[nfb-db] NFB-DB Hi Angelina

Tue Apr 21 15:03:10 UTC 2015

Angelina:  Welcome!  I am very glad to have you here among us.  I am Cathy Miller, from Louisiana.  Coping with hearing loss has been a traumatic experience for me, but more than that, it is a journey.  Congratulations on the courage to reach out to others like yourself.  I'm so glad you found us!

I was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at age 18.  I got my first pair of hearing aids in my mid-20s, but all they did was make the muffled speech louder, so they were not the answer for me.  Several years later I received a pair of digital hearing aids which helped a lot more, except when there was background noise.  It was a few years later that I walked in front of a car while crossing the street.  I was not hit, but the driver was extremely angry with me and yelled and called me some horrible names.  I knew it was time to do something different and stopped crossing the street alone.  This story has a happy ending, as I received cochlear implants, which make life bearable and often wonderful.  Although I still cannot understand speech in noisy environments, I design my lifestyle so that hearing in a noisy environment is no longer a necessity.  It was difficult to realize that I needed accommodations, and that no one was going to give them to me.  I had to learn what I needed and demand to have them.  If someone has something to tell me, they do it under circumstances that are accommodating.  After all, I drilled two holes in my head in order to hear you; the least you can do is speak up.

So, back to crossing the street.  One of the things that folks in the deaf-blind division of the NFB are promoting is the use of Support Service Providers  (SSPs).  These are persons trained to help us to perform our daily routines without putting ourselves in harm's way.  With training from O&M specialists such as those found at NFB training centers, many deaf-blind folks still cross the street independently; but if that is not what you believe is right for you, then you may have an alternative.  orientation and Mobility specialists are great, and they push us beyond our comfort zones, helping us to retain our hard won independence.  But ultimately the decision is yours, and although I encourage you to learn to cross the street if you feeel safe, if it's not for you, you are the only one who can say no.  Just know that we deserve alternatives.  Go to the Helen Keller National Center (HKNC) website and find the regional representative who serves your state.  Talk with that person about whether the training offered at HKNC is right for you.  Scott Davert is one of the national representatives, and we are extremely fortunate to have him among us.  Remember that the NFB deaf-blind division exists for folks like you who want to share their experiences and develop best practices among peers who live in the trenches.  As you walk this journey, please consider sharing your successes and your challenges with us.  I hope that others will return the favor.  You will find lifetime friends among us.  We will meet in orlando in July and hope that you can join us there.  Please tell us more about yourself.  

Cathy Miller

Sent from my iPad

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>   1. Newby to the list (Anjelina)
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> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2015 17:58:52 -0400
> From: Anjelina <anjelinac at att.net>
> To: "nfb-db at nfbnet.org" <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [nfb-db] Newby to the list
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> Good day list,
> My name is Anjelina and I am new to the list. I am interested in learning more about deaf-blindness. Over the years I have noticed some hearing loss in my right ear which I have been able to compensate for. A few weeks ago I had a near run-in with a car while crossing a busy street which really startled me since I didn't hear the car. If you all don't mind, can you tell me a bit about your hearing loss and how you have coped with it?
> Thanks
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> 
> -Anjelina
> Sent from my iPad
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