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Approved-By:  Bill McGarry <wtm@SHELDEV.SHEL.ISC-BR.COM>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.l-hcap
Date:         Wed, 19 Aug 1992 01:30:25 EDT
Reply-To:     Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
From:         Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
Subject:      Handicap Digest # 2505
X-To:         LHCAP <l-hcap@VM1.NODAK.EDU>

                             THE HANDICAP DIGEST

                                 Issue # 2505

                           Tuesday, March 3, 1992

Today's Topics:


                                ******


                           Re: Telephone companies
                          Re: -Telephone companies
                          Re: dual ascii/baudot 3/3
                           Autism advocacy update
                          Epilepsy implant (Part 1)
                          Epilepsy implant (Part 2)
                              Re: Joking around
                 Re: Amputee convention/workshop in Dallas?


                                ******


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                              Bill McGarry (Moderator)
                              (203) 337-1518



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Subject: Re: Telephone companies
From: millios@cbfsb.att.com (Bill Millios)
Organization: AT&T

Recently there was a complaint that the telephone companies are
not employing deaf people in their relay services, and that all
the decisions are made based on profit.

I can't speak for the other carriers, but I have news for you
about AT&T.

We have deaf people in ALL of the following areas related to
TDDs and Relay Services:

Consumer Products (design of TDDs sold at Phone Center stores)
Product Management (sells Relay Services to the states)
Outreach (at each center)
Marketing (develops brochures and advertisements)
Bell Laboratories (develops the actual service)

Basically, here at AT&T, there are deaf people involved in
nearly every aspect of the TRS/TDD business...

And our input IS listened to.

Bill Millios
(I speak about, but not for, AT&T)




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Subject: Re: -Telephone companies
From: millios@cbfsb.att.com (Bill Millios)
Organization: AT&T

In the midst of all the fray about telephone companies, let me
step in and try to clear things up a bit.

I work at AT&T, am deaf, and am directly involved with the design
and development of AT&T Telecommunication Relay Services (TRS, formerly
Dual Party Relay - DPR).  AT&T now handles relay traffic under
contract from a variety of states, including Virginia, NY, DE, VT,
ME, PA, NJ, AL, GA, and a few more that I can't remember right now.

There are several very good reasons for continuing the support of
Baudot in the relay centers:

1) there is a very large customer base out there with Baudot-only
   TDDs.  If we were to discontinue support for these, it would
   be alienating a large number of people who are used to support.

2) You CANNOT use carryover (voice and hearing) with an ASCII
   modem because of the carrier signal.  The use of carry-over
   is growing in leaps and bounds, especially with the growing
   number of elderly deaf people who are reluctant typists.

>From a technical standpoint, it may seem "better" on the surface
to discontinue support for Baudot - however, from a customer
standpoint, this is not possible.

Hope this clears up things a bit.

Bill Millios
(I speak about, but not for, AT&T)




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Subject: Re: dual ascii/baudot 3/3
From: millios@cbfsb.att.com (Bill Millios)
Organization: AT&T

In article <19994@handicap.news> John.Zima@p0.f225.n260.z1.fidonet.org writes:
>Index Number: 19994
>
> >   MIC300i internal TDD/ASCII modem (one year warranty)
> > with software: FullTalk 3.20, EaseTalk 1.10, FlipTalk
> > 1.10, TinyTalk 1.00 and BigRing 1.00 comes with a User
> > Manual and it retails for $349.00.
>
>        Why don't you also mention the Intele-modem by Ultratek.
>
>It is a fully Hayes compatable TDD-Modem that will work with all
>communications packages, not just with specialized, limited function
>software.  The price is around $300 and the next generation higher
>speed unit is now in beta test.  We have purchased several dozen of
>the Intele-modems and are happy with them.
>

I, too, am very happy with the Intelemodem...

I have found that the best software to use with it is the Futura
Software from Norman Williams...  For 39.95, you get loads of
features that out-do the MIC300i, I think.  I've also found
that Norman is much more willing to deal with customers'
complaints, suggestions, and so forth...

Norman Williams can be reached at:

Futura Wave Communications
3506 Comm. Barney Dr. NE #T-2
Washington, DC  20018

There's also an electronic BBS which supports his product; you
can dial into them at:

202 544 3613

Norman is the sysop of this BBS.

Bill Millios





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Subject: Autism advocacy update
From: Thomas.Mckean@f120.n226.z1.fidonet.org (Thomas Mckean)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:226/120 - Colossus, Worthington OH


GAWD...

I *love* it!  Autistics, UNITE!  Avengers, ASSEMBLE!  We will beat
this thing or we will DIE trying!!!  :-)

                                                      (: Thomas :)

Go, Jim, Go!!!!

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!226!120!Thomas.Mckean
Internet: Thomas.Mckean@f120.n226.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Epilepsy implant (Part 1)
From: Robert.Bowes5Th@p0.f4.n382.z1.fidonet.org (Robert Bowes5Th)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:382/4.0 - River City MailBox, Austin TX


* Original: FROM.....Robert Bowes5th (382/4)
* Original: TO.......All (382/4)
* Forwarded by.......OPUS 382/4

EPILEPTIC PUTS DEVICE TO TEST


------

---------
   A former Central Illinois resident is the second person in the Midwest
and the first person in Illinois to undergo what could be a revolutionary
procedure in treating epileptic seizures.

