months, we moved back to Texas and more reading time disappeared as the public transportation system is in the dark ages compared to NY and D.C.

After kid #2 came along, I started taking classes and switched to part-time work. After I finished the classes, I started writing for an excinct Web site where I did book reviews and other articles. This got me back into the reading swing again.

Posted by at 10:21 AM | Permalink

I’ve been on a trial assignment for the past week where I submit a story three hours of receiving the assignment — it must have quotes from two original resources (not PRs, research reports, and so on). I understand that because it enhances a story and makes it more interesting.

Not once have I turned in an article on time. I called and emailed the right people — I know I didn’t err there. You know there’s one thing I do differently — I use the relay service to make the calls because I can’t hear a phone conversation. Here is what happened on one assignment alone:

• Called a research firm. Before I even get to type… hung up.

  Called back same firm with a short message for the relay operator to give to the guy before he speaks. “She’s already contacted us.” hung up

  It was true I had contacted someone else by email — but not him. I don’t limit myself to one press contact because you never know how busy the person is or if they’re even in. Often, I’ll let them know who else I’ve contacted within the company.

• Called a research analyst directly — proud of the research I did to find him. I started off the conversation introducing myself, the publication, and that I had sent an email to interview him.

  “I see the email.” hung up. Never heard from him.

• I reached the company that issued a report on which I was writing the article. The researcher who did the report was not available to the press. “Then why did you issue a PR if you don’t want us talking to you? Oh, you want us to promote your report. Well, I want an original quote not something everyone else quoted from your PR.”

  By the way, the report had two other names listed — I asked to talk to them. No. The guy is the main one to talk to and I can’t talk to him.

And I’m trying my darndest to do a good job just like anyone else. I asked the editor if anyone else had the same problem I had. He said I was the only one struggling. I’d be the first to admit a mistake, but I can’t see where I’m going wrong and the only difference between other reporters and me… the relay.

Okay, there may be one more difference. I don’t have established contacts with some of these businesses. But I am sure I’m not the first one they’ve tried out.

Posted by at 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My speech therapist has been helping me with Rs. They’re difficult to say. Most of the time, my Rs come out like Ws. When I try to form the Rs based on the therapist’s explanations, my mouth feels weird and stupid. That’s one sound I won’t practice in front of people. It’s hard enough doing it in front of her.

When I made a correct R, I put it together with the rest of the word. “R” “abbit.” Sounds like two words instead of one. It’s challenging to get them to flow together while making the R correctly.

Aw, heck, I should make it easier on me and avoid as many words with R as possible. Unfortunately, that’s a difficult task. Otherwise, why would Wheel of Fortune give its contestants the letter R in the final round (along with S, T, L, N, and E)? The show surprises us with many words and phrases that use few of the popular letters. Maybe I need to study up on those for my “Duck the R” project.

It stinks to have an R in my name. I rarely pronounce my name correctly when introducing myself to others. This happened last Friday at a lovely dinner party and it took a friend to help the hostess learn my name. It would be easier to say “Meryl” if I can skip saying my last name. But then people might think I have an ego thinking I’m a hot shot star that goes by one name.

Posted by at 11:00 AM | Permalink