MASKS in a Pandemic!

    As we all know by now, opaque masks make things very difficult for people with hearing loss.  The problem caught the attention of the press, and I was interviewed for an article for the North Jersey Record.  I was also asked to sit for a photo session, and give a two-minute narrative on the impact of masks for people with hearing loss.

This all went quite well, as I was also able to refer the reporter to others who had the perspectives he was seeking.  And so, as expected, the online version came out on July 10th, with the video also embedded in the online article. The video was OPEN CAPTIONED, at my request, so it was accessible to people with hearing loss as well as the mainstream.

I subsequently learned that the print edition came out on Monday, July 13th because my friend contacted me and said I was on the FRONT PAGE of the newspaper!  YIKES!  

Well, my objective was to get this information out to the mainstream, and this sure did it!

SOOOOO - - - - Here it is - the online version, which also includes the video.

North Jersey Record Mask Article and  Video

And here are photos of the front page coverage which appeared in several of the syndicated editions of the North Jersey Record.

Cochlear Implants Meet Politics

I just attended a very worthwhile event -

New Jersey 2018 Democratic State Committee Conference 

- held in Atlantic City, at the Harrah's Resort & Casino.  This was my very first time attending a large Democratic convention, but I have been a member of the NJ Democratic Disability Caucus, so I felt I needed to get to know more about the political process.  Atlantic City is about 2 1/2 hours from my home, so I made hotel reservations there for two nights, driving on my own.

As always, everything is always about hearing - not always bad - but most definitely interesting.  When I checked into the hotel, I made sure I had a room with visual fire alerts. When my cochlear implant (CI) processors come off at night, I am deaf and cannot hear alarms, so this was essential. They gave me a great room - 24th floor with a view of the bay.  This room was equipped with other alerters as well - great to see them devote a desirable room for people with hearing loss.

I found the appropriate elevator (this place is BIG), hiked to my room, inserted my room key - and - nothing. UH-OH - I really didn't want to hike back to the front desk, so I looked for a house phone, and there it was, on the wall near my room. YES - I can hear on phones - YAY!  I called the front desk, was told a security person would come to my room - and she appeared a few minutes later, opened the door, and said I could go to the front desk to get a new key, at my convenience. Oh - the joys of being able to hear on the phone. It just never gets old!

And yes - the room was gorgeous - newly renovated - with a spectacular view (for NJ.)

Now I was ready to head to the Convention Center, another long hike, to attend the first event - the opening reception with Governor Phil Murphy and Senator Cory Booker.  I had requested captioning, and hoped that it would be provided - and it was!

BIG BEAUTIFUL CAPTIONS!

And the breakout session of the Disability Caucus was also captioned.  👌👌👌

I have been quite successful being able to "work a room" with my bilateral CI's.  I have an "ULTRAZOOM" program setting that uses directional microphones to bring in speech sounds in noisy environments, and it has worked very well for me.  So I was mingling among all these wonderful people, networking about issues impacting people with hearing loss - and political issues in general.

And I had some great photo ops, too!

Senator Cory Booker

Governor Phil Murphy

Me with Senator Bob Menendez

Me with Senator Cory Booker

I met a LOT of people and I came away with one 

VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE.

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO VOTE!

If you need any help registering or finding a polling place, let me know.

And please join me in voting a 

straight Democratic ticket - 

up and down the ballot. 

Our lives and our country depend on it!

Turning To My Name: GRANDMA

What an experience I had this past weekend - visiting with my daughter and her family.  Being able to interact with grandchildren is the next and best reason to be able to hear - especially bilaterally!

My grandson, age 2, is starting to gain a command of language, and explore the power of speech.  We were sitting at the dining table, his high chair next to my chair. As we were eating, I heard him call "GRANDMA!" So of course, with bilateral CI's, I "turned to my name" - my NEW NAME - GRANDMA!  Well, he was delighted that this powerful command worked so well - GRANDMA turns around instantly when I call her!

And so, he tried it again. "GRANDMA!" And, of course, I turned around again - realizing we were now engaged in a variation of "peekaboo" - something we were already expert at. And so it went, a dozen more times "GRANDMA" - and I responded with silly faces, and peekaboo motions.  We were having a ball!

And, of course, my daughter was looking on, knowing all too well, that this innocent little game was a miracle, the miracle of bilateral cochlear implants.  When she was growing up, her mommy didn't always turn around, and later when she was a teenager, never would turn around when called.

Celebrate this miracle - pure joy.

CI Moment - 20 years later

I've just celebrated my 20th anniversary of my cochlear implant!  Back when it was all new, fellow CI users would talk about our "CI moments" - events that were notable because we could now hear, but would have been impossible before getting our CIs.

Well, wouldn't you know - yesterday, I had a "CI moment" - an experience that surprised me because I was hearing something that was totally unexpected.  This event would have been totally impossible without my CI, but I suspect wouldn't even have been possible without many years of CI practice.

I was in a large drug store, getting a prescription refilled. I had told them that I would shop in the store while waiting for it to be ready.  I was engrossed in checking out all the various make-up and Halloween displays, when I thought I heard "Arlene to the pharmacy please" over a loudspeaker. It wasn't very loud, and I had never been aware that they would make that kind of announcement, but I went back to the pharmacy and asked if they had paged me.  Yes - indeed they had!   Definitely a CI moment, for sure!

There's more to the story, though.  Recently, I have been listening to recorded books while driving in my car - something I hadn't done in many, many years.  I used to listen to "books on tape" as audiotherapy practice, but had given that up long ago.  Just recently, though, I had gotten very tired of listening to the radio - the news reports were so depressing - so I figured getting some books on CDs would be a good alternