[nfb-db] NFB-DB Hi Angelina

Tue Apr 21 20:26:34 UTC 2015

Hi Cathy, I must tell you that you gave an outstanding introduction to  
Anjie about yourself and the NFB-DB. Thank you for sharing your experience with 
 the Anjie and the list members.  

We do have to structure our selves around situations that serve us  better. 
 Also improvements in both technology and our ability to access it  is 
improving.  At our workshops and seminars for those who cannot benefit  from a 
pa system we have purchased the fm systems and loops to help some  
individuals.  For others who have applied at the time of registration there  will be 
interpreters.  If we work together on our goals we can accomplish a  lot more 
than if we work alone.  

Thank you Cathy for all that you have done for the db national  division.  

Have a terrific Tuesday to all.  

Cheri Fields

In a message dated 4/21/2015 11:04:11 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
nfb-db at nfbnet.org writes:

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 n
eeded 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 pe
rson 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

> On Apr 18, 2015, at 7:00 AM, nfb-db-request at nfbnet.org  wrote:
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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
>  Message-ID: <D251A95F-67E1-4416-8F4D-32655EA8E2E0 at att.net>
>  Content-Type: text/plain;    charset=us-ascii
> 
> 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
> 
> 
> -Anjelina
> Sent from  my iPad
> 
> 
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