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<DIV><FONT size=3>Hey Janet, good to hear from you.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>I feel like when I was young I refused to use a cane until one
daya mobility instructor told me it was for your won safety more than
anything. Then to my amazment many people who saw you with acane wanted to
give you assistance. I welcomed the help. But it is not that way
with hearing loss. Many people react in different ways. Some
doctors have ignored me and talked only to my husband as if he were the
patient. I </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 3/21/2014 12:58:55 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
sandboxxx@aol.com writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial><FONT
size=2><FONT face=arial>Hi Cheri,<BR><BR>I found your comment
"</FONT></FONT><FONT id=aolmail_role_document color=#000000 size=2
face=Arial>Having hearing loss is the only disability where people get angry
at you because you don't understand what they are saying" thought-provoking. I
was hard of hearing all my life, and on reflection realized people were
impatient with me but more than anything I just missed a lot. I got very
little information from the ambient conversation around me, but had no idea
how important it was. There is no reason for professionals to
treat me as if I didn't exist. Other people would not know how
to approach me and therefore would avoid me. I can remember people
in public school many years ago saying why were you so stuck up. I
wasn't able to recognize who they were. But the hearing loss has caused
more arguments then any of the vision loss problems. Too many
misunderstandings from not hearing correctly cause family
disruptions.</FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV>Blessings,</DIV>
<DIV>Cheri</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial><FONT
id=aolmail_role_document color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial><BR><BR>When my
speech comprehension plunged as a result of my increased blindness, I got my
two Cochlear Implants. Without them I would not be able to understand speech
at all. With them I have moderate hearing loss and so still find many people
impatient when speaking with me.<BR><BR>I had a lot of angry reactions when my
RP made me bump into people constantly. I got a lot of dirty looks. I resisted
starting to use the cane, but once I did I was amazed at the lack of dirty
looks in my life. What a pleasure.<BR><BR>Isn't it amazing how people without
certain handicaps have no idea how to interact with such people? A large
proportion of Americans have some kind of a severe disability and yet for some
reason the majority prefer to remain ignorant about how to deal with the
disabled as normal people and move on with life in a normal way. This comment
applied not only to people without disabilities but also to people who may
have one or two </FONT><FONT id=aolmail_role_document color=#000000 size=2
face=Arial><FONT id=aolmail_role_document color=#000000 size=2
face=Arial>disabilities </FONT>and remain totally ignorant about
others.<BR><BR>Janet Sand<BR></FONT>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial; COLOR: black"><FONT
size=2><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: Cherifields
<Cherifields@aol.com><BR>To: nfb-db <nfb-db@nfbnet.org><BR>Sent:
Wed, Mar 19, 2014 10:13 pm<BR>Subject: Re: [nfb-db] About This Group
List<BR><BR>
<DIV id=AOLMsgPart_2_6943e012-7019-44d5-9d1e-bd96e3cae2ee>
<DIV class=aolReplacedBody
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #000000"><FONT
id=aolmail_role_document color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Hey Shadow Wolf,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>You are very observant, yes I meant perplexed. I hope
this group is all that you need it to be.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>I have Optic Neuropathy, which effects both vision and
hearing. It is hereditary. My vision has only gotten worse with
age. I also use Zoomtext at a 16 to 24X. While I took braille 1
and 2 in the past, I haven't any equipment either. My hearing is at a
moderate loss. I didn't until recently consider that I was deaf-blind
since I didn't use sign language like other members of my family. There
is no real neat package to fit into when you are not totally deaf blind.
I accept that I have both hearing and vision loss. Having hearing loss
is the only disability where people get angry at you because you don't
understand what they are saying. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>I will be happy to communicate with
you. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Blessings,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Cheri </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 3/19/2014 6:00:52 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, <A
title=mailto:soulalibi@gmail.com
href="mailto:soulalibi@gmail.com">soulalibi@gmail.com</A> writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>Hi
Cheri,<BR>Thanks for the brief intro about this group. And I think you meant
to say "perplexed at first". <BR>Anyhow, I have been a Deaf-Blind individual
my whole life. I am visually impaired with a common eye degenerate known as
RP (retinitis pigmentosa). I am also hard of hearing (H of H) wearing both a
CI and a digital hearing aid. But I did not go by this term (Deaf-Blind)
until 2009 when I was first exposed to the Deaf-Blind community. But it took
me another year to learn to accept the term. I didn't know a DB community or
such groups existed, until around that time. I'm no stranger to the
Deaf-Blind realities as I live with it my whole life. I just successfully
completed my 11 month long training at the Helen Keller National Center this
past Jan. 31st. And I am fully aware of the many needs and challenges we DBs
face in everyday life. My personal needs may not be the same as yours
and others in this group. For example, I am not yet a skilled Braille
reader. My skills ended in Grade 2 Uncontracted Braille somewhere in the
beginning of the first couple chapters. I prefer to read with my own eyes
using the ZoomText 10 software. That means I may lack some basic knowledge
in Braille related equipment and associated Braille products. <BR><BR>I hope
to keep up with certain discussions that I can relate to. <BR><BR>--Shadow
Wolf<BR><BR>
<DIV class=aolmail_moz-cite-prefix>On 3/19/2014 4:53 PM, <A
title=mailto:Cherifields@aol.com class=aolmail_moz-txt-link-abbreviated
href="mailto:Cherifields@aol.com">Cherifields@aol.com</A> wrote:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><FONT color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Hello Shadow,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>My understanding is that it started out to help those of
us who had both hearing and vision loss to ask us how we voted and we all
gave our responses as to what would help us to be able to vote in
elections. When that was finished this board was to let others ask
questions and give responses. I hope this helps you. I was
somewhat complexed at first and then I just jumped in and answered
someones questions or said hello to new members.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Blessings,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Cheri Fields</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 3/19/2014 10:01:19 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, <A
title=mailto:soulalibi@gmail.com class=aolmail_moz-txt-link-abbreviated
href="mailto:soulalibi@gmail.com">soulalibi@gmail.com</A> writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2
face=Arial>Thanks for the clarification. Looking forward to some
interesting <BR>discussions in this forum.<BR><BR>On 3/19/2014 6:35 AM,
Gerardo Corripio wrote:<BR>> This list is mainly talk about
deafblind, people who have both, <BR>> hearing and vission
impairments. For instance I start talking about <BR>> let's say
hearing aids, and others chime in by replying to my
EMail.<BR>><BR>> El 19/03/2014 06:58 a.m., Shadow Wolf
escribió:<BR>>> Hello Lisa or David,<BR>>> I first sent an
email to Lisa Hall, but unfortunately her email <BR>>> address as
provided in this group information page, did not go through.<BR>>>
I just joined the NFB-DB list yesterday. But I am not familiar with
<BR>>> how this list works. I am getting occasional emails from
individuals <BR>>> where I have no clue what the topic of
discussion is about. Or from <BR>>> someone in response to someone
else's comment as part of a broader <BR>>> discussion. Perhaps
from before I joined. I haven't posted anything <BR>>> yet. Until
I fully understand how the list works. Any helpful <BR>>>
suggestions?<BR>>><BR>>>
Thanks,<BR>>><BR>><BR><BR>-- <BR>*~Shadow
Wolf~*<BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>nfb-db
mailing list<BR><A title=mailto:nfb-db@nfbnet.org
class=aolmail_moz-txt-link-abbreviated
href="mailto:nfb-db@nfbnet.org">nfb-db@nfbnet.org</A><BR><A
title=http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org
class=aolmail_moz-txt-link-freetext
href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org"
target=_blank>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org</A></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></FONT><BR>
<FIELDSET class=aolmail_mimeAttachmentHeader></FIELDSET> <BR><PRE>_______________________________________________ nfb-db mailing list <A title=mailto:nfb-db@nfbnet.org class=aolmail_moz-txt-link-abbreviated href="mailto:nfb-db@nfbnet.org">nfb-db@nfbnet.org</A> <A title=http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org class=aolmail_moz-txt-link-freetext href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org" target=_blank>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org</A> </PRE></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><PRE class=aolmail_moz-signature cols="72">-- *~Shadow Wolf~*</PRE><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>nfb-db
mailing list<BR><A title=mailto:nfb-db@nfbnet.org
href="mailto:nfb-db@nfbnet.org">nfb-db@nfbnet.org</A><BR><A
title=http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org
href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org"
target=_blank>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org</A><BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV id=AOLMsgPart_3_6943e012-7019-44d5-9d1e-bd96e3cae2ee
style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif; COLOR: #000; MARGIN: 0px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff"><PRE style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><TT>_______________________________________________ nfb-db mailing list <A title=mailto:nfb-db@nfbnet.org href="mailto:nfb-db@nfbnet.org">nfb-db@nfbnet.org</A> <A title=http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org" target=_blank>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org</A> </TT></PRE></DIV></DIV><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>nfb-db
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