Re: DB with CI

October 28, 2004

In a message dated 10/28/2004 7:30:05 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

lisak70@... writes:

Since Seattle has a large deafblind population, I called

them to explain that I was DB and to ask that they send me a package of

cards.

WHOA lisa,, all this time, you NOW telling us you live in Seattle area too??

Lee, another local

October 28, 2004

In a message dated 10/28/2004 8:17:13 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

lisak70@... writes:

I've heard that it's a beautiful city and I'm attracted to the

fact that it has a large DB population. Maybe someday!! <smile>

OH you have to come,, yes there is a large deaf/blind community in Seattle

area, so as deaf with sight. I think in part, Seattle has so much to offer to

us, large number of interpreters, mental health services and much more.

Lee

October 28, 2004

In a message dated 10/28/2004 9:51:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

lisak70@... writes:

Do they have any social workers, counselors or therapists in Seattle who can

sign?

YES! One of local major mental health centers have several counselors who

signs, some are deaf themselves, some are hearings who are very fluent with

ASL,,,,,, even though their office is on Capitol Hill (near downtown Seattle),

they do if need to, will meet you in one of their remote offices (save me an

hour a driving). All the counselors can act as social workers,, in fact,,

they are " case manager " for you, they will help you with SSI issue, Medicaid,

housing,, and much more,, it AMAZING.

Lee

October 28, 2004

In a message dated 10/28/2004 9:51:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

lisak70@... writes:

Unfortunately, her clinic was on the opposite side of town which made

getting to and from weekly appointments difficult at best, especially during

the winter months.

I dont know about your State, but here in WA, Medicaid do pay for transport

(taxi) to and from appointment. Do you have the same option?

Lee

October 28, 2004

,

No. Those with sight can because they can look for the source of the

sound. I can hear the noise but if I cant see it, its all just a jumble of

traffic noise. With 2 CIs I think this is much easier to handle.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

You are depriving some village of an idiot.

& Gimlet (Guide Dawggie)

Portland, Oregon

N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

rlclark77@...

http://home.comcast.net/~rlclark77/

October 28, 2004

Hi ,

I asked my audi the same question. She said that with practice and

repetition, this *is* possible. To do this, she suggested that I bring a

sighted-hearing friend or family member with me several times who could tell

me when a bus was approaching from half a block away. I would then

concentrate on the sound so that I could recognize its rhythm or pattern.

An O & M instructor of mine many years ago told me that I could identify a bus

by listening for the sound of the air brakes and/or the door opening. I was

also told to stand right next to the bus stop so that I would be in line

with passengers exiting the bus. This would allow me to hear and/or feel the

breeze of people passing by me as they exited the bus.

October 28, 2004

,

In order to identify a bus approaching, I guess you would have to ask a

pedestrian or wait at the bus stop, hoping that the driver opens the door

and tells you that he/she is there. My CI audi said this is possible, but

's point about traffic being a jumble of noise to someone who can't

see makes sense.

Tigger exhibits a certain behavior in harness which tells me that a bus is

in front of me. Perhaps you could train your dog to do the same? Another

idea would be to flag down a bus by using number cards provided by some

transit companies. Since Seattle has a large deafblind population, I called

them to explain that I was DB and to ask that they send me a package of

cards. They did and I've used the cards successfully from time to time. A

few bus drivers have even commented on how nice it would be if we used them

here.

CI candidate awaiting insurance approval and surgery date

October 28, 2004

,

Glad your experience reaffirmed mine. Single CI is helpful for one-to-one or

few people communication in relatively quiet environment but is of little

help in mobility. Wouldn't 2 CI be lovely?! Seems a few DB here with new CI

are having a quick adjustment to the CI, and I am happy for them. Mine was

painfully slow going. How was yours?

Re: DB with CI

>

> ,

> No. Those with sight can because they can look for the source of the

> sound. I can hear the noise but if I cant see it, its all just a jumble

of

> traffic noise. With 2 CIs I think this is much easier to handle.

>

> *---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

> You are depriving some village of an idiot.

> & Gimlet (Guide Dawggie)

> Portland, Oregon

> N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

> rlclark77@...

> http://home.comcast.net/~rlclark77/

>

October 28, 2004

Hi Lee,

No, I don't live in Seattle yet (I live just outside of Milwaukee, WI) but

who knows? I've heard that it's a beautiful city and I'm attracted to the

fact that it has a large DB population. Maybe someday!! <smile>

CI candidate awaiting insurance approval and surgery date

October 28, 2004

,

Have you looked into getting another CI? I thought you had but that's all I

remember.

I plan to get my right ear implanted after I find out how well I perform

with one CI. I could have requested bilateral CIs from the start, but given

all the waiting I've been doing, I don't want to wait any longer. My

insurance approval is set to come through any day now and I don't want to

prolong the waiting. LOL!

CI candidate awaiting insurance approval and surgery date

October 28, 2004

Lee,

Do they have any social workers, counselors or therapists in Seattle who can

sign? After I lost my hearing, I was fortunate to have a counselor who knew

sign. As far as I know, she was the only one in the area who could sign.

Unfortunately, her clinic was on the opposite side of town which made

getting to and from weekly appointments difficult at best, especially during

the winter months.

CI candidate awaiting insurance approval and surgery date

October 29, 2004

and ,

Gimlet notices when a bus pulls up. It would be possible to reinforce

that. If more than one bus serves the stops, then having those number books

is a good idea. We have them in Portland too.

, I am not where I want to be but perhaps I need to take a

different approach to it. I need to call for a new mapping and at that time

ask about the bilaterals too.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

" If you feel you have no faults .... there's another one. "

--unknown

& Gimlet (Guide Dawggie)

Portland, Oregon

N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

rlclark77@...

http://home.comcast.net/~rlclark77/

October 29, 2004

,

When I take the university bus from campus, it is not uncommon for 3 or 4

buses to be lined up in a row. In order to find the bus I need, I start at

one end and work my way down. I have an index card which identifies me as DB

and asks the driver to lightly tap me on my hand once if I'm on the correct

bus and twice if I'm not. This method has worked quite well for me so far.

I'm sure 's guide dog could be trained to respond in some tactual way

to a bus approaching. When Tigger was trained to do this at Leader, she was

given a " find the bus " command. Since I can no longer hear traffic, I now

wait for Tigger to pull forward lightly, stop for a brief second or two and

then pull forward once again. This, too, has worked out quite well in the 6

years we've been together.

CI candidate awaiting insurance approval and surgery date

October 29, 2004

>>Do they have any social workers, counselors or therapists in Seattle who

can sign? YES! One of local major mental health centers have several

counselors who signs, some are deaf themselves, some are hearings who are

very fluent with ASL,,,,,, even though their office is on Capitol Hill

(near downtown Seattle), they do if need to, will meet you in one of their

remote offices (save me an hour a driving). All the counselors can act as

social workers,, in fact,, they are " case manager " for you, they will help

you with SSI issue, Medicaid, housing,, and much more,, it AMAZING.<<

Lee,

WOW! I don't think we have that available here in Milwaukee. If we do, I'm

not aware of it. When I try to get any information from our local Center for

the Deaf and HoH, they always refer me to the Center for Deaf-Blind. While I

wouldn't mind using an interpreter for counseling sessions related to

Medicaid, SSI, etc. it would be *so* much better if I could find someone who

signs -- whether they are hearing, HoH or deaf.

CI candidate awaiting insurance approval and surgery date

October 29, 2004

Hi Lee,

We have paratransit here but in my opinion, it leaves *alot* to be desired.

(This is why I take the bus or cab.) I've used paratransit before and have

been stranded for hours because a driver did not get out of the van to let

me know he/she was there. Oftentimes the driver would stop for a second and

immediately drive away claiming that he/she couldn't find or see me even

though I was waiting with a friend or had Tigger with me. In the rare cases

I was picked up immediately, it wasn't uncommon for me to spend hours in the

van while other passengers are picked up and dropped off. Paratransit is a

valuable service -- I just haven't had good luck with the service.

Several hospitals in our area have vans which drive people to and from for

medical appointments, dialysis, etc. Unfortunately, the clinic I spoke of

did not have this service.

CI candidate awaiting insurance approval and surgery date

October 29, 2004

,

Here in Portland we remind the drivers to not pull out from behind the

first bus but to pull up when at a multi bus stop.

As to paratransit, its got problems here too but not as bad. You need

to run some sting operations and catch the culprits in the act then take the

evidence to whomever and demand changes. Here they have to come to the door

and let you know they are there.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

Save a tree - shoot a beaver.

