[sasi] Hello

[Cindy Flerman]

Hello to everyone,

Thanks to those of you who gave me some tips and ideas from my recent post.

It is indeed a challenging world when more than one sense is affected, and 
it seems that the posts I'm reading indicate that we are trying to do our 
best to work with what we have.

I do know that the BrailleNote Apex cannot be connected to the Deafblind 
communicator.  I think the mPower units can be.

In talking about cochlear implants with the audiologist who did my monthly 
audiogram today, she indicated what I have thought, which is that I'm not 
yet to the level of needing the implant.  I don't have the figures in front 
of me (they're in print with my audiogram and I have not yet reviewed them 
with a reader.)  She also feels that cochlear implants are a final step, as 
there is no going back once they are implanted, and that better hearing aids 
can be another solution for awhile.

In my situation, with a steroid responsive hearing loss where we are now 
cutting back on the steroid, I will have unstable levels for awhile anyway, 
so it's not a good time to make a decision. The gist of the conversation is 
something we probably all know on this list: that no implant or hearing aid 
at this point is as good as natural hearing.  The positive side is that 
technology is always improving.

I saw a news story recently where for about 50 thousand dollars a man 
obtained a device that works with his brain that the report states was just 
like natural hearing, but I don't know where we would find out more about 
this, and how many of us could actually afford it if we did.

If I win the lottery I'll look into it further.  (LOL).

Thanks again to those of you who were kind enough to send along some ideas.

Cindy Flerman & Yellow Lab Pedro