From: Vixen@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org (Vixen)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: TELEX
Date: 6 Nov 92 15:07:31 GMT
Reply-To: Vixen@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:203/11 - The Broken Rose BBS, Sacramento CA
X-Fidonet: Silent Talk Conference
Originator: wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com

Index Number: 25490

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

 FG > Hello Vixen,

 Hi Felix,

 FG > Hey, cut it out. No one is under obligation to reply,

 Well, you know, even Vixens can be polite!

 FG >..Vixen > my behind the ear aids are nice in that they are
 FG >..Vixen > fairly powerful and yet impressively small.

 I suspect that you have more hair behind the ears too :)

 Well, my hearing aids are'nt invisible or hidden in the ear, but
 they are impressively small for Behind the ear types.

 FG > Can't answer that (besides what is the difference between
 FG > typical or common <G>?).

 Common more accurately applies to the general experience of the
 client while typical more accurately applies to the behaviour of
 audiologists.

 FG > What I do consider common is the attitude of these para-
 FG > professionals; they quite uniformly want to project the image
 FG > that they know more than the patient.

 I suspect that there are some audiologists who do think they must
 always know more than the client and that there are some clients
 who always believe they must know more than audiologists.

 FG > I tell you one thing that may be a problem, none of
 FG > them are HoH.

         I am not sure be sure that it must always hold that the
 subjective experience is necessarily more valid than the objective
 in this instance.

 FG > But I should not pick on them because they exist in other
 FG > health care areas also (e.g. dental hygenists).

 Not very long ago, I read a message in another echo from a person
 who had lived for some ten years or so with some multiple
 psychiatric problems. This person stated he must know more than all
 psychiatrists about the nature of his diagnosis since he actually
 lived it. I rather suspect that there is a flaw in this kind of
 logic. This because having a certain problem or experience does not
 necessarily indicate any particular insight as to the hows and whys
 of such an experience and least of all, would imply the ability to
 decide a proper course of treatment.

 FG > Yes, that is correct. Problem is you can only provide your
 FG > feedback based on the environment in that quiet office.
 FG > Then when you go back to your office, you may realize that
 FG > yesterday (before the adjustments) you could hear people
 FG > better.

 Yes, it is true that we go back to that quite office, that is
 necessary because I can only hear in a quiet environment while
 wearing only my behind the ear aids. But I am also tested in
 noisy environments as well.

 FG > If you think back real hard, you may find that each time you
 FG > went in the technician started to adjust your aid without first
 FG > asking if you thought that the settings should be changed.

 It is true that after testing, I have been asked if I would like to
 try some further adjustments, to which I usually agree. But, I have
 always been the one to say, "There, this is the setting "I" like
 best.

 FG > If we had lots of money we could hire a few students and have
 FG > them interview people with hearing aids. But since we don't
 FG > (perhaps I should just speak for myself <g>) we will never
 FG > know the answer to that question.

 I look at it all this way, I am hearing impaired and it is not very
 likely that there is an audiologist or physician anywhere, who can
 find a way to tune my hearing aids to a way so proper for me, that
 it will ever approach anything approximate to normal hearing. I am
 deaf and getting deafer. That would be so even if I were able to
 tune my aids myself.

 FG > I tell you what I think it is; a 2-piece, powerful hearing
 FG > aid which allows you to put a microphone close to the sound-
 FG > source.

 Yep, you're just such a hep guy! That's what it is.

 FG > I have seen some with long wires connecting the two, but
 FG > somehow I think that you may be referring to a cordless variety.
 FG > Close?

 Yes, my TELEX is made up of a remote transmiitter with a microphone
 which can be worn by another person or placed near a sound source and
 a receiver which is worn by me. The receiver can have its own
 earphones or it can be booted directly to one of your hearing aids.
 I have the boot. I generally wear the receiver at my waist and a
 cord runs from it and connects to a special connecting boot on the
 hearing aid worn on my better ear.

 FG > And who wants to hear the door bell anyhow. I love it.

 My doorbell does'nt make any noise. It is connected to strobelights
 very strategically placed (I am legally blind) throughout my
 apartment.

 FG > I am not sure what a "wild child" is, nor whether "wild"
 FG > refers to the child, or something the mother did to have one
 FG > <g>.

 You are being teasingly obtuse!

 FG > I will cool it for a while. Your relaxed answers have almost
 FG > made me feel like I was being overly negative.

 To be frank, I do perceive a certain negativity and maybe even a
 hint of anger in your tone. Still, comparing our individual
 experiences, I get the impression that I have been the receipient
 of much better care. I have been impressed with much that you have
 had to say because of what I perceive to be a glaring difference in
 experiences. And it is discouraging to think that your experience
 with Audiologists, Et Cetera, might be the more common!

 FG > Also, if I want to have any impact on the existing structure,
 FG > I ought to first know everyhting about it, not just the little
 FG > bit I have seen from a patient's point of view.

 As was the point of some of my above comments.

 FG > This is where my activism usually falls apart: Get involved in
 FG > a lot of research, or leave it alone. Guess which is easier :)

 Well, I think it is quite likely that being the patient and having
 the disease (So to speak) does not endow superior knowledge and
 and understanding. Still, the patients input is very important.

 FG >  Take Care, <felix>

 You bet, you do the same!

 Keepin' the faith!

 .                          Vixen

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