'Hears' to Life!

The University of Oregon has received funding to support six doctoral students in Special Education, Secondary Special Education and Transition (SSET) area.  The current funding will support doctoral training in policy, advocacy, instruction and research pertaining to secondary special education and transition beginning the Fall 2009 term.

The initial application deadline is January 5, 2009.  A flyer with complete details is available at http://interact.uoregon.edu/pdf/sped/0809/pair.pdf

So, for those of you living in Oregon and needing a little financial help with your Doctoral studies, here's your chance to possibly get it!

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

The new Flats on the Fox Apartments in Green Bay, WI opened in late September and are welcoming some of their first residents.  The Flats on the Fox features affordable 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments.  Select 1 and 2 bedroom apartments have special design features to accommodate people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Some of the features include:  TTY in vestibule; web cam in lobby with Internet and/or Cable access in apartments, doorbell with light transmission/alerting system and Visual & Audible Emergency Warning Systems.  If you would like more information on Flats on the Fox, contact Kasie Setterlund, Director of Operations at 877-700-8176 or by email at kasie@stonehousedevelopment.com   The website for additional apartment information is:  http://www.flatsonthefox.com/index.html

Stonehouse Developement was the principal reason the apartments were built the way that they were based on their knowledge of D/HOH needs.  They are also one of the only development companies here in Wisconsin that has gone the extra mile to add these features to their properties.  Kudos to them!

Have a great week!

After 5 years of development, design and testing, www.DeafMd.org has been launched and is now available to the public!

DeafMD provides clear and concise health education in American Sign Language to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing population.  The service is free, uncluttered of advertisements and strictly for the betterment of the D/HOH community.

DeafMD functions solely through the donations of the users of DeafMD.  Take time to navigate the site and provide feedback to them!  They are always looking for new ideas and welcome comments.  DeafMD will be traveling to DeafNation expos in Chicago, San Francisco and New York City in the near future.

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

As all of you know, we have our own medical insurance.  Once Brian decided to start the business, we lost the corporate benefits that came with his job in the banking world.  So, like a lot of other small business owners, we shopped around and tried to get the best deal.  I won't even go into how many hours I spent on the phone and computer trying to accomplish that!

We are lucky in that none of us have medical issues or as I call them, red flags that would cause us to be categorized as 'high risk'.  Even when we had the Corporate HMO, I never did get into the habit of running one of the 4 kids to the doctor for every little sniffle and sneeze.  So, I really felt like we were responsible 'clients' who didn't abuse the system.

Fast forward to 8 years later and we are now having to either renegotiate our monthly premium/policy once a year when the policy ends or having to find another company altogether because the premium has jumped 20% or more.  For instance, just last month, our policy with Humana was coming up for renewal.  I totaled up what we had spent either out of pocket or via the insurance and considering that we still have 2 college age kids on the policy with us, we still only saw a doctor 3 times and still ended up paying over $500.00 because of the insurance deeming it as an 'out of pocket/family deductible'.

I never could figure out how our Doctor (Pro-Health) could charge the insurance company on average $180.00 for an office visit that didn't involve lab tests, x-rays or complicated medical issues.  We are talking about going in, getting checked out and having a prescription written for antibiotics when the winter flu bug hit and went into bronchitis or an upper respiratory infection.  Looking back at the claim forms/payments made to the Doctor's office alone, it was amazing for me to see that once again, our insurance company did not pay $180.00.  It was a lot less due to 'contractual agreements with the provider and insurance company'.  Translated, this means that for those that don't have any medical insurance, you get to pay full price since you have no insurance company that has 'negotiated' with your physician as to what they will pay them for an office visit.  In our case, since this was not a mammogram or yearly woman's check-up, all 3 visits were put into the 'out of pocket to meet family deductible' which meant we got to pay the bill even though it was reduced via the insurance.

Up until September, 2008, we had been paying $587.25 a month for our policy.  In late July, I got the notice for renewal and the premium had shot up to $710.00 a month.  This was for a $5,000 out of pocket per year family deductible along with us having to choose a 'in network' doctor/hospital.  If you are on the road and need medical care, in our case, our deductible would go up to $10,000 and coverage would still only be 60% after that.  Ugh!

So, I called Humana and started the negotiations again.  After many phone conversations and emails, we ended up being more responsible by going to a $10,000 deductible (family) before insurance kicking in to cover a 'medical event'.  And, our premium ended up going down to $547.00 a month.  Needless to say, I felt like we had been taken to the cleaners once again.  I can't imagine what a business owner/self employed person would end up paying if there were serious medical issues involved!   And for those of you wondering, none of the insurance policies that we have had over the past 8 years covered anything to do with hearing loss or hearing aids....

So, last night we got a call from our youngest son, John.  He's at Carthage College in Kenosha and knows that if he is sick, the first call should be to Mom.  All of the kids know that they are not to go to an emergency room unless it's really an emergency.  After talking to him and finding out what was going on, I figured out that he either had an ear infection or possibly strep throat.  This time of the year, the colleges are full of kids getting sick due to weather changes, not eating right and just plain staying up too late.  They've got a lot of extracurricular events to attend with their peers! (parties!)

I called our Doctor to see if I could go down to Kenosha, pick him up and bring him in for an appointment.  It was 4:30pm and I knew that I would be looking at a 2 - 2 1/2 hour round trip.  Lo and behold, the doctors' office closed at 6:00pm.  So, that was not an option.  And, yes Mrs. Klink, the office visit was still going to be over $200.00....

So, Brian and I started brainstorming.  We would be out of network in Kenosha and Pro-Health was not in that area, so our daughter, Kristi reminded us of her experience while at Kenosha with the Aurora Quick Care walk-in facility located at the Piggly Wiggly down there.  Eureka!  (College grads do learn great things!)  I called them and they were open until 6:30pm.  This Physicians' Assistant went out of her way to make sure I understood where they were located, what I would need to bring and I about dropped the phone when she said the visit would cost us $49.00.  Something is seriously wrong here!  I know that they don't handle 'emergencies' or have the capability to do most lab tests or x-rays, but $49.00!  You've got to be kidding me. 

So, we hightailed it down to Kenosha and John was able to get a friend to take him to the site ahead of us since we were going to run out of time.  This place is the size of a very large closet.  But, the service is unbelievable.  Mary Fran Raynor was the Physicians' Assistant on duty and she took every detail in without appearing to be in a hurry.  We got the diagnosis (ear infection) and she wrote us a prescription for the antibiotic.  She even took the time to tell us where the best place would be to get the prescription filled.  I am amazed!

So, it cost us $49.00 plus $5.25 for the amoxicillin at the pharmacy.  Yes, I know, we spent time on the road and gas money.  But, even with that we still came out way ahead compared to if we had gone to our regular physician.  In our case, insurance would not have paid for either one of them based on our policy restrictions, so which was the better deal?  And, if you don't have insurance, the cost for the Aurora Quick Care visit doesn't go up.  Why would a major medical provider charge more to those that obviously can't afford to buy insurance?  Something is really out of whack here.  No wonder we have such high medical costs and people that are defaulting on their medical bills due to no insurance. 

It would be very interesting to find out just how much the Insurance Lobbyists as well as the Insurance Companies are paying/donating to our legislative officials.  I smell a rat here....

Have a great week! 

NIDCD (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) has launched a new campaign to help parents of 8 - 12 years olds teach their children how to avoid hearing loss from overexposure to loud noise.

The campaign was launched this month and is called, "It's a Noisy Planet.  Protect Their Hearing".  The website features advice to parents on the causes and prevention of noise-induced hearing loss, how to recognize when a child's hearing is at risk and ways to reduce noise exposure. 

You can view the information at:  http://noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov/

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

The Commission of Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans has a great video on voting and the electoral process in this short 6 minute video.  You can access it by going to http://www.sos.state.mn.us/home/index.asp?page=1074  I'm sure that other states have something similar to this, but have yet to find any of them.  For those that are very hesitant to put themselves in awkward communication situations, this is a great way to learn the basics.

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

For those of you out there that have a child in your life with hearing issues, there is a new program starting on January 1, 2009 through the Wisconsin Infant/Children's Statewide Hearing & Exchange Service (WISHES).

The WISHES program will be providing hearing instruments for a 6 month loan period to newly identified deaf and hard of hearing children up to 18 years of age.  This is for those that are not eligible for Medicaid coverage in our State.

This program is in collaboration with:  Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Wisconsin Sound Beginnings Program, WisTech and the University of Wisconsin-Stout Resistive Technology Resource Center.  The purpose of the program is to assure that cost or lack of insurance coverage does NOT prevent infants and children who are deaf or hard of hearing from having access to hearing instruments soon after identification/diagnosis. 

This temporary assistance is intended to bridge the gap between identification of having a hearing loss and obtaining the financial means to purchase personal amplification as well as for those children awaiting cochlear implant surgery.  Priority will be given to children ages 0 - 3.

For more information, please go to http://www.wesp-dhh.wi.gov/Programs/wishes.htm

There is also a link there that will let you download a complete brochure should you wish to send it to someone! 

