Book recommendation: “On The Fence: The Hidden World of the Hard of Hearing”

A book I recommend is called “On The Fence: The Hidden World of the Hard of Hearing”-Mark Drolsbaugh, which I read earlier this year has a selection of stories and poems from people who are Deaf themselves, to shed light on the HOH experience, who all share a common goal, and know what it means to be on the fence-hovering somewhere between the deaf and hearing worlds.

I liked this book as I could relate to this, and it was nice to know I was’nt the only one who felt like they did, and also the feeling of being on the fence-not being completely in the Deaf world or the hearing, but instead in between. Although I’ve been profoundly deaf since 2002, its only been since this year I’ve started to grieve for my hearing loss, since I had to talk about stuff last year that I kept hidden. This book helped me a little regarding some of these feelings I had, I even felt I learned a little too. The book can be bought from Forest Books.

Do you have problems with your bank? Part 2

Got a letter finally from my bank regarding my complaint. (see the first part in an earlier post for details of this) It was late as I noticed it was forwarded to another address, and judging by the position of this person, someone higher. This person who wrote to me said in letter that it was clear the level of service had fallen below the standard that I should expect, and sent her apologies for this. She also confirmed that steps had been taken to review the current procedures to ensure that incidents such as this don’t happen again in the future. She hopes that her comments will meet my approval and that I’m able to draw this matter to a close. My complaint is being kept open for another 8 weeks, and if she doesn’t hear from me she’ll regard my complaint as closed. And if we are unable to agree a way forward, I may be able to ask the Financial Ombudsman to review my complaint, which she encloses a leaflet for that, so I know how to do this.

What makes me laugh is, at the end of this letter it says if I’d like to discuss this any aspect of this matter further there’s a number I can ring, which reading it over again since writing another reply to this, I’m thinking hello, what was I saying in the previous letter about the difficulties of phoning. Its obvious this person is not deaf aware.

Well the letter I since wrote replying to this, I’ve accepted their apology, which now I’m thinking I’ve probably accepted too soon. But I’ve also added to my letter that the changes they say they’ve done so it does not happen again, I want to know so I feel reassured that this won’t happen again, cos this was something they did not go into detail on the letter, which I feel I should know, because I look at it like this, they can say that easily in a letter just to keep me happy, but end of the day, what’s to say they did not do anything, so this is why I want to know, so I have faith when contacting them again.

See she says in next letter.

Thank You to Newark Hospital

Thank You to Newark hospital, and especially Minster Ward for the care received, and at putting me at ease regarding my worries about my hearing aids coming out, because of me being profoundly deaf and worrying about communication difficulties I may have because of this. You were brilliant and nothing was too much trouble.

I’ve never been to Newark Hospital before, and from first impressions on entering the building, to making my way down to the ward, everyone is pleasant and helpful, with smiling faces. The ward was a relaxing environment to be in, and I noticed how clean the hospital is too, including the ward I was on. Should I have an operation that involved me coming here again, I won’t be worried about coming back.

I’m still under Newark Hospital as I write this for my foot until I’m discharged, and would also like to say thank you to my surgeon, Mr Pavier, for explaining clearly to me what was being done on my foot, and as I write this that although I’ve still got some pain from the op, which I know about when I’m pushing myself with the walking, it looks promising. I’ve already been able to buy some nice shoes, which I’m finding I can walk in ok. I’ve just got to build up on my walking, so I’m back to my old better self and fit for work too.

If you’re worried…

If you’re having an operation, and you’re concerned like I was regarding your hearing aids, just ask them.

 

I had an operation on my foot 4th September this year, and as well as having slight nerves for my op, I was also worried about communication difficulties I would have when I had to remove my hearing aids, as I’m profoundly deaf and without them I’m no good in communicating, especially if I’m spoken to without even realising it.

But after asking them this about when I would have to take my hearing aids out, I was soon put at ease as I knew I could keep them in, until I reached theatre, in which once the formalities were out the way, then I had to take them out before getting on the bed. While I was on the bed ready, to be prepared ready for going in the operating theatre, staff knew they had to make sure I was looking their way first before starting to speak to me, as so I could follow the conversation from the start.

When I came round from my operation in the recovery room, I discovered my hearing aids were already in my ears switched on, so that I could hear them speak to me when I came round. Which was a nice surprise for me and very helpful that they did that, as without them I wasn’t sure if I’d be very confused with me feeling drowsy from the anesthetic.

So after this first hand experience of having an operation since I’ve become profoundly deaf, I know that should I ever have an operation in the future, I won’t worry about that side of things again. As long as they know how deaf you are, and in what way your affected and any worries, the staff are very helpful and caring. And you will soon find that your put at ease.

Update on my cat Lady

Took Lady back to the vets. I thought it was originally Wednesday, but after phoning the vets to enquire, it turned out I had to take her today. Blood wasn’t taken today as I thought, she was just being weighed and they wanted to see how I was getting on with her tablets. Turned out though I was not to crush them, I’m to give them whole. I explained to her that the last vet I seen told me I could crush them, after explaining how difficult she is when it comes to giving her tablets. But I was told to give them whole, as so they don’t have to increase her medication, as crushing them reduces the effects, and can also cause irritation of the stomach lining. So I was rather concerned as knowing difficulties I usually have with her, when it comes to this, means more than likely not getting any medication into her system. But luckily she took her second tablet this evening, when my boyfriend put the tablet in a chunky piece of meat in her meal that she was eating. So with a bit of luck this will work in the long term.

As you probably know already

My cat Lady

As you probably know already, if you visit my cats blog page (Lady’s blog), that I had a bit of bad news regarding her yesterday. I discovered she has an overactive thyroid. So she’s now on medication, in which she goes back next Wednesday for another blood test to see how she is.

I know it could have been worse, but my main worry was that I knew she’d be on tablets, and for over 13 years of experience with cats, all tactics used on them when it came to adminstering tablets, failed on Lady in the past when tried on her. That’s including crushing and hiding them in a bit of food. But luckily with relief, these tablets are not noticeable to her when she has a small portion of her food this time with the crushed tablet. She eats without hesitation, so I can now start to relax a bit, now I know this will be the easy bit.

I’d imagine like we would have to, that she’ll be on them for life now. I’m hoping that when her next lot of blood is taken, that the results will come back with good results. This was always a question hanging over my head whether she had an overactive thyroid or not, since near beginning of this year. But it was something that the vet who I seen before, said it wasn’t something we needed to check on straight away, but see how she goes, and any worries or changes to come back and have it done. But after printing off a sheet to read about it, I wish I knew how serious it could have been, as I would have had her tested there and then, and not left it till now.

Lipreading Classes Are Needed

When is someone going to think about, and provide lipreading classes for the Sutton-in-Ashfield or Mansfield area again?

Its been over 2 years now since I last attended a class, which was managed very well at a deaf centre in Mansfield, which since its ended there’s been never another one since. Reason why? I don’t really know. It was probably down to funding for a guess, which is what normally happens with courses that are free for us to attend, like this one was. But because its been a long time, it does not mean we don’t want another one.

I’ve certainly missed my class where I attended, and I’m aware of a couple of people I know, miss this too. The nearest is Nottingham now, which for me I cannot get there at that time of night because I work at that time. Plus I would not feel safe on my own coming back from there at that time of night, and the older members of class would feel the same on this too.

Lipreading classes are a way of meeting people like yourself, whether your HOH like me or Deaf, in which you get to either learn, or improve lipreading skills you already have, in a fun and relaxing environment. This in turn gives you confidence to lipread in every day life. For some its a reason to get out and socialise if they live on there own. For me these classes helped me more than I realised which I discovered how much last year. So I would like to see another class soon to help me keep up my confidence in these new skills I have. 

Please somebody start up another one for us again, I’m sure you would get a group again who would like to attend, if it was advertised enough. I’d certainly be there if one was set up to attend in the day time.

A couple of sites I can recommend

A couple of sites I can recommend, are “I look so I can hear” and “Smudge’s Blog”

“I look so I can hear” and “Smudge’s blog”, are both written by funnyoldlife, which are worth viewing, and I include these links on my page. Enjoy!

Do you have a problem with your bank?

I’m profoundly deaf, so although I use my mobile phone to talk sometimes with the help of my bluetooth, so I can listen through my hearing aids, it does’nt mean I’m 100%  hearing. The last time I needed to speak to a customer adviser, I was in a queue for 5 mins, before I started to speak to someone, in which I found it was one of my bad hearing days. As I don’t know this person, like you would your best friend, this makes it even more difficult for me. Just as I finally got through answering the security checks needed, which I noticed had taken me 10 mins, I was ready to be put through to an adviser, to speak to them, what I wanted to speak about in the first place. But I did not get to this point as my phone cut off due to being out of credit. You can imagine the frustration I was in when that happened. This would not have happened if my hearing was good as it used to be, before I started having hearing problems, so I would have ended up with the job done and still be in credit.

Well I was’nt going to bother going through that procedure again, so I wrote a letter to my bank instead. They wrote back regarding this difficulty I had, and told me how on their website I could contact them, as I did not know this, on sending a secure email to them for future queries. They also said they’d put my suggestion forward regarding an instant email link with an advisor, as this is something they don’t have at present. Fair enough reply. Can’t complain there, until just recently, I have another frustration with them.

I recently received my new debit card, in which there was a little sticker on it, that says to phone this number so I can let them know I received my card safely, to help stop fraud. HELLO! How! I can’t lipread a person over the phone, and after last time experience of trying, I’m not going there again. So I used their secure message facility they told me about, and told them that way, in which I received a reply to say I will need to ring that number that was on the sticker attached to my card, as they don’t deal with this through the email. So just in case I forgot it, they gave it me again.

So I’ve now wrote another complaint letter to my bank, to which this time I’m offended. I’m still waiting as I write this. So keep posted on this site, for latest development.

Hello world!

Hello and welcome to my blog. I’m HOH and this blog was created so I hopefully came across other HOH people like me in the Nottinghamshire area, to discuss deaf issues that affect us. But regardless of where you live, or whether your HOH like me, or Deaf. You are welcome on this site.

And although this is mainly to discuss deaf issues, I’m sure I will be doing other posts we could chat about too.