bf4life-hearing

Hey!

How many of you are TOTALLY obsessed with your iPod? I <3 my iPod touch, except I do not love music because of my hearing loss and my lack of ability to hear the lyrics, well anyway ... here is a new way to look at your iPod touch or iPhone as perhaps maybe a savior or a helper! Yes, I swear I am telling the truth!

The other day I was searching through the apps on iTunes for the perfect apps to add when I found this ...
Dun, Dun, Duhn
MEDICAL APPS!!!!! (I know how boring this sounds, but ...) these are not just any medical apps, but apps to help test ones hearing or to act as a hearing aid. Here are some that I found: ($ signs mean they cost money!)

**** NONE OF THESE ARE AS GOOD AS A DOCTOR ADMINISTERED TEST OR A REAL HEARING AID!!!!! SORRY!!!!!! *******

1) Uhear: Uhear is a self-administered hearing test that allows you to figure out what the quietest sound you can hear is with background noise, to figure out what you hearing is. 

2) $ iHear Hearing Aid: This is a "hearing aid" that helps amplify sound.

3) $ SoundAMP: This is known as the BEST "hearing aid" for the iPod or iPhone that helps amplify sound. 

4) $ Hearing Test: This application is literally its name, a hearing test.

So, the next time you suspect your hearing has gone down, or you need that extra boost on hearing the song's lyrics try these apps. 

I have not used any of these apps, so try them at your own will! :)

What do you think??? Would you use them???

Hi:

So, last night I was watching a "Law and Order" marathon when an episode called Silencer began.  Like all other "Law and Order" episodes it began with a MURDER! Dun, Dun, Dun! This time, someone had killed a prominant Cochlear Implant doctor. The two detectives, Goren and Eames, in their search for the killer eventually turn to the deaf and hard of hearing community for their suspect. Now I will not spoil the episode for you, but ...

I watched the episode with fascination, since when has the deaf or hard of hearing community every been portray so vividly on national telivison? Yet, I watched with horror and anger as I saw how the deaf and hard of hearing community was portrayed! The stereotypes were all there. We cannot talk, we do not socialize with those who are hearing, we actually hate the hearing world, we are stupid, we only sign!

This to me is INSULTING! I only communicate by speaking; a very small percentage of the deaf and hard of hearing community signs. 

This is not the only show that stereotypes people who are deaf and hard of hearing. Have you ever seen the episode of Desperate Housewives with the deaf mother (played by Marlee Matlin)  who must communicate through her daughter (not just sentances, but curses!), and whose husband cheats and derogate his wife because she can not hear him. This character is played by Marlee Matlin who should work to try and help the community be perceived as NORMAL, not stupid or different. 

How do we change this? Do you have any ideas?

To view the episodes, you can watch on Netflix, Hulu, or here for the Desperate Housewives episode.