   Steve Blair,27, a former resident of Waynesville, Stanford and Bloomington,
was under the bright lights of television cameras yesterday at Memorial
Medical Center, Springfield -- all because of a special disc that was implanted
in his chest Dec. 13.

   After a waiting period for the surgical incisions to heal, the device was
activated -- and with it the hope that Blair, who lives in Southern Illinois,
will be able to do things most people take for granted.

   Blair, who lives in Flora with his grandmother, said he wants to "get a
driver's license back and get a job somewhere." He got a driver's license
while a student at Olympia High School, but had to give it up because of the
seizures. The last time he was behind the wheel was about 10 years ago.

   Blair has been having about 40 seizures a month and "basically, his life
has been on hold. He can't get a job," said his father, Dick Marshall, of
215 Willow Creek Village, Bloomington.

   Blair is part of a study to test a pacemaker-like device called a
neurocybernetic prosthesis that is implanted in the collarbone, said Dr. Dean
Naritoku, director of the Center for Epilepsy at the Southern Illinois
University School of Medicine, Springfield.

   The device, which is larger than an Oreo cookie but smaller than an
English muffin, has wires connecting it to the vagus nerve, which goes to
the brain. A long-life battery in the device sends out an electrical current
at regular intervals, the doctor said.

   No one knows exactly how it works, but the electrical impulse seems to
break up the seizure signal in the brain, Dr. Naritoku said. And if an
epileptic feels a seizure coming on, he can use a special magnet by touching
it to his chest, which "jump starts" the device, and is supposed to either
minimize or supress the seizure.

   Only 48 people in the world have such implants, four of them in Sweden
and the rest in the United States, the doctor said. The costs are being paid
for by Cyberonics Inc. of Webster,Texas, which invented the device.

   The doctor said if the study shows the implant is promising, it has
widespread application because about 1 percent of the United States population
is epileptic. And for roughly a quarter of those, medication is ineffective
in treatment.

   He said it was too early to tell how effective the device would be, but
the degree of success has varied from patient to patient so far. While it is
a high-tech device, it is low-risk surgery, Dr. Naritoku said.

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!382!4.0!Robert.Bowes5Th
Internet: Robert.Bowes5Th@p0.f4.n382.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: Epilepsy implant (Part 2)
From: Robert.Bowes5Th@p0.f4.n382.z1.fidonet.org (Robert Bowes5Th)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:382/4.0 - River City MailBox, Austin TX


* Original: FROM.....Robert Bowes5th (382/4)
* Original: TO.......All (382/4)
* Forwarded by.......OPUS 382/4

   That is unlike another treatment, brain surgery, where holes are drilled
into the skull and the pieces of brain triggering the seizures are removed.

   Blair's case was so severe something had to be done -- and medication
alone was not working.

   "It was getting worse with him. He'd be violent coming out of the
seizures...it was kind of scary," said his grandmother, June Atteberry, with
whom Blair lives in Flora. She said her grandson is a big help to her around
the house and yard unless he is having a seizure.

   Marshall said his son, who began getting seizures as a young child, did
not finish high school because of the illness.

   Blair said he is more optimistic than pessimistic about the whole thing.

   "I'm tickled to death," said his father, who credited a Twin City doctor
with recommending his son go to Springfield for help.

   "We just hope he can go on with his life," Marshall said.

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!382!4.0!Robert.Bowes5Th
Internet: Robert.Bowes5Th@p0.f4.n382.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: Re: Joking around
From: Ann.T@f6.n290.z1.fidonet.org (Ann T)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:290/6 - Karma *VS* Dogma, Des Moines IA


[This is from the Amputee Conference]

OK, I give Up!  I know that TABS are Temporarly able bodied.  Whats a ABP???

I have been known to inform my crazy aunt that I am the only person
in the house who can just reach into the water when the brats are
done. "Oh, how gross????"  <GRIN>

Do you realize I saved about 50 bucks this winter in not buying
fall and winter gloves.  Stump socks do very well.

Do you ever play the 'how many fingers [toes] do humans have?"  4
for me and 5 for you.

Anna

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!290!6!Ann.T
Internet: Ann.T@f6.n290.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Amputee convention/workshop in Dallas?
From: Robert.Thurlow@f5109.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Robert Thurlow)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:124/5109 - National Amputee Co, Dallas TX


[This is from the Amputee Conference]

#>today i would like to ask our e-mail
#>readers to share any information they might have regarding the
#>"amputee convention/workshop that occurred in dallas, texas" last
#>month or there about.

If there was an amputee convention/workshop in Dallas recently,
I sure wasn't aware of it, and I think the members of our support
group would really have liked to know.  If you can, could you
pass our address on to the person who told you of the workshop?
I'd really like to make sure that we don't miss events like this,
especially one in our own backyard.

Our contact information is:

        The North Texas Amputee Support Group
        3714 Lisa Lane
        Mesquite, TX  75150
        Voice: (214) 289-5775
        BBS:   (214) 238-0928

We are a support group for amputees and their families, with an
emphasis on peer support and making information more readily
available.  We publish a monthly newsletter and send it free to
members and other bona-fide support groups.  Personal annual
dues are just $12.  Further information is available at the
above address, via this BBS or from the Internet by sending
mail to thurlow@convex.com.  Thanks!

Rob T

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!124!5109!Robert.Thurlow
Internet: Robert.Thurlow@f5109.n124.z1.fidonet.org




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                                ******

                  End of Issue # 2505 of the Handicap Digest

                                ******
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU