Creating A Fair Online Experience

Recently, I was doing research on a website that provided instructional videos to explain how their service worked. The videos were narrated while instructional diagrams scrolled across the screen along with the voice over. After watching a few of the videos I realized that there are many people who are hard of hearing who would struggle understanding the voice over. What compounded this was that the website completely failed to provide text versions of their service information. It is unfortunate that this company completely missed the boat on making their website accessible to those who are hard of hearing or deaf. It is my hope that one day there will be requirements that will enforce captioning for videos online. Having mandatory captioning not only allows hard of hearing and deaf individuals a fair online experience but it also potentially provides more clients for an online business.

I am very lucky that my hearing loss is not so severe that I miss out on these things. It does however, remind me of all of the individuals I have met with hearing loss who struggle every day to interact with a world that is not designed to help them. Every day we are making progress by continuing to build awareness and advocating for the needs of those who are hard of hearing or deaf.

Happy New Year

I love moving into a new year because it is always a chance to look back on the year that was and reflect on everything that has happened. It's been a couple days into 2012 and I have had a chance to look back on the year that was. I regret allowing a few people to take advantage of me and my kindness. However, it is this same kindness that has benefited me in so many ways; I suppose the important lesson is to learn whom you can trust not to take advantage of your kindness.

I'm proud of my volunteer work. In 2011 I feel I made some great strides in helping the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association and my local branch step up to a more professional level. As is true with many groups run by volunteers, they rely on the strength of it's members. I believe I brought a skill set to the group that was drastically lacking. I'm looking forward to 2012 and continuing to use my skill and passion to further elevate the awareness of the group and the professionalism it operates with.

I wish everyone all the best in the new year. It's my hope that I will continue this blog with more regularity.

Happy New Year

A Question of Culture?

It has been a couple weeks now since Sarah Churman's cochlear implant activation video went viral and there has been a wide spectrum of reactions. For those who have not seen it please click this link.

There are number of individuals in the deaf community who object to these implants on the basis that there is nothing wrong with being deaf and therefore, there is no need for this procedure. I think it's important for the hearing world to understand that the deaf community is a culture. Much like any culture they naturally want to retain their family ties by their common language and thus, they find it difficult to accept something that would take their entire culture into question. In a way, it appears like these procedures are an attack from the hearing majority on the deaf minority. I empathize with their feeling of the importance of community. If it were not for other hard of hearing individuals and the support that I received from them and their community I would probably still feel like a bit of an outsider. However, I do feel that an important factor in a community is respecting and supporting the individuals within it. I don't think that anyone can argue that Sarah is experiencing pure joy with her ability to hear her own voice, the voice of her husband and children all for the first time. It's vitally important to respect the wishes of an individual when it comes to making any large decision because I am sure that there is never any ill-intent towards any group when these decisions are made.

Here we go again

I wish I had a good excuse for not keeping up this blog however, I can't come up with anything better than life just got busy and it was the last thing on my mind. To that extent I figure you are all due for an update.

I'm happy to announce that I've accepted the position of Vice-President with the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association - Hamilton Branch. It is a volunteer position that lasts for a three year term. I'm excited for the challenges that it will present but excited because I can see that there is a change beginning to happen as some new blood is breathing new life into the organization. I've had some time to sit and think about what my goals will be as the new VP for my three year term and this is what I've come up with so far:

1. Attract young people to the group
2. Head up another fundraising effort
3. Overhaul all branding so there is one consistent and uniform look

I'm not too sure how I will reach these goals but I hope it all fall into place soon.

The second important update is that CHHA - Hamilton has officially launched our Dream Home Lottery. After a year of planning and AGCO approval we will be opening the house on October 13th. This will be a huge fundraiser for us and allow us to do a lot of things to help the hard of hearing community. Like any not-for-profit organization having funds to fulfill your mandate is always difficult to come by. I'm confident that this fundraiser will give us the financial freedom we require to make an impact in our community.

That about wraps up the update on my hard of hearing world. When I sit back and re-read this over I'm very proud of the things that have happened since my last blog in July and I'm looking forward to what the future will hold. It's going to be a whirlwind couple months but I'm looking forward to every bit of it.

Cheers.

Does Disability Lead to Arrogance?

I have been working with a few hard of hearing individuals lately and it has been cause for some frustration. I cannot believe the arrogance and rudeness that I am experiencing. Two in particular choose not to listen to each other, constantly talk over one another and are just generally rude. It feels as though both are struggling for dominance within the committee instead of just working together. The goal of this committee is to help the hard of hearing, and in the end it feels like they are losing sight of that.

I can't help but think that over their years working with hearing individuals they have had to push and in some cases be assertive and hard nosed to get their voice heard. Both have been extremely successful in achieving results for their causes but I wonder if their drive and their disability are leading to this arrogance. On top of that, I wonder if this arrogance is just a cover for their insecurities.

Regardless of the root cause of their behaviour they need to see that it's not productive and it makes working on a committee with them extremely difficult and frustrating. I would think that individuals who understand the importance of listening closely and paying attention would show more respect when another hard of hearing person is speaking. Again, we are all working together for the same end goal, there is no need to step all over each other.

Hooked on a Feeling

This morning I was ironing my shirt for work and as I was doing so I could feel the metal of the ironing board below the protecting fabric pad. I didn't have my hearing aids in but I could have sworn I heard the sound it was making and then it occurred to me, I'm not hearing it ... I'm feeling the sound.

I thought about this while I walked to work and I realized that I know what the sound should be because I've heard it 100 times before. So, even though I can't actually hear it, when the action happens I can hear the sound in my head as if I did. Now I'm wondering, how many other things like this happen to me on a day to day basis where I can see or feel an action and my brain processes a sound that should go along with it.

P.S. sorry about the blog title; I'm sure you have the song stuck in your head now.

Reclaiming your Indpendence

I have been struggling over the past few weeks to come up with something to blog about. I sometimes lose sight of the fact that so many things I do are different and a result of my hearing loss; I have a whole wealth of things to write about that I'm just not seeing! So, it is with renewed optimism that you will start to see more blogging from me on just day to day stuff.

Often when I am home alone I'll go about my day without my hearing aids in. More often than not I find this very comforting because I'm not distracted by the general noises that are happening outside my window or on different floors of my apartment building. However, every once and a while I realize just how scary this can potentially be. What if there was an emergency? I could easily miss a fire alarm, a break and enter or someone calling for help and I find that slightly unnerving. I've done some research on these issues and there a wealth of products out there that assist with this. Technology can be a great tool that helps your independence so that you can live your life to the fullest not having to compromise the simplest of life's pleasures. I am sure there are lots of people out there who struggle and live in fear sometimes because of their disadvantages. I urge you all to go out and seek help so that you too can restore and enjoy your independence.

Accepting Your Hearing Loss

I recently had a conversation with someone who was encouraged by their doctor to get a hearing aid after discovering a significant hearing loss. This discovery was several months ago and when I asked why they have delayed for so long I was surprised to hear that it was mostly superficial reasons. It's funny that in my 10 + years wearing hearing aids I sometimes forget what those first few days, weeks and months are like. When I first got my hearing aids I was self-conscious, scared and embarrassed. I chalked these feelings up to being an already self-conscious teenager but these feelings can be applied to people of any age who are initially dealing with their hearing loss. My advice to these people is ... yes, it's hard at first but it will subside over time when you begin to realize all of the positives that come from using hearing aids. You may not notice at first but soon you will find that your ability to communicate with others will improve dramatically. Conversations one-on-one, in a group and even in noisy situations will become easier. So, even though it can be difficult to admit that one needs a hearing aid, all experience shows that the use of hearing aids can improve one's life significantly.

Hearing Aid Subsidies

I encourage all my HOH friends/contacts to stay educated on the various Hearing Aid subsidies that are available to you. We all know that hearing devices can be very expensive so any help is always appreciated. Check out this link for information in Ontario.

Firsts

I have been reading a lot lately about people's experiences post CI surgery and it made me think back to when I wore my hearing aids for the first time. As an 18 year old I was absolutely mortified at first that this was going to be a part of my life and who I was. However, this quickly lead to a feeling of astonishment at what I was actually able to hear; there was an entire world of sounds that I had never heard before.

So, I empathize with those who are going through this experience. Imagine the thrill you would feel by hearing your child for the first time, being able to understand the lyrics to your favorite song or waking up to the sounds of birds chirping outside of your window. These are all experiences we sometimes take for granted that aren't true for everyone.

Thank you to those who are sharing their experiences with the world. Your openness allows others to see life in a different light.

Field of Dreams

Here is a great article about Jalen Harris who is a remarkable athlete who also has a CI. I think this shows us all that we have the ability to achieve anything we put our minds to. I especially think this young man is a great role model for hearing impaired children struggling with perceived limitations.

Enjoy

Playing Catch Up

Almost 3 months have passed since I last posted on here so I am going to play a little catch up and recommit to blogging more frequently.

One of my new year's resolutions was to become a larger part of CHHA. I have definitely stayed true to that goal, almost to the point where it has become too much to handle on top of my job. However, with a little prioritizing I'm able to put in an hour or two per day to help this organization. At first, I was feeling a little under whelmed by what the group has been able to accomplish. Stereotypically speaking this is an older group who has been fairly adverse to change so progress is going to be slow. However, there is a movement happening with some new blood and a new vision for what this organization will be able to accomplish and it is exciting to be a part of this.

To date here are some of the things we have accomplished since I became a member of the board:
• A successful golf tournament fundraiser
• A Hearing Health Fair
• Launched a new website
• Began planning to host a CI reunion

There is much more to come ... big things!

My Arch-Nemesis'

It's been a few days since I've blogged so I have some catching up to do. I continue to be impressed by the new ears. I am definitely hearing a lot better and I am beginning to feel more confident wearing them. They have even defeated one of my worst nemesis' ... wind. With my in the ear hearing aids I was useless on a windy day because the sound of the wind was just so strong. Finally, because the mic is located behind my ear I can finally carry on a conversation with someone outside in a windy day!

My second nemesis is moisture, I cringe every time I see it raining outside. My second challenge is with sports, particularly when I play hockey. My behind the ear hearing aids don't work in my helmet and I'm terrified about sweat damaging them. So, when I play I just put in my old pair that way if something does happen it's not the end of the world. The second rough part about hockey is the shower after. Obviously, I have to take out my hearing aids out when I hit the showers after hockey and if standing in a big communal shower with a bunch of guys isn't slightly awkward already, not being able to hear what they're saying magnifies that. Luckily, most of the guys talk loudly anyways but, when in doubt I can always fall back on the "smile and nod", which could lead to it's own set of problems ...