Patient: "what part of Alabama are you from??"
As I post this on Facebook reflecting on how my swedish accent has changed to a southern accent, a friend suggested that I tell people I'm from southern Sweden. PERFECT!!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
"It's how you make friends"
This title is how I became friends with one of my closest friends. I'll never forget as I'm at my first grad school party, Ashley and her "Virginia Tech boys" came through the door with some Boone's Farm wine announcing "it's how you make friends!". Not long after that, I was invited on Sean's boat one summer day with Sean, Ashley and her fiancee, Ricky. I was reflecting on this moment a couple weeks ago with Ashley and I thought I'd share some of our first conversations on the boat.
Before I continue, keep in mind, I've had very expensive "ears" almost my entire life. Between my mom's voice constantly in the back of my mind and my maturity that has developed over the years, I'm VERY protective of my ears, especially when it comes to bodies of water as they absolutely can not get wet. So with this said.... As I get ready to go wakeboard, I take out my ears, put them in a safe spot on the boat and jump into the water.
Ashley as she is freaking out: "WHERE ARE YOUR EARS???"
Me: I'm thinking seriously?? "They're on the boat" I mean seriously like I would jump in the water with them on....
This conversation probably happened EVERY single time I jumped in the water for maybe that whole summer and the next summer after that.
Another conversation....
As each one of us take turns wakeboarding/surfing/skiing/tubing and as each one of us falls, the boat circles around to pick up the skiier. Tradition is for those that can actually hear in the water, we turn down the music so that we can talk to them for a few minutes and maybe give them any tips on how to make the jumps higher or how to complete that 360 degree turn. However, as I'm in the water and the boat circles around on me, it's completely pointless to turn down the music as I will not be able to hear. However, it takes Ashley and Ricky a couple tries to remember....
Me: floating in the water waiting on the boat to circle around
Ashley: "turn down the music so we can talk to her!!"
Sean: as he looks at Ashley "Ashley she can't hear you"
Ashley: "oh yeah" and turns back up the music
Me: I get up for another spin, after a while I'm back in the water and waiting on the boat to circle around
Ashley: "turn down the music we can talk to her!!"
Sean: as he looks at Ashley "Ashley she CAN'T hear you"
Ashley: "oh yeah" and turns back up the music
This conversation probably happened every time the boat circled around on me for an entire summer...
Before I continue, keep in mind, I've had very expensive "ears" almost my entire life. Between my mom's voice constantly in the back of my mind and my maturity that has developed over the years, I'm VERY protective of my ears, especially when it comes to bodies of water as they absolutely can not get wet. So with this said.... As I get ready to go wakeboard, I take out my ears, put them in a safe spot on the boat and jump into the water.
Ashley as she is freaking out: "WHERE ARE YOUR EARS???"
Me: I'm thinking seriously?? "They're on the boat" I mean seriously like I would jump in the water with them on....
This conversation probably happened EVERY single time I jumped in the water for maybe that whole summer and the next summer after that.
Another conversation....
As each one of us take turns wakeboarding/surfing/skiing/tubing and as each one of us falls, the boat circles around to pick up the skiier. Tradition is for those that can actually hear in the water, we turn down the music so that we can talk to them for a few minutes and maybe give them any tips on how to make the jumps higher or how to complete that 360 degree turn. However, as I'm in the water and the boat circles around on me, it's completely pointless to turn down the music as I will not be able to hear. However, it takes Ashley and Ricky a couple tries to remember....
Me: floating in the water waiting on the boat to circle around
Ashley: "turn down the music so we can talk to her!!"
Sean: as he looks at Ashley "Ashley she can't hear you"
Ashley: "oh yeah" and turns back up the music
Me: I get up for another spin, after a while I'm back in the water and waiting on the boat to circle around
Ashley: "turn down the music we can talk to her!!"
Sean: as he looks at Ashley "Ashley she CAN'T hear you"
Ashley: "oh yeah" and turns back up the music
This conversation probably happened every time the boat circled around on me for an entire summer...
Monday, December 13, 2010
Do you know sign language???
These last couple months, the hospital has had several deaf patients come through our doors. I've now had this conversation (or a conversation VERY similiar) with two nurses and another physical therapist.
I am either walking down the hall minding my own business or writing notes as this nurse (or PT) comes running up to me in a frenzy.
Nurse: "Hey Sarah do you know sign language??" with a very hopeful look on their face
Me: "Nope sorry"
Nurse: "DAMMIT" and they turn around to run off in another direction
I'm sitting there thinking "what the hell, just because I'm deaf, I'm supposed to know sign??"
I just shrugged it off...until this week.....
I'm working with a hispanic patient that doesn't know a word of english and I had a very important question to ask that couldn't wait for a spanish interpreter....
I see a dark-skinned janitor cleaning a room down the hall, so I run down the hall and say:
Me: "Hey, do you know Spanish, can you interpret something real quick for me"
Janitor: *rolls her eyes* "no, I am NOT spanish nor do I know spanish"
I apologized profusely....
I am either walking down the hall minding my own business or writing notes as this nurse (or PT) comes running up to me in a frenzy.
Nurse: "Hey Sarah do you know sign language??" with a very hopeful look on their face
Me: "Nope sorry"
Nurse: "DAMMIT" and they turn around to run off in another direction
I'm sitting there thinking "what the hell, just because I'm deaf, I'm supposed to know sign??"
I just shrugged it off...until this week.....
I'm working with a hispanic patient that doesn't know a word of english and I had a very important question to ask that couldn't wait for a spanish interpreter....
I see a dark-skinned janitor cleaning a room down the hall, so I run down the hall and say:
Me: "Hey, do you know Spanish, can you interpret something real quick for me"
Janitor: *rolls her eyes* "no, I am NOT spanish nor do I know spanish"
I apologized profusely....
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.
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.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
An eventful day at work....
Here's a few more that have happened in the last couple weeks. One of them doesn't refer to my deafness but it's pretty funny...
For several days, I worked with this young man who was pretty sick and I even wondered if he'd remember me. Well one day, another therapist, Sonya, had to take him since I was too busy. Sonya found me after seeing this young man and told me that he was asking where I was. I guess he finally became alert enough to ask and surprisingly, actually remembered enough of me to ask Sonya. He specifically asked "where's that blonde therapist...the special talking one?" The other therapist got a kick out of that. I'm "special" alright, ha!
You remember back in my first post with the patient asking if I was deaf, mute or both? Refer to my first post if you don't. Well I saw him again, about a month later. This is how it goes...
Me: "Hey, you remember me?"
Patient: "Yep, I do, you're a PT"
Me: "Yep" I start talking to him about how he's doing and what we're going to do
Patient: "Before we start, I have a question"
Me: "what's that?" (knowing once again it's going to be about my ears)
Patient: "was it that you can't speak or that you can't hear?"
Me: "Well I've just been speaking to you for the last 10 minutes"
Patient: *Thinks about it for several minutes* "That was a stupid question wasn't it?"
Me: "yes sir, it was"
Seriously?!?! Idiot....
And this one is my favorite...
Myself and one of our aides, Pam, was in a patient's room trying to get her to participate with PT but she wanted nothing to do with us. While we're not allowed to force people to do what they don't want too, sometimes by sitting a patient at the edge of the bed, they actually feel better and then are more willing to work with us. So I just tell Pam, alright let's move her to the edge of the bed.
Upon sitting at the edge of the bed, she has this pissed off look on her face and looks at me very seriously, and with a very serious tone says:
"I can fight you....and I'm 99 years old"
I laid that patient back down and left her alone the rest of the day.
For several days, I worked with this young man who was pretty sick and I even wondered if he'd remember me. Well one day, another therapist, Sonya, had to take him since I was too busy. Sonya found me after seeing this young man and told me that he was asking where I was. I guess he finally became alert enough to ask and surprisingly, actually remembered enough of me to ask Sonya. He specifically asked "where's that blonde therapist...the special talking one?" The other therapist got a kick out of that. I'm "special" alright, ha!
You remember back in my first post with the patient asking if I was deaf, mute or both? Refer to my first post if you don't. Well I saw him again, about a month later. This is how it goes...
Me: "Hey, you remember me?"
Patient: "Yep, I do, you're a PT"
Me: "Yep" I start talking to him about how he's doing and what we're going to do
Patient: "Before we start, I have a question"
Me: "what's that?" (knowing once again it's going to be about my ears)
Patient: "was it that you can't speak or that you can't hear?"
Me: "Well I've just been speaking to you for the last 10 minutes"
Patient: *Thinks about it for several minutes* "That was a stupid question wasn't it?"
Me: "yes sir, it was"
Seriously?!?! Idiot....
And this one is my favorite...
Myself and one of our aides, Pam, was in a patient's room trying to get her to participate with PT but she wanted nothing to do with us. While we're not allowed to force people to do what they don't want too, sometimes by sitting a patient at the edge of the bed, they actually feel better and then are more willing to work with us. So I just tell Pam, alright let's move her to the edge of the bed.
Upon sitting at the edge of the bed, she has this pissed off look on her face and looks at me very seriously, and with a very serious tone says:
"I can fight you....and I'm 99 years old"
I laid that patient back down and left her alone the rest of the day.
Friday, November 19, 2010
I TOTALLY understand....
This post is appropriate for me today since I'm fighting a cold and feel like crap. So this brings me back to this memory and the reason for today's post.
When I lived up in Knoxville, going to UT, sometimes I would hang out with my second family up there; my aunt, uncle, and cousins. One night, my lil cousin was going to be in a church play for the holidays and they invited me to come watch. Of course, I couldn't pass up a chance for free food (the church provided dinner before the play) and to watch my lil cousin, so I came along. As we're sitting around the table, my aunt and uncle are talking to all of their friends and I didn't know a single person so I was just sitting there watching everyone. Out of the corner of my eye, I see my aunt whisper to one of her friends "she's deaf so make sure you look at her so she can read your lips" (In case you don't know, I'm very observant and can read lips from across the room) However, when people are warned that I'm deaf before they actually meet me, they seem to jump to the conclusion that they have to over-enunciate every word while speaking loudly, which quite honestly, annoys the hell out of me. My aunt's friend looked very excited and so at this point I realized I'm about to embark on an interesting conversation.
About five minutes later, this friend of my aunt comes over and sits down next to me.
Friend: While speaking very loudly and over-enunciating "Hi Sarah, my name is so and so" (I actually don't remember her name)
Me: "Hey it's nice to meet you"
Friend: "I have something to tell you"
Me: "what's that?"
Friend: "About once a year, I get this really bad sinus infection and I can't just hear anything at all"
Me: "uh huh...."
Friend: "So I TOTALLY understand how you feel"
As she says this, she puts her hand on my arm and smiles like we've become best friends because of her ONE cold a year, she totally understands how someone like me, who's deaf year round and who has never had hearing, knows how I feel. I finally found my long lost best friend....
When I lived up in Knoxville, going to UT, sometimes I would hang out with my second family up there; my aunt, uncle, and cousins. One night, my lil cousin was going to be in a church play for the holidays and they invited me to come watch. Of course, I couldn't pass up a chance for free food (the church provided dinner before the play) and to watch my lil cousin, so I came along. As we're sitting around the table, my aunt and uncle are talking to all of their friends and I didn't know a single person so I was just sitting there watching everyone. Out of the corner of my eye, I see my aunt whisper to one of her friends "she's deaf so make sure you look at her so she can read your lips" (In case you don't know, I'm very observant and can read lips from across the room) However, when people are warned that I'm deaf before they actually meet me, they seem to jump to the conclusion that they have to over-enunciate every word while speaking loudly, which quite honestly, annoys the hell out of me. My aunt's friend looked very excited and so at this point I realized I'm about to embark on an interesting conversation.
About five minutes later, this friend of my aunt comes over and sits down next to me.
Friend: While speaking very loudly and over-enunciating "Hi Sarah, my name is so and so" (I actually don't remember her name)
Me: "Hey it's nice to meet you"
Friend: "I have something to tell you"
Me: "what's that?"
Friend: "About once a year, I get this really bad sinus infection and I can't just hear anything at all"
Me: "uh huh...."
Friend: "So I TOTALLY understand how you feel"
As she says this, she puts her hand on my arm and smiles like we've become best friends because of her ONE cold a year, she totally understands how someone like me, who's deaf year round and who has never had hearing, knows how I feel. I finally found my long lost best friend....
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
How I became a Tater....
Sean and I met and exchanged numbers at a grad school party. We started dating. Fast forward about six months of dating, I remember a conversation I had with my mom about the relatively new guy I was dating and how he has yet to ask me about my ears, which I was pretty surprised about. My mom brought up how it seems like of all the guys I've dated, they would either look down at me as someone they had to take care of or they would put me up on this pedestal and look up at me as if I was this goddess that has conquered the world. But Sean, he treated me as an equal and never asked my ears. So that night, I decided to approach the topic. This is how it went...and yes, I remember it that vividly....
Me: "So Sean, we've been dating several months now and yet you've never asked about my ears. Are you curious about them at all?"
Sean: "what kind of questions would I ask?"
Me: "I don't know...."
There's a moment of silence so I blurted out this question...
Me: "well if things progress and we get married and have kids, there may be a slight chance that they'd be deaf too"
Sean: "well we'll just slap those ear things you have on them and they'll be fine"
For those of you who don't know, these "ear things" I have are cochlear implants that involve a six hour surgery. Regardless, I married the guy a year and half later and became a Tater.
Me: "So Sean, we've been dating several months now and yet you've never asked about my ears. Are you curious about them at all?"
Sean: "what kind of questions would I ask?"
Me: "I don't know...."
There's a moment of silence so I blurted out this question...
Me: "well if things progress and we get married and have kids, there may be a slight chance that they'd be deaf too"
Sean: "well we'll just slap those ear things you have on them and they'll be fine"
For those of you who don't know, these "ear things" I have are cochlear implants that involve a six hour surgery. Regardless, I married the guy a year and half later and became a Tater.
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