The Midwest Academic Bowl, Z-party and Gallaudet Alumni event

I’m up in Delavan, Wisconsin with my friend Sue.  We’re watching our sons compete in the Midwest Academic Bowl hosted by Gallaudet and the Wisconsin School for the Deaf.  This is David’s second year competing for Hinsdale South and Alex’s first year with the Illinois School for the Deaf.  The two boys have known each other since they were babies, born just a week apart.  Today is the second day of the competition which begins at eight this morning. 

While my kiddo is competing, I’m up here working for CSDVRS at the same time.  Last night, we hosted a gathering of local deaf and hard of hearing families for a pizza night.   The Z-340 was hooked up to a large TV and people took turns trying it out, making calls and ordering extra pizza as more families arrived later in the evening.  Hope Turpin, who specializes in VCO (voice carry over), showed how to make calls using voice to talk directly to the hearing caller.  Two of our Wisconsin outreach specialists, Scotty Franz and Gina Sutton joined us too.

Earlier in the day, I accidently dropped my Z-340 on the wooden floor when I had it on my lap during a break in the competition.  I was in the middle of answering a call from Hope, who was setting things up at another location.  My heart was beating when I picked it up, thinking that I broke it.  Thank goodness for that durable cover which kept it intact. 

After our event, we headed over to the Delavan Deaf Club to join the Gallaudet Alumni party.  We met up with Dean, Susie and Ryan Kelly who also work as Outreach Specialists.  Dr. Davila was there and he talked about the students who were competing in the Academic Bowl (”they’re smarter than I was at that age!”) and the long range plan for Gallaudet.   I was really impressed to see the amount of giving that the alumnis put forth each year, between $200,000 to $400,000 each year.  The club auctioned a few items, including a Gallaudet blanket that was part of a fierce bidding war between an older couple and a younger alumni.  Dr. Davila was caught up in the auction fever and he whipped off his tie to auction that off.   Susie Kelly suggested that everyone contribute toward the tie to keep it on display at the club.  Everyone agreed and the money flowed.  Dr. Davila signed his tie and handed it over to the club. 

I’m heading back to WSD to watch my son and then heading to Milwaukee for another CSDVRS event tonight at Kozzies.  It has been fun getting to know the people from Wisconsin.  I’ve discovered that not everyone is a Packers fan and some admit to supporting the Chicago Bears!

Bookmark me!
[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Reddit] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Email] More »

Tags: CSDVRS by DeafMom
3 Comments »

Are You in the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Closet?

For many years, I hid in the deaf/hard of hearing closet. I wasn’t comfortable dealing with the lone hearing aid that was given to me in fourth grade. During the school day, I hid the hearing aid under my thick hair and pulled off some impressive bluffing maneuvers. I would smile and nod along to conversations during lunch time and at recess.  I did so well that the teachers often told my Mom that I was getting along “just fine in the classroom despite my hearing loss.”

When I look back at my early years in elementary education, I know that I had hearing loss long before it was diagnosed. I remember looking around after getting off the monkey bars, only to find all the kids lined up against the wall, ready to go back inside. I was the last kid left on the playground and I learned to calculate the time left at recess so I wouldn’t be the last kid in. I remember the kindergarten teacher coming over to tap me whenever nap time had ended. I quickly learned to watch the kid next to me and when they got up, I got up.

In second grade, the teacher had a reading session and introduced the book, “Curious George.” I couldn’t get the word “curious.”

“Erius George,” I repeated after her.

No, she said. She repeated the word and then went on reading. I stared at the book, seeing the man with the yellow hat and the brown monkey. I had no idea what the book was about or the interactions between the man and the monkey. It wasn’t until I had my first kid and obtained a copy of “Curious George,” that I finally learned what the story was about.

There are a lot of chunks of my life like that.

I’m sure to my teachers, I appeared to be doing pretty good in school. In seventh grade, we had a class where we each took turns reading a paragraph out loud. I would calculate the number of students ahead of me, count the paragraphs in the book and figure out where I needed to start reading. Sometimes I would get lucky and see someone close to me reading with their finger on each word and if I listened, I could follow along with the words. Then when it was my turn, I’d start in on the correct paragraph.

But inside of me, I know my stomach was churning and I was tense in trying to keep up. There were thousands of situations all through the school day, in after-school activities or on the playground where I was hyper-alert in trying to follow it all.

I’m sure today, there are kids still going through this routine– this coping skill that gets them through the day as “normal” as possible.

I can remember the day I came out of the deaf/hard of hearing closet. It was actually in college. I rode the bus with my hair pulled back in a pony tail and my hearing aid perched on my ear.

And I didn’t care.

For the first time in my life, I didn’t care who saw my hearing aid in public.

That was a turning point for me.

Over the years, I’ve met some people walking around with that closet around them.  Any talk about being deaf or hard of hearing is a painful thing. They know that elephant in the room is there and they step aside so they can talk around it.

One only has to type in “deaf mom” on Google and they’ll quickly learn that Karen Putz and DeafMom go hand in hand. There would be no hiding the fact from a potential employer nor would I even try. Lately, I’ve been receiving emails from other bloggers, who share that they’re hard of hearing or deaf, but they don’t want to highlight that in their blogs for various reasons. Some feel that their hearing status has no bearing on their life. Others feel it’s a sign of weakness and they don’t want to share that.

“I don’t hide it in person,” says Holly Kolman. “It’s just that the internet is forever.”

After chatting with Holly, I learned that she had never published anything online about being hard of hearing. She was willing to discuss it for the first time online on this blog.

“Life with a hearing loss means everything is harder,” she explained. “Almost everyone takes it for granted that people can hear…it’s like expecting someone with normal breathing to understand what asthma feels like–it’s impossible. It is very socially isolating. People think that you’re ignoring them when you don’t answer and they take it personally.”

Holly recalled that some of her teachers did not understand what she was going through in the classroom. Over the years, they told her, “You hear what you want to hear.”

I’ve been told that too. 

In sixth grade music class, we had a test where everyone had to listen to a recording on tape and then write down the beat times.  The teacher noticed that I wasn’t writing anything down.  She tried to explain what I needed to do.  Again, I tried to listen along.  Again, there was nothing for me to write down. 

The teacher was upset.  To this day, I still remember her words:  “Karen, you need to turn your hearing aid up and listen!” 

I told my Mom about this incident and she marched to the principal’s office the next day and explained why I couldn’t follow the music.  The principal called in the music teacher and for some reason, he made me issue an apology to her.  I didn’t understand why, but there I was, saying I was sorry.  To substitute for the missed test, I had to write two 500-word essays on the piano and the guitar–over Christmas vacation.  While my friends were enjoying a break, I was writing reports.

I think we’ve come a long way in terms of awareness, but I think we still have a ways to go to break down those closets that are still walking around out there.

Bookmark me!
[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Reddit] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Email] More »

Tags: Raising Deaf/HH Kids, Uncategorized by DeafMom
21 Comments »

Why Has It Been So Quiet Around Here?

I’ve been out having fun and showing off some Z’s!

Mike Finneran from CSDVRS, Karen Meyer from ABC News, dunno who, Julie Chavez from Dupage Center for Independent Living.

Marion Dramin & Emma Danielson from Sprint, Karen Meyer, Julie Chavez

Watch for an upcoming segment on the ABC News– I will post a link here when it’s up.  Mike and I joined the Joliet Deaf Senior Citizens later that day.  This group is special to me.  I started that group twenty years ago along with a handful of senior citizens.  When I left my job, the seniors continued to run the group, growing it simply by word of mouth.

Barbara Hucek and her husband, Wendell were one of the original seniors and leaders in the group.  She reminds me so much of my Aunt Velma, that’s probably why I love her!

We made a call to Chris Wagner at the CSDVRS headquarters in Florida.  As we zipped the Z-340 around the room, the seniors all had the chance to say hi to Chris.  Mike Finneran talked about 911, the ten-digit numbering and showcased the Z-100 and Z-150.

We finished off with a Pizza Night with some local people, giving them a chance to see the videophones and ask questions.

Tonight, there will be another opportunity to see the Z videophones at Duppies Night at 7 p.m. at the Other Side, 2436 N. Clark Street.

On another note, if you want to know why my hair is quickly going gray:

When the Oldest Kid Starts Driving.

Happy Friday the 13th!

Bookmark me!
[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Reddit] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Email] More »

Tags: CSDVRS by DeafMom
2 Comments »

The Newest Trend: A Z-phone Party

What better way to kick off a new job than to throw a party to show off some new toys? 

On Saturday, I invited a few people over to see the new Z videophones from CSDVRS:

In the photo below, Roberta explains her experience with the Z-150 that she uses at work.  With her previous videophone, she had difficulty with phone calls coming in.  The z-150 has firewall transversal technology which works well with complex network systems.

Dennis O’Brien explained the various features and services that CSDVRS provides and also explained that Yes You Can use CSDVRS with other videophones.  We also covered the new 10-digit numbering system and why this number is important for 911 services.

By the end of the night, people were saying this:

If you work for the federal government, here’s some information on how you can obtain a Z videophone for your workplace:

The Z™ Videophones from CSDVRS Now Available to Federal Employees

Clearwater, FL [February 3, 2009] – CSDVRS, LLC, is now authorized to distribute its The Z™ 150 videophones to federal employees via the Department of Defense’s Computer/Electronics Accommodations Program (CAP). “This is an exciting step forward for federal employees who require high quality video that supports firewall traversal and encryption ability, such as The Z™ 150 for the purpose of secure visual communication.” said Chris Wagner, CSDVRS Vice President of Marketing. “Federal employees who are deaf or hard of hearing can now request The Z™ to be provided to them at no charge through CAP, which is a remarkable program that CSDVRS is proud to provide videophones for.”
 
The Z™ 150 uses the same technology as some of the most advanced videoconferencing systems in the world, and was designed specifically for deaf and hard of hearing callers in partnership with world-renowned videoconferencing leader Tandberg. With a built-in 8.4-inch LCD screen and an easy-to-use keypad, federal employees can make calls with the touch of just a few buttons. The space-efficient videophone has a multitude of features, including incoming phone call flasher, call history, video/audio privacy, speakerphone/microphone capability, access to video remote interpreting services, and the ability to work with Internet firewalls commonly found in federal workplaces.
 
CAP provides free assistive technology and services to people with disabilities, federal managers, supervisors, and information technology professionals. The program also increases access to information and works to remove barriers to employment opportunities by eliminating the costs of assistive technology and accommodation solutions. This is accomplished through partnerships with federal agencies and vendors such as CSDVRS.
 
 “In the federal government, fast and reliable connectivity is paramount,” Sean Belanger, CEO, CSDVRS stated. “CSDVRS works closely with our customers to deliver world-class, dependable video communication solutions, such as the Z-150 videophone that enhance operational efficiency and, ultimately, allow deaf and hard of hearing federal employees to communicate effectively in their workplace.”
 
Federal employees may request for a Z-150 by visiting www.tricare.mil/cap <http://www.tricare.mil/cap> or e-mail z150@csdvrs.com for more information. More information about CSDVRS products and services may also be found at www.csdvrs.com.
 
About CSDVRS
CSDVRS, a video relay services provider, launched its inaugural service to the nation in 2000. By 2001, CSDVRS became the nation’s only 24/7 provider, and also was the first to offer Spanish VRS, video mail and personal 800 numbers. CSDVRS was developed by and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals based on feedback from the nation’s deaf and hard of hearing community. While other providers have followed our lead, CSDVRS is dedicated to that same spirit of innovation and commitment to excellence that took VRS from a dream to reality, by becoming the nation’s premier VRS provider.

Bookmark me!
[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Reddit] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Email] More »

Tags: CSDVRS by DeafMom
1 Comment »