September 12, 2009
At the heart of this collage are my hearing aids, worn by a gargoyle. I’ve been going deaf for over thirty years. Here are some of the gadgets that have kept me connected to the hearing world, but keep in mind it is only a small sampling. I’ve got tote bags full of electronic devices for the deaf. No one depends more on electricity for communication than deaf people, and no other group of people is more tech savvy.
deaf gadgets
May 31, 2009
I’m so excited. I finally got my Sorenson working again. Last night a Sorenson guy showed up out of nowhere. He needed to give me a new number because of some new FCC regulations. But it was strange the way he showed up so late at night. I told him my Sorenson wasn’t working, then he tested it and said it WAS working, but I kept telling him I didn’t think it worked. Then he assigned my new numbers, and tried to call the CIR (I do not know what that stands for but I think it meant he was calling an interpreter because that’s what he did next.) and then the interpreter told him she wasn’t getting my connection or something. So he had to put in a new router that would piggy back onto my old router. He’s coming back tomorrow and then everything should be all fixed!! And I will be able to call anywhere!!!
Which I can already do with relay, but it will be better if I don’t have to type. We all know what a hassle that is when you have to leave a message in someones voice box. I have had bad experiences trying to get hold of medical staff with relay. By the time the relay person types out the message, the machine shuts off before I have a chance to type anything back. Then they call back, which is stupid because I never answer the phone. They don’t leave messages because of privacy laws (and even if they did I wouldn’t hear it.) So what happens it I call, then they call back, then I call back, then they call back. . . (sigh) Some people use a fax, but I don’t have one. So I’m hoping the Sorenson will work out better– because when the call back I can answer the phone and an interpreter will tell me the message.
I have been having a lot of signing coincidences lately. And this is a good thing because I have gotten so out of practice since I don’t know many Deaf people and none of them live around here.
Last month a lady from HLAA wrote to ask if I would practice ASL with her neighbor who was going through the same program I went through a couple years ago, so I’ve been practicing with her. Then yesterday this Sorenson guy showed up. He was here an hour and explained everything he was doing in ASL, and only had to fingerspell a few things out because I forgot the signs. I think he was used to talking to numbskulls like me because he signed very, very slowly after I explained that I was learning ASL since I lost my hearing.
And now today I was at a memorial service for my friend who died, and it turned out my friend’s cousin was Deaf. I saw him signing in the church with his sister who is going to school to be an interpreter. So I talked to him for awhile too.
It is very hard to talk in a foreign language to a total stranger, but I do need the practice, and I’m grateful when Deaf people put up with me. I know my sentence structure is backwards, and I have hearing brain and I’m slow. So it always amazes me when they actually GET what I’m saying because I know I’m not signing things exactly right.
I’m just really glad all this has happened. I think maybe it’s a sign that I need to sign more. 
