[nfb-db] New and introducing myself

[Scott Davert]

Hello Marsha, and a warm welcome to you.
I certainly can relate to a lot of your struggles, I had many of the
same at convention. If it hadn't been for the support of a few
understanding people with normal hearing, I would have been lost as
well. The hotel reminds me of a large parking garage, very open an and
full of echos. Not what you'd call a user friendly environment for
those who are hearing impaired. Then again, 99% of the world isn't, so
the best we can do is try to adapt to the world around us.  To help
offset the hearing loss, I gave my FM to a couple of the vendors that
I spoke with and also to some of the presenters /committee presidents
who ran meetings. This helped some, but I then couldn't really hear
what was going on around me either. I could have asked them to pass
the FM around, but having blind people do that, myself being one I
know, is rather challenging in such a setting. Also, I often feel like
a burden for having to ask people to do that. But those who attempt to
accomodate me make me feel like less of one, and I'm just as entitled
to the info as anyone else, so I try to advocate for the use of it.
I'm not always successful because I feel like I have to be too polite,
but that's my struggle for now.
Were you at my presentation on deaf-blindness and technology? I know
someone had an FM system which I wore, but I never knew whose FM
system it was.
I'll send another email shortly introducing myself, as I have not done
so even though I've been on this mailing list for nearly a year. It's
been so inactive that I didn't find it worthy of being done.

Nice to meet you on the list!
Scott

On 7/11/12, Marsha Drenth <marsha.drenth at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
>
>
> I just subscribed to the list. Recently I went to the national convention,
> but was unable to get to the social.
>
>
>
> Just a quick intro, I 'm Marsha. I live in Philadelphia PA with my Seeing
> Eye dog and husband. Hubby and I have been married for 3 years now. My
> guide
> Emma, is a 6 and half year old GSD, who will most likely be retired soon.
> Emma has had a number of health and stress issues lately. I am a full time
> student at Temple University trying to get my degree in social work. I am
> considered a junior and have two long years left. I am totally blind with a
> moderate to severe hearing loss. I also have balance problems that
> accompany
> the hearing loss. Currently I use hearing aids with an FM system, but I
> still can't hear all that I need to with that amount of equipment.
> Traveling
> is the hardest by far, as I can not hear traffic, and get lost very easily.
>
>
>
>
> I discovered in 2007 that I was losing my hearing, and since then I have
> lost more and more. The ENT thinks that I have Meniere's. I have been
> totally blind for a number of years, and have dealt with the social aspects
> of that. I just find being hearing impaired is very hard. I spend so much
> energy trying to hear what people say to me, or where I am at, or traffic,
> and the list goes on. If I could have ear transplants I would be first in
> line. Like for example at the national convention, it was like a hearing
> nightmare. I used the FM receivers the ameture radio division had out for
> loan, and for the first time I was able to hear all of the speakers. But if
> someone was sitting next to me I could not hear them. I got lost so many
> times in the big room that general session took place. Talking to anyone in
> the exhibit hall was almost impossible to hear what they said back to me.
> Lots of times, people would say something, and I would pretend I heard
> them.
> If my husband had not been there to tell me what people said, or help me
> get
> around, I could have not done it.
>
>
>
> How do you all do it? Sorry for sounding stupid or lame. I know everyone
> has
> way worse problems than I, so my complaints, are not really that, but I
> needing to get tips and tricks. Why I didn't sign up for this email list
> before now, I am not sure. Some of you might recognize me, I am the
> moderator of the NAGDU email list.
>
>
>
> A good friend recommended that I join, so thank you to her for that.
>
>
>
> Thank you,
>
> Marsha
>
>
>
>