& Gimlet (Guide Dawggie)

Portland, Oregon

N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

rlclark77@...

http://home.comcast.net/~rlclark77/

October 29, 2004

Do they have any kind of a priority service in your paratransit? Here inthe

phoenix area we do and since I've had it our dial a ride hasn't been that

bad always withinv their half hour as opposed to know ada status which is

what they call it when you can wait a lot longer,. I have had very

occasionally your problem of being missed, but find it hasn't happened for

years now and having a cell phone really helps. You can call and make sure

they don't for get or have people give directions or tell them if you were

missed I find cells help a lot for many, many things. If they have a

priority like a d a status, you might find the experience more pleasant. I

alwayscarry stuff to occupy me while I am waiting , but don't have too many

complaints about the ahda status.

Re: DB with CI

>

> Hi Lee,

>

> We have paratransit here but in my opinion, it leaves *alot* to be

desired.

> (This is why I take the bus or cab.) I've used paratransit before and have

> been stranded for hours because a driver did not get out of the van to let

> me know he/she was there. Oftentimes the driver would stop for a second

and

> immediately drive away claiming that he/she couldn't find or see me even

> though I was waiting with a friend or had Tigger with me. In the rare

cases

> I was picked up immediately, it wasn't uncommon for me to spend hours in

the

> van while other passengers are picked up and dropped off. Paratransit is a

> valuable service -- I just haven't had good luck with the service.

>

> Several hospitals in our area have vans which drive people to and from for

> medical appointments, dialysis, etc. Unfortunately, the clinic I spoke of

> did not have this service.

>

> CI candidate awaiting insurance approval and surgery date

>

November 1, 2004

Hi Tina,

Deafblind people don't get priority in our paratransit system. In fact, even

though I indicated on my application that I was totally blind and profoudly

deaf, my ID card only showed that I was totally blind. Believe me

Tina...I've done just about everything I can think of to help drivers

provide me with better service. Our paratransit system isn't very responsive

to the needs and concerns of its ridership. Deafblind people aren't

excluded. I've heard a myriad of complaints from those with other

disabilities as well. In my case, drivers know that I'm deafblind yet some

of them do not ring my intercom to let me know they have arrived. When I

call to complain I get the same story about how they will remind the driver

next time to make sure it doesn't happen again. There are two problems with

this. First, it's my word against the driver. If the driver says he rang my

intercom and I say he didn't, who is the company going to believe?

Second...if I accumulate several " no shows " I can be cut from the program

permanently. If a driver refuses to ring my intercom three days in a row,

that's 3 " no shows " that I have on my record. Unfortunately, dealing with

paratransit is not all cut and dry -- at least when dealing with the system

here. We used to have 10 van companies to choose from. Now we only have 2.

One company takes the north and east part of town while the other takes the

south and west. Every 6 months both companies switch again making it

difficult for drivers and customers to know each other well. It's not a

great system, but it's better than nothing at all. Given all of the

frustrations I've had with paratransit, I feel more comfortable taking a cab

or the bus. It's less stressful -- and I don't have to worry about being

stranded for hours. <smile>

CI candidate awaiting insurance approval and surgery date

November 1, 2004

Tina,

Another problem I had with paratransit was getting dispatch to copy down

information correctly. Even when I could get someone to call on my behalf,

oftentimes dispatch neglected to copy down all of the necessary information

correctly resulting in drivers not knowing I was deafblind or that I used a

dog guide. Unfortunately this situation is all too common within our local

paratransit system.

CI candidate awaiting insurance approval and surgery date

November 1, 2004

... ... ... why dont you use the power of the ADA to help you out

with this case... and .. you could ask the mayor of your city to spend

several days at your home to see how the paratransit service works, and see how

shabby they treat the deafblind. and YOU can keep copies of your conversations

with the paratransit agency, and how they respond to you. Also, your mayor can

see what is going on, and they may be very aware and since the mayor is the

hotshot of the city, and can CALL the paratransit agency and whomever did the

scheduling and setting up the rides, and literally chew them out for shabby

services. WATCH THEM, they will treat you with more respect and manner, and make

sure you get topnotch service, or THEIR FUNDING will be drastically cut until

they make up for their shoddy work!

That is what happened in my neck of the woods and the city bus/paratransit

system learned a big lesson and cleaned up their act and treated ALL

disabilities with equality!

Kozlik <lisak70@...> wrote: