Tell It Like It Is.
Website is finished and bloggers are sharing thoughts again, what witty and insightful experiences can I share?
The danger of summer weight trousers and visiting the bathroom? NO, not like that.
We were in Salisbury last week and I’d gone to wash the chocolate éclair residue off my fingers when the water gushed up from the basin and splashed the front of my mid-green trousers. So I stood, carefully poised, under the hand dryer for a while – happens every summer when I change out of jeans and dark cords, I soon get used to the perils though.
How about how difficult it is for a lip reader to understand what a much loved family member is saying once Dementia really takes hold? Nope, there’s no fun there – our love to all who are dealing with that.
Got it! The power of the pen.
I’m the love of Sue’s life ……………………………. stupid spell check …………. should have been – I know the love of Sue’s life is her Horse, Tia, and the time they spend together is better than medicine. You’d be surprised how much traffic uses the quiet country lanes around the stables and Sue’s balance and hearing problems make it extremely difficult to tell what’s behind them. Watching Tia’s ears and body language (Sue’s been with horses since childhood) does give her clues as to what’s around them, but she occasionally finds angry faced drivers wondering why the stuck up rider won’t move out the way.
When Sue suggested writing ‘Deaf Rider’ on the back of her Hi-Viz waistcoat I had reservations, there’s plenty of idiots out there who think making a deaf person jump is funny and when a horse might be panicked I wondered if the risk was worth it. I’m delighted to say I was wrong. Sue has discovered a few unknown road users behind them when she’s looked back and noticed them, she’s moved Tia to a safe place to wait for the driver to pass. Not one grumpy look, friendly smiles and a mouthed ‘thank you’ instead.
It doesn’t hurt to let people know you have a hearing loss; give people a chance to do the right thing and they mostly do just that. And Hearing Link has some perfect products to help with that.
But I’m not writing ‘Fat Old Git Biker’ on the back of my leather though – that, they can see for themselves.
Be sure to read Laura Lowles’ blog www.theinvisibledisabilityandme.co.uk Laura is a great place to learn about and share thoughts on hearing loss. Love the comment about getting the Cochlear Implant magnet stuck to a bus’s handrail, Sue’s lip reading tutor had a similar problem when she got stuck to her car door – there’s experiences in hearing loss we wouldn’t imagine.
Good to be back.