I thought I would write about the equipment I've used as a deaf person. When I moved to London, I was living in a flat and someone from social services visited and established what I would need. I had a system set up in my room that whenever the smoke alarm went off, I would literally get sheet lightning in my room. Nothing used to wake me up but this did!! It was a really bright light that would flash intermittently until I switched it off. Luckily it didn't go off that many times but when it did, it was usually because my flatmate got peckish at 1 or 2am in the morning and burnt the sausages!! (Happened more than once!!)
I also had a fantastic alarm clock. The digital clock would also flash when the alarm went off so it had to be placed fairly close to my head and I also had a round device that I put under my pillow and it would vibrate. There were times when it fell on the floor during the night and so it wasn't entirely fail safe. I do wake up naturally early so that helps too.
I remember when I was working in my first bookshop and there was a man there who used to unpack all our boxes and he was deaf too. I remember asking where he was one day and my manager told me that because he was deaf he couldn't hear his alarm and so was habitually late. I remember feeling really indignant about this, I can't ever remember being late for work and I felt he was making excuses. Later on when I had calmed down, I scolded myself for not having thought up that excuse for myself - I could have treated myself to a few more lie ins!!
I remember trying to use the phone at work. I had this contraption that I used to strap onto the listening ear part of the phone and it was awful!! If the phone went, I had to dash to it, then grab the contraption out of my pocket, try and strap it to the phone, switch that on, then switch my hearing aid on 't' and then answer it! Sometimes the person on the other end was wondering why it was taking so long for someone to answer! I used to get so flustered and it ran on batteries too... Honestly, anyone who knows me, knows not to call me - email and text is just fine!!
I also had a watch that would vibrate whenever the doorbell rang or the phone rang but I haven't worn watches in years and it has to be fairly tight to work effectively. Anyway, my kids yell at me now when the doorbell goes, and then make no move to answer it themselves!! I did have a text phone (see photo) which had a small screen and a keyboard on which a message could be sent via a relay typist but I lost my patience with it after about a week, waiting for a typist to become available and then waiting for them to type what the other person said - I'm not the most patient person!! If I do need to speak on the phone, then I always need to use the loudspeaker option so no swearing please 😂
There won't be a blog next week as we are taking a much needed break away for a few days to recharge our batteries and get some sea air. â›± So I'll see you in two weeks time!!
