[nfb-db] Living independently with 70% hearing loss in Rio Grande Valley?

[Janice Toothman]

Geraldo,

Yes you can live independently with as a Deaf-Blind individual with 70% 
hearing loss.  However, you need good travel skills and support system 
to ensure that you can manage to get what you need to get do and go 
where you need to go.  Whether that means public transportation, 
paratransit, friends, church or faith-based organization.

Also, I mention friends because I saw you on the humanservices list 
also.  I know that having completed my counseling training and am 
looking for a job to complete my licensing hours is a daunting task with 
out adding a dual disability to the mix.  That is where the support of 
the friends, particularly Federation Friends can be of enormous  help.

Did you get your BA in in psychology in Mexico and now want to apply to 
graduate school in the US?

Personally, finding out how other people have coped and lived 
independently with the degree of hearing loss is an asset not only to 
you but to others.

I enjoyed my independence and used a combination of paratransit, the 
campus shuttle system and walking with my guide dog to store for 
graceries/pharmacy in the  stores right behind my apartments.

It was an awesome feeling to be responsible for my apartment and paying 
the bills.  All the apartment kids loved my guide dog and wanted to pet 
her.  She loved the attention, when not in harness because she adores 
little kids.  Although it was frequently a challenge hearing what people 
said, if I did not have my FM System with me.  But I did my best and was 
upfront about my hearing and vision loss.

Janice


On 10/12/2015 9:45 AM, Gerardo Corripio via nfb-db wrote:
>  HI guys
> Is it possible to live independently with 70% hearing loss aside from 
> blindness? Also how is the Rio Grande Valley in terms of working 
> opportunities, being able to get paratransit etc? Please write me off 
> list as not to clutter at gera1027 at gmail.com Thanks for any info.
>