A taste of my own medicine

So over the weekend I had a deaf patient, and by deaf, I mean totally, 100% deaf, signing and is not oral at all. She had an interpreter with her 24/7. I was a little apprehensive about working with this patient because my experiences with other deaf folks, especially the signing deaf folks, have not been positive experiences. But there were limited therapists and she was on my list. So, I got to work with her and really got to taste my own medicine.

When I was growing up, and even now, when I take my ears out due to a headache, dead battery, wet hair or I just don't want to listen to another voice, my family/friends would always get pissed off. I used to think they were very selfish and didn't want to deal with a deaf person. What I wouldn't know (or just not realize) that whoever would be trying to get my attention at the time would start off by saying my name, followed by yelling my name several times, to be followed by waving of the arms, stomping on the floor or finally, having to march across the room just to tap me on the arm. At this point, they're pretty frustrated. So as I look up at them and say "what's up?" they usually have a pissed off look on their face and their response typically is "PUT ON YOUR EARS!!".

So as I enter this patient's room, I started by knocking on the door, quickly followed by the thought "duh Sarah, she can't hear the knock". I walk across the room to tap her or nudge the bed to get her attention. As I'm talking, the interpreter starts to sign. Throughout the treatment, I would give advice/tips on how to improve her walking, etc and when she doesn't respond to me, I start to say it louder, once again followed by the thought "duh Sarah, she can't hear you talking to her". One day, she was in the bathroom and I was trying to ask while respecting her privacy at the same time if she was done. I said her name...no response. I yelled her name....no response. I started to wave my arms and stomp the floor...once again, no response. So I march across the room into the bathroom to tap her arm. Only this time I couldn't yell at her "PUT ON YOUR EARS".

She was a sweet lady and I enjoyed working with her and watching her and the interpreter sign to each other, even though I couldn't understand a word of it. But it definitely made me appreciate my ears and I couldn't help but chuckle and now understand why my family/friends have this pissed off look when they're trying to get my attention.