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

National Association for the Deaf is partnering with DeafNation to host Deaf Viewpoints:  2008 U.S. Presidential Election.  The debate video can be viewed by visiting www.deafnation.com  The NAD also has voter information on its website, www.nad.org/Vote2008

This is an opportunity for those that depend on sign language to become further educated on the Presidential candidates.  All of the debates on television were close captioned, but for those of us needing sign language, there are not very many venues where we can 'watch' something and still be able to understand all that is being said.  NAD tried to have a fair and balanced debate with more focus on disabilities and where the candidates stand.  For those of you that do not have hearing issues, it might be fun for you to 'hear' what the hearing loss world is thinking!

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

The Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education is offering a course called, "Psychosocial Aspects of Disability and Chronic Illness.  Many types of disabilities will be addressed in the course; physical disabilities, long term mental illness, sensory impairments (deaf/hard of hearing/deaf-blind), developmental disabilities, chemical disabilities, ADD/ADHD, people living with HIV disease and/or AIDS and learning disabilities.  

If you are interested in being a guest speaker for the course, please contact the course instructor, David A. Rosenthal, PhD, CRC at 608-263-5860 or drosenthal@education.wisc.edu  The course meets on Thursdays from 3:30 - 5:30pm in room 2175 Grainger Hall.

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink 

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen issued a formal opinion on October 14, 2008 concluding that Wis. Stat. 885.38(3) which provides for in-court interpreters when deemed necessary for the hearing impaired or those of limited English proficiency requires that the public bear the expense of necessary interpreter services for all litigants regardless of their ability to pay.

The statute was amended in 2007 and replaced a law that had previously provided for provision of interpreters at public expense only in criminal cases where the defendant was indigent.  A copy of the original request by the Director of State Courts, A. John Walker and Attorney General Van Hollen's formal opinion can be accessed at:

http://www.doj.state.wi.us/ag/opinions/2008_10_14Voelker-Request.pdf

http://www.doj.state.wi.us/ag/opinions/2008_10_14Voelker.pdf

Having an interpreter in a court setting can be very beneficial for those that have hearing loss, vision loss or lack of competent English language.  There were cases where a person was going to court on a non-criminal charge (divorce, child custody cases, traffic tickets, ect) and they weren't able to understand the proceedings.  Many times decisions were made without them being able to understand what was going on.  This should make it a little bit easier for those of us that need a little more clarification in a courtroom setting.  Remember, you still have to request this service ahead of time!

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

Thanks to the HLAA National office for the following information.

By going to the link below, you can register to win an XBox 360 and also request a set of free ear plugs!  The website, Earbud.org is trying to get teens and young adults to start thinking about their hearing and ways to protect it.  So, if you know of someone that goes to loud venues and may need some ear protection, sign them up!  Who knows, they may be the lucky winner of the XBox 360.

Here's the link:  http://www.earbud.org/multi/form.php

Have a great week!

I know that there are a lot of us in the Lake Country area that do a lot of good for a lot of people.  Via my SEND Team contacts at Elmbrook, I have an opportunity for you to 'lend a hand' locally.  So, if you are feeling the need to 'Give Back' to those that could use a little help, here's the information.

A special family in Grafton, WI (single mom with triplets - two of which were diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at birth and now have been diagnosed with a neuromuscular disorder called Spinal Muscular Atrophy) need their home modified to accommodate their family's growing special needs.  The mom, last October, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer which she is receiving treatments for.

The house transformation is due to start October 29 and finish up in time for Thanksgiving!  Skilled and non-skilled people are needed to help with this project in lots of ways.

How can you help?

Check out:  http://www.kapcoinc.com/hthhedition/Index.html

Information courtesy of Pam Knoll and Mary Ann Lee at Elmbrook Church in Brookfield. 

Have a great week!

I know that we've all been reading about the racism exhibited in the election campaign, thought you'd like to hear some stories on a different kind of racism in the workplace.

I've changed the names of the people that have lived these stories as well as their employers.  Believe me, I would have loved to name the employers/businesses.  But, with the economy the way that it is, I really don't have a lot of extra money to pay lawyers...

Stacie - She's a 34 year old nurse in a Healthcare facility here in Waukesha County.  She got her nursing degree from a technical college and related to me how hard it was just to get her teachers to comply with her communication needs.  All that she asked them to do was look at her when they are speaking.  She ended up bringing a tape recorder to class so that she would not miss anything being said.  Then, she would spend time at night listening to the tapes and redoing her notes.  She had a GPA of 3.6 and got hired at a Hospital here in the area. 

