[nfb-db] About This Group List
Shadow Wolf
soulalibi at gmail.com
Thu Mar 20 20:56:13 UTC 2014
Hi Delencia,
Nice to meet you.
To get into HKNC in NY. You first need to work with your state Voc Rehab
councilor. From there, your state VR should know who the HKNC regional
representative is that represents Ohio. Each region in the United States
is represented by an HKNC Rep. For example: The states of Cali, AZ, NM,
NV and Hawaii is represented by one HKNC regional representative. This
person works with state VR's in all of these states I mentioned of DB
clients who are very interested in attending HKNC for training. But you
need to be serious about it. The state pays a heck a lot of money for
your training at HKNC. They invest a lot of money on you. Some DBs do
not understand this and they give up while at HKNC. The state loses a
lot of money from that individual and it goes to waste. The dorm alone
at the HKNC residence cost the state over $1,200 per week for you to
stay in.
As for the state I live in. I live in Arizona.
I also took advantage of the ICC program. As I was told by our state's
main ICC contact person. I became the 2nd DB individual in my state to
receive my first ICC equipment. I opted for the iPhone 5. Which I
received last Feb. 2013 prior to my entrance to HKNC. I felt lucky
enough to be among the first out of hundreds of waiting applicants in my
state to get an ICC equipment.
--S. W.
On 3/20/2014 12:26 PM, Delcenia Brown wrote:
> First let me say hello to everyone on this list and happy belated
> birthday to Trish. To those that do not know me which is most of you.
> My name is Delcenia and I live outside of Cleveland, ohio area. I am a
> little new to this list as of September 2013. Welcome Shadow. I do
> not normally respond to anything other than the question regarding the
> voting issues because I do not personally know any of you. After
> reading the last thread I am compelled to say something.
>
> I begin to wear one hearing aid at the age of 10 in my right ear.
> Maybe 10 or 15 years later I needed to wear two hearing aids in both
> ears. Now I only wear one hearing aid in my left ear. I was diagnose
> with RP at the age of 21.
> Many years later I was told I had Usher Syndrom 2In 2005 I was told I
> have MS. . I never had balance problems. I drove a car until I was
> around 28. I have always excepted whatever condition I was dealt.
> however, I never place myself into a category until recently. It was
> not because I did not accept it, it was I felt like I did not belong
> because my situation was unique and never heard any one else with
> similar problems. I say this because until I joined this list I did
> not know you all exist as far as having similar problems. Darlene I
> also enjoyed playing cards and once I learned braille from Hadley I
> could still play just not as fast as I use to. One of my question is,
> how did you and others get to go to HK? Now after turning 50 on
> December 31, 2013 and my situation is getting worse. I want to
> continue to take charge of my life. I also want to work and this has
> been a challenge. I had place a question on this list back in January
> 14 and no one responded. Maybe I am using this list the wrong way as
> far as trying to post a question or comment. At the time I was doing a
> 3 day assessment to see if call center setting would work. I had post
> a question looking for suggestions on how to handle the setting that I
> had at the time.
>
> Could some of you when responding or posting say what state you are
> from so that I and others would know. Personally, I think this list
> is a good idea. I have learned a lot from all of you since September
> 2013. I hope to meet all of you one day. Unfortunately, it will not
> be the National Convention this year in orlando. My oldest
> granddaughter who live in North Carolina turn 10 on July 3 and I want
> to spend time with her and my husband's family reunion is in Detroit
> the same week. I will be stretching myself across the border that week.
>
> Meanwhile, Anna Trotman, I am grateful for the I Can Connect program
> (ICCP). I am learning to use my IPAD, Iphone and Braille Display. I
> can not wait for the training to began again. Meanwhile the internet
> and Hadley has been a great tool for learning.
>
> So keep on keeping on everybody and remember with a little
> determination we can accomplish a lot.
>
> Delcenia
> -----Original Message----- From: Darlene Laibl-Crowe
> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 10:51 AM
> To: 'NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [nfb-db] About This Group List
>
> First, Shadow, I want to say 'AWESOME!' about the CI and getting your
> best
> ear back. Yes, I understand what you say about one ear being better than
> the other. Mine is the right ear. I have heard many positive things
> from
> CI wearers as I have many friends who have them. I found out when I
> began
> to lose more hearing that I was not a good candidate for CI because I
> could
> still hear with a hearing aid...so for now, I am bi-lateral hearing aid
> user. One day I might have to become a CI-user but for now I do what
> I do.
>
>
> I got new HAs about three weeks ago and they are great along with the
> Assistive listening Devices I got with them! Unfortuantely there are
> some
> areas that need to be worked out and that is the issue of background
> noises.
> Sigh! It will get better as I know from experience technology is
> improving
> all the time!
>
> I really enjoyed Bernie's class, too! What did you do your
> presentation on?
> Mine was called 'Laugh Out Loud' and everyone had a blast. I recently
> used
> it for a speech at my local Lion's Club for St Patrick's Day and the
> audience loved it. Everyone had a great time laughing! It isn't
> stand up
> comedy, just pure laughter which is good for the heart, mind, body and
> soul!
>
> Did they have the leadership class while you were there? I took that
> class
> because I wanted to know the 'right' way to advocate for myself. We
> learned
> a lot in that class and it has helped me tremendously with all I do.
>
> Well, gotta go, take care of yourself!
> (smile)
> Darlene
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-db [mailto:nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Shadow Wolf
> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 10:37 AM
> To: NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nfb-db] About This Group List
>
> Hi Darlene,
> Nice to meet you. I was at HKNC for 11 months. I took full advantage
> of the
> training they offered there. I took up whatever classes they offered
> besides
> just learning Braille, Technology, ASL-TSL-Haptic Signs and Independent
> Living. I even took Sr. Bernie's presentation class last fall prior to
> her
> retirement last Dec. after 34 or 35 years she worked there. It was a
> great
> learning experience.
>
> I first started wearing hearing aids in both ears at 6 years old. I
> lost my
> hearing as a toddler. I was told I had RP during my early teens once I
> was
> diagnosed. But I was still driving up until I was 24. Then later on,
> around
> in 2010. I was told I had Usher's type-2. I was confused about that,
> because
> Usher's also affects balance. Whereas I do not have balance issues. In
> fact, I think most people with Usher's type-2 do not have balance issues.
> On New Year's eve 2000, I was involved in a really bad car accident.
> Although I was not a driver but a passenger. I suffered head trauma
> where I
> also suffered an ear fracture in left side. I lost my hearing in that
> ear 2
> days later. For 9 and half years I was hearing with only 1 ear, a hearing
> aid. My left ear was my better ear then. If you are a right hand person,
> writing with a right hand, it was like losing your right hand and
> trying to
> write with your left hand. Same with my hearing after that accident. I
> had
> communication issues and kept to myself during most of that time.
> Until one
> day in fall 2009, I got lucky and became a candidate in my state to
> receive
> a Cochlear Implant. After all is said and done. After 3 months of my
> brain
> trying to adjust to my CI and hearing in my left ear again. My left ear
> where my CI is, became the better ear once again. I now understand people
> best with my CI. It is loud and clear. The CI boosted my communication
> skills and gave me a great deal of confidence. I am now happy that I
> received the CI and I hold no regrets about it. It is medically
> amazing that
> the CI can restore your hearing if someone suffered dramatic hearing loss
> from an ear fracture. I admit I was skeptical at first when I first
> sat down
> with CI specialists prior to my surgery. I didn't think it was gonna
> work.
> But I was wrong. The CI did work for me.
>
> --S.W.
>
> On 3/20/2014 4:49 AM, Darlene Laibl-Crowe wrote:
>> Good morning, Shadow!
>>
>> Welcome to the NFB DB Division. I, too, have RP and am HOH. I wear
>> bi-lateral hearing haids. But I did not grow up knowing that I had
>> RP. I found out as an adult at the age of 28 and had to give up
>> driving. I was able to see to read print and see people's faces to
>> read lips to accommodate for what I could hear for about 22 years
>> after I
> was diagnosed with RP.
>> That means when I turned 50 almost 6 years ago, I struggled with what
>> to do as I could not longer see to do things that I kept doing as a
>> sighted person.
>>
>> Since I grew up wearing hearing aids, I never considered myself a 'deaf'
>> person and can remember someone telling me 'oh, you're deaf' when I
>> told them I wore hearing aids. I quickly responded and told them 'oh,
>> no, I can hear something'.
>>
>> So six years ago when I began to struggle with vision loss, I finally
>> met many who were dealing with similar issues and I recognized that I
>> was Deaf-Blind. Once I was able to define this, I soon went to Helen
>> Keller National Center (January 2011 -- September 2011) where I
>> learned much about my specific needs. HKNC is a great place to learn
>> all you can about resources and gives a great sense of confidence.
>>
>> Since returning home, I have continued to learn and made great progress.
>> How long were you at HKNC? Also, if you are home, are you learning
>> Braille through Hadley's?
>>
>> That was how I completed my Braille...through Hadley School for the
>> Blind.
>> The Braille teacher at HKNC was very good and so glad I got the
>> beginnings of it there and the teacher at Hadley was also very good.
>> I use Braille in my everyday life but I am not that fluent because I
>> have not made myself sit and read as I should. Need to get myself
>> back on track there. I use Braille in business meetings, identifying
>> things in my home and I also use it often when playing cards. My
>> family loves to play canasta and I missed playing it. Now I can play
>> it again! (smile) My sister (who is sighted) and I always play
>> partners against our spouses and we win the majority of the time!
>>
>> Take your time learning Braille. It can be daunting as times but very
>> rewarding when it is completed.
>>
>> Anyway, This list is a good source for information and sharing. I do
>> have a question...you state that you have been Deaf-Blind all your
>> life. When did you find out about your RP?
>>
>> Have a Thrilling Thursday!!
>>
>> (smile)
>> Darlene
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
> --
> *~Shadow Wolf~*
>
>
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*~Shadow Wolf~*
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