She wears 1 hearing aid and has had hearing loss for most of her life.  When she was interviewing for the job, the person that she was dealing with in the Human Resources area asked her just 1 question on her hearing loss.  Stacie was very up front with the H.R. person and told her as much as she could when it came to her hearing loss.  She even included her latest audiogram so that there would be a record in her personnel file should she need to refer to it later.

At the conclusion of the interview, the H.R. person stated "I can't seem to see any difference in you since you appear to be able to hear me".  She was hired within 2 weeks and started working in the Emergency Department.  Her first day there, she again told all of the staff with her supervisor present of her communication style and even offered to do a training for those that wanted to learn more.  No one was interested.

Things went pretty well for the 1st week.  By the second week, people were talking to her behind her back or not taking the time to make sure that she had responded.  She was finding that she was having to do all of the extras when it came to communicating with her peers.  This was nothing new, since she had been doing this most of her life. 

The third week, her supervisor took her aside and told her that one of the Doctors had 'complained' about her not paying attention.  She knew who this Doctor was because he was unwilling to talk to her instead of hurriedly coming into the patients' room and then giving her orders on what he wanted done as he was walking out of the door.  She was always checking the charts to make sure that she was hearing correctly for fear that she would make a medication error.  She started carrying around a note pad to jot down medications and then confirming those communications back to the Doctors which is standard protocol.  Unfortunately, the staff in her area did not follow that standard.

By week 4, Stacie was feeling very stressed out and starting to get the feeling that she was never going to be able to get her fellow co-workers to change.  She was willing to meet them halfway, but they were still not willing to do the little things that would have made all of their shifts a lot easier.  She set up a meeting with her supervisor and was told that everyone was very busy and just didn't have time to adjust how they were doing things.  She had her 30 day review coming up and was starting to dread what was going to be said at that.

Review time came and although she got rave reviews on patient care, her supervisor was less than complimentary on her ability to adjust to the way that they do things.  She recommended that Stacie go through some additional training on working with others via the Human Resources Department at the Hospital.  Stacie agreed to go and upon completion of the first training, found that most of the others in attendance were there for 'disciplinary' reasons.  She went back to H.R. and told them that she did not want this training on her personnel record for fear that it would give the wrong impression.  H.R. said that if she didn't complete the training, it would reflect badly on her when it came to her Supervisors' decision when it came to her pay scale.

During the next few weeks, Stacie hung in there.  Her one hearing aid was about 5 years old and she noticed that it was starting to have a few problems.  She made an appointment with her Audiologist and was told that she was going to have to get a replacement since the one that she had was irreparable.  She knew that without her hearing aid, she was not going to be able to do her job very well.  She went to her Supervisor to see if she would be willing to send a letter along with her application to the DVR.  She had never used the DVR before, but with her student loans and rent, she just didn't have the funds to pay for a new hearing aid.  Her Supervisor refused on the basis that she didn't think Stacie should be getting free stuff from the State.

At the DVR interview, they told her that without a recommendation from her Supervisor, they were not sure if she would be approved.  She wasn't.  DVR told her that if she lost her job, they would help her to fill out the paperwork to receive disability pay from the State since she was eligible for it based on the severity of her hearing loss.  She was stunned!  Here she was, a qualified nurse and the State wanted her to quit working or get fired and then collect benefits from the State.  That's when she contacted me.

Between the two of us along with her audiologist and the H.R. dept at her Hospital, we were able to get them to 'force' the Supervisor to respond.  She was approved by the DVR and when I last spoke with her, she had transferred to a different department within the hospital, gotten her new hearing aid and was looking forward to conducting her first in-service training with her co-workers on working with people who have hearing loss.  Her previous Supervisor had not taken kindly to being told by H.R. to write a letter and soon after started finding anything that she could to make Stacie look inept.

This is a woman that pays her bills on time, is pro-active in dealing with her loss and just wants to have a chance at being successful.  And, she is not a minority when it comes to her ethnicity.  She has had people make negative comments on her using the DVR to pay for the hearing aid and also still deals daily with co-workers that just don't want to take the time to communicate clearly.  But, she's not giving up!  She's definitely got a "Reason to Live".

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

Getting a few questions on this little gizmo, so I've gone to the 2 sources that I know the best to answer your questions!  Thanks to Williams Sound and UniversaLink at the Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in West Allis, WI.

The Pocketalker is really an amazing and versatile little gadget used by those with hearing loss.  It is a nice piece of equipment for those with hearing aids as well as those that have opted for whatever reasons not to have hearing aids.  It enables you to do many things a lot easier than you normally would when it comes to hearing what is going on.

I know people that have gotten this and for the first time are now feeling that they can confidently be with a small group of people and hear most of what is being said.  I've also seen people recently that have gone to the Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing UniversaLink store and are now able to watch TV at home with their families and spouses in peace!  They no longer have to turn the TV volume up to the point where it is too loud for their non-hearing challenged family members to watch.  No more watching TV in separate rooms!  You would not believe how much of a negative impact this alone has had on families and marriages.  When you are in 2 separate rooms, you really miss out on the conversation with family members or spouses regarding what is going on with the show that you are watching.  Not to mention the fact of having couples in their beds at night trying to watch TV only to end up having an argument on how loud the volume is...

So, for those of you out there, I've included 2 links for you to check out this product.  The first one is going to take you straight to the owners manual from Williams Sound.  It's in English, Spanish and French.  Sorry, I could not find any other languages for those of you living in Japan!  Here's the link:  http://www.williamssound.com/files/PKTPROman.pdf

The second link is going to take you to the UniversaLink website where you will find 2 versions of this product.  They are the Pocketalker Pro priced at $164.95 and the Pocketalker Ultra (a sleeker version with external tone control) priced at $179.00.  John Kinstler is a pro at UniversaLink and if you give him a call or send him an email, he will be more than happy to help you out!  Here's the link:  http://www.cdhh.org/catalog.php  If you are using a TEPP voucher, by scrolling down on the website page, you can find out how to tell if the Voucher will cover something that you are looking at getting.  For those of you wanting to know more about the TEPP Voucher program, please click on TEPP in the tags area located on the right hand side of this column and that will take you to more information from other postings.

So, with Christmas coming up, think about someone in your family that might really like this!  There is a 5 year warranty and at UniversaLink, you can always 'test drive' a product to make sure it's a good fit for you.

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

Thanks to Dave Clark down in Florida for sending this to me.  Hope that it makes your day a bit brighter!

http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=370743&altf=Ebwf&altl=Dmbsl

After the video is done, you can have your own fun with it.  So, wait until the end!

Obama and McCain....Eat your hearts out!

Have a great week!

Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has a newsletter that is sent out via the mail to those interested in receiving it.  It's called InfoLink.  The following includes some of their lead article from the Fall 2008 edition.  If you are interested in receiving the newsletter, just give them a call at 414-604-2200 or send them an email via their website at www.cdhh.org

While this may not come as a shock to many who have lived or worked with hearing loss on a daily basis, according to a recent survey of adults conducted by Cochlear Americas, hearing loss can significantly impact relationships - including marriages, friendships and business relationships.

Individuals with hearing loss often report feeling ignored, neglected or disconnected from those around them, which can lead to resentment, anxiety and social withdrawal.  But, it's important to note that the negative impact of untreated or under-treated hearing loss is not only felt by those with the hearing problem. 

Spouses, friends and co-workers also report their feelings of frustration and sadness over the communication breakdowns that can erode a relationship over time.  With more than 30 million Americans currently dealing with hearing loss and most Americans waiting seven to ten years before seeking help for their hearing loss, there are a lot of relationships in jeopardy.

Some results of the survey by Cochlear Americas include:

1.  50% of the survey respondents said that 'significant hearing loss causes less intimate relationships between those with hearing loss and their family and friends".

2.  44% of respondents believe that there is no remedy for their hearing loss.

3.  60% of those living with someone with hearing loss want that individual to get treatment.

4.  47% of those who did seek treatment did so at the urging of their family or friends.

Wow!  Pretty serious stuff!  Let's see if I can break this down a little bit more for all of you.

Item #1 - I can't tell you how many people I've heard from that are going through separations or divorce which in a large part is due to their not being able to 'admit' or 'be responsible for' their hearing loss.  I know of people that have been married for 20 or more years that have a spouse that has finally decided to throw in the towel because of their frustrations with living with someone that doesn't hear well.  Stubbornness?  Denial?  You bet!  But, having been in the mindset that my hearing loss really isn't that bad, I can also relate to where they are coming from.  The last thing that anyone wants to do is admit that they are not 'perfect'.  With the culture that we live in, once someone sees that you have a deficiency or are not 'normal' in their view, they tend to categorize you as pretty much non-existent.  This causes those of us with hearing loss to become defensive, withdraw and start finding fault with those that we do live and work with.  After all, why should we be the ones to change the way that we do things?   Even if you have taken the time to let those around you know of your communication style (face me when you talk, don't talk to me from another room, ect.), our friends and family tend to go back to their old ways of communicating and then get ticked at us for not hearing them correctly.  It's a lot of work and it would be so much easier to shy away from these situations.  But, before we know it, we are alone on the island and have lost our 'team'.

Item #2 -  I'm not sure if they really believe there is no remedy or they are just too scared or intimidated to take that first step.  As stated in the article, most people do wait on average 7 to 10 years to get treatment for their hearing loss.  Why?  Well, again we don't want to admit that we may have a problem.  And, this is costly stuff to fix!  Most of us have insurance that won't cover the cost of hearing aids or audiological evaluations.  If you ask someone to spend on average $6,000 for testing and 1 hearing aid, their initial response is going to be, "are you nuts"?  These days, that is the price of a pretty good vehicle.  And, they will now be responsible for taking care of and using that hearing aid everyday.  There will be some days where the aid 'doesn't work' in that if you throw in weather conditions, tinnitus or a host of other things, you feel like your ears are plugged up and you really don't hear very well.  And, you have to carry batteries, cleaning equipment, go back to the audiologist for tube changes, ear mold updates, ect.  Who wants to deal with that?

Item #3 - Most of the people with hearing loss are tired of the nagging from their families to go and get treatment, but as stated, 60% of them finally take that step.  Unfortunately, the other 40% don't and this is where you have the greatest percentage of failed marriages and careers.  It takes a lot of irritating suggesting from friends and family to finally get your butt to the audiologist.  And, then you have to let them know that yes, I do have a hearing problem.  The initial reaction is usually something along the line of "I told you so".  So, once again, you have lost more positive image perception of yourself and now you have to deal with the question of what the heck am I going to do now?  In a lot of ways, taking that first step means that you now have a lot more work and cost to deal with.  It was so much easier to be in denial...

Item #4 - You've finally taken that first step and now the people close to you in your personal and work life want you to do even more.  They want you to 'fix it'!  They have no idea how it feels to go in to an audiologist and pick out that first hearing aid.  So many questions, concerns and the price!  You get the ear molds done, wait about 10 days and go back to be fitted with the hearing aid.  You turn it on, they program it and oh boy are things loud and muffled.  The audiologist tells you that you are going to be spending a few weeks letting your auditory nerve learn how to process the sounds that you have not heard in a long time or in my case, never.  You will have a sore ear from the new earmold for a few days, headaches from all of the noise and be more mentally tired than you have been in a long time.  This is a solution? 

Those around you will be bragging to others about your newest acquisition.  Just what you need.  More attention and questions.  They will also be wondering how you still can't be hearing all that is going on even though you've gotten a hearing aid.  There is no magic pill to make our hearing 100% perfect.  That's probably the hardest part for our friends, family and co-workers to accept.  And, for us, we are actually a little disappointed that all of the money and time that we've spent is not fixing the hearing problem to the degree that we had thought that it would.  You will have good days and bad days.  But, after a few weeks, things will start to get a little easier.  You are going to be tempted to put the hearing aid in a drawer or it's little pouch just because things seemed so much easier without it.  Don't give in to this!  You alone are responsible for your decision to be proactive and wear the hearing aid.  Once you start to 'take a day off', that day will turn into a week and before you know it you are back in the same situations that you were before you got the darn thing.  Complacency is much easier than action. 

So, hang in there!  Get up every morning and put your hearing aid in.  I know it's a pain in the butt, but look at the alternative and I think you'll agree that it's a small price to pay to be a part of this world! 

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

A reader sent me a story from United Press International about this group.  SenCity is in countries overseas as well as the Caribbean.  They set up nightclubs in a way that is more user friendly for the Deaf/HOH.  Thanks to Gregg D. for the information.

http://current.com/items/89392823_deaf_clubbers_enjoy_smell_of_music

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

Finally, it looks like at least some countries are going to try and do something about the volume levels on electronic equipment that use ear buds, headsets, ect.  The tendency for all of us to 'turn it up' is now leading to hearing loss later in life.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_MUSIC_HEARING_LOSS?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

Another personal story for you.  Again, I don't use the persons' real name so that their privacy is protected.  So far, over 8,000 of you have sent me your stories.  I will try my best to get them in a column!

Ed is a 35 year old from the Midwest.  He is married and has 4 children.  Ed has had a mild to profound loss in the mid to high tones for about 5 years now.  He first started noticing that he was not hearing everything when the 2nd child was born and his wife pointed out that he did not hear the child crying at night while asleep.  He also noticed that he was not hearing the alarm clock in the morning and his wife was having to wake him up.

As far as the cause for Ed's hearing loss, he's still trying to put the pieces together on that one.  He thinks that it might have something to do with being a volunteer for the annual 4th of July fireworks show in his town each year.  He started helping set off the fireworks display when he was in his early 20's and being a guy, just didn't see the need for wearing his ear protection all of the time.  Besides, 'it was almost impossible to talk to the other guys if you had earplugs in'.  He doesn't recall any particular moment when his ears were painful or he thought that maybe this could be hurting his hearing.

Ed's right ear has tested a little worse than his left.  He got his first audiological exam at the age of 29 and the recommendation then was to get 1 hearing aid for the right ear and then monitor the left one.  Unfortunately, Ed went to a hearing aid distributor located in a Department Store kiosk area.  He didn't know that much about hearing aids and was easily led to getting one that really was not a good fit for him.  When he tried to return it a couple of weeks later, he was told that since he had already worn it, they could not take it back due to 'health regulations'.  They also wanted to charge him for adjustments when he again came back after having had it for about 1 month.  So, eventually Ed started leaving the hearing aid in the box instead of wearing it due to the issues that he was having with it.

For those of you wanting to know more about hearing aid return policies, please go to my column on this.  Here's the link:  http://community.livinglakecountry.com/blogs/hears_to_life/archive/2008/04/28/hearing-aid-return-policies.aspx

After a couple of years, Ed realized that he was not 'hearing' all that he really should.  His wife was 'nagging' him about having to repeat things and there were even times when arguments were occur due to his not having heard something correctly.  With his children having high pitched voices, he was also missing a lot of what they were saying to him.  One day, his oldest son had a friend over and Ed overheard his son saying that his Dad was 'kind of dumb' since he sometimes answered his questions wrong.  This made Ed realize that he was not really setting a good example for his kids or even his wife by ignoring the problem.  So, he decided to investigate what options were out there.

This time, Ed decided to ask for some help as well as support from his wife.  He really didn't want to go back to the place where he had gotten his first hearing aid, but also didn't know of any other 'hearing aid stores'.  So, his wife got on the computer and started searching for answers.  They came across my columns and I got an email from the both of them.

We looked into what resources were available in their area and we were also able to find a good audiologist that Ed's company insurance would cover the cost of.  Unfortunately, they didn't have anything similar to our Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, but we were able to find a Hearing Aid distributor that was selling all brands of hearing aids.  They checked with the State Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and were able to narrow their choices down to a good one when it came to honesty and patient care.

Ed's wife went with him for the hearing test.  She was able to shed some light to the audiologist as well as Ed on just what he was missing and the circumstances surrounding the missed conversations.  This was very helpful in that it gave the audiologist a good look at what exactly Ed would need in the way of programming and type of hearing aid.  After ear mold fitting and trials of 2 different types of hearing aids, Ed was fitted with 2 aids once he realized how important it was to have binaural hearing.

Ed has now had his hearing aids for about 3 months.  He has noticed that he is getting his confidence back and things are going much better at home and work.  He says that the hardest part for him was admitting that there was a problem.  They had a few rough spots in the beginning and had to tell the kids how to help Dad out by not yelling for the first couple of weeks.  He's amazed at how 'loud' the world is, but also knows that it will take some time for his brain to adjust to all of the new sounds that the audiological nerve is sending to it.

Recently, his oldest Son had a Parents Day at school.  He asked Ed to come and talk about his job as well as his hearing loss.  This was a big step for Ed to take since he had spent so much time trying to hide what he thought was a deficit in his image to his peers.  But, he found that once he started speaking to the class, another inner door opened for him and this led to him being a lot more comfortable talking about his hearing loss.  It was nice to know that even though he had a hearing problem, this no longer had any effect on how he 'measured up' to others.  And, the kids had lots of questions on just how his hearing aids worked.   

Ed's wife has also become one of his biggest advocates in that she is now more tuned in to other people and doesn't hesitate to tell them about Ed's journey.  They've also started attending an HLAA group in their area.  Originally, they thought that most of the group would be retirement age, but were very surprised to see people close to their age that they knew from their town with hearing loss issues.

They are now looking into their State's version of the TEPP Voucher Program.  Since Ed doesn't sleep with his hearing aids in at night, he still has to depend on his wife to wake him up.  He also wants to be able to hear the phone ring at night since the kids are now starting to spend time away from the house.  So, this Christmas, his family is getting him a new phone as well as an alarm clock for the 'hearing challenged'.  And, Ed is looking into installing a loop system in his 'man room' so that when he has the guys over to watch football, he can hear every single comment concerning the game. 

Now, if those Chicago Bears could just win a bit more....

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

I'm still getting a lot of questions on where to go for more information on different topics regarding hearing loss.  So, I've compiled all that I know of in one column for you.  Feel free to click on the links.  Special Thanks to the Wisconsin Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in obtaining some of this information!

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA):  www.asha.org/default.htm

ASHA is the professional, scientific and credentialing association for more than 127,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists, speech-language pathologists and Speech, Language and Hearing scientists.  Click on 'The Public" for resources.

Audiology Online:  www.audiologyonline.com

Source of news, information, training and education offerings (live E-seminars, recorded courses, text-based courses) from many manufacturers of hearing aids, cochlear implants, batteries, ect.  Many courses are free!

Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CDHH):  www.cdhh.org

Provides comprehensive programs and services that enhance communication and promote independence.  Located in West Allis, WI.  Also home of the UniversaLink store where TEPP vouchers can be filled out and used for telecommunications equipment as well as many other D/HOH equipment needs.  Audiology Services are also located at the center.  This includes complete audiological evaluations, hearing aid fitting & selection and different classes for effective communication alternatives.  They can sell you any brand of hearing aid that you are looking for versus some 'Hearing Aid' stores that are restricted to selling only one brand.  This means that you will have several choices to find the best hearing instrument for your type of hearing loss and lifestyle.

DAWN (Disability Advocates Wisconsin Network):  www.dawninfo.org

Provides current information on state disability issues, state budget, legislative activity and national disability issue links.  Hearing aid legislation is currently included in their "Take Action" box.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance (DHHA):  www.dhha-wi.org

Provides opportunities for leadership and personal growth within the Signing (Deaf) community while respecting culture, language and a visual environment.

Deaf Bilingual Coalition (DBC):  www.deafbilingualcoalition.com

Promotes the basic human right of all deaf infants and young children to have access to language and cognitive development through American Sign Language (ASL).  National organization website at www.dbcusa.org

Deaf Empowerment (DE):  www.deafe.org

Provides services among Deaf and HOH individuals in the Fox River Valley area of Wisconsin.

Hearing Healthcare:  www.healthyhearing.com

Helpful information on hearing aids, hearing loss, cochlear implants, tinnitus and more.

Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA):  www.hearingloss.org

Has lots of information on hearing loss as well as a link to all State chapters. 

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD):  www.nidcd.nih.gov/index.asp

Provides research information, health information and topics, news & events including information on communication methods and devices for people with hearing loss.

PACER Center:  www.pacer.org

The mission of PACER Center is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families, based on the concept of parents helping parents.

Postsecondary Education Programs Network (PEPNet):  www.pepnet.org

A National network of regional centers providing resources, information, in-service training and expertise to enhance educational opportunities for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.

Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute (SVRI):  www.svri.uwstout.edu/

Provides solutions to positively impact the future of persons with disabilities and others in the community through education, research and services.  Archived newsletters and publications from SVRI may be available on their website.

U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA):  www.fda.gov/default.htm

Provides consumer health information.  Enter topic in "Search" engine.  For example:  Hard of Hearing, Hearing Loss, Deafness, ect.

Wisconsin American Sign Language Teachers Association (Wisconsin ASLTA):  www.wiaslta.org

Site for information for the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Sign Language Teachers Association.  ASLTA is the only national organization dedicated to the improvement and expansion of the teaching of ASL and Deaf Studies at all levels of instruction.

Wisconsin Association of the Deaf (WAD):  www.wi-deaf.org

Site for information on State Chapter meetings and events.  National site is www.nad.org

Wisconsin Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (WisRID):  www.wisrid.org

Site for State information and events.  National website is:  www.rid.org

Wisconsin Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH):  http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/sensory/

Lots of information on everything from state programs to getting an interpretor for an event.  There are also regional offices located through out the state.

Dizzinews :  Is a vestibular disorders discussion group.  To subscribe, send an e-mail to:  majordomo@samurai.com  Leave the subject line blank.  In the body of the message type:  subscribe dizzinews

Meniere's Discussion Group :  www.menieres.org

Support and Information on Menieres as well as online discussion groups to join.

ParentDeaf-HH:  A list serve for the discussion of parenting issues faced by parents raising children who are deaf or hard of hearing.  Parents, educators and professionals are invited to subscribe.  This discussion list is sponsored by the American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC) to provide a forum for parents to share their questions, concerns, successes and failures with others.  To subscribe, send an email message to listproc@list.educ.kent.edu.edu  Leave the subject line blank.  In the body of the message type:  subscribe ParentDeaf-HH and your real name(not your screen name!).

SayWhatClub:  www.saywhatclub.com

An on-line group of over 200 late deafened and hard of hearing people who provide support and encouragement to each other through e-mail.  If you'd like more information about joining the SayWhatClub, contact:  info@saywhatclub.com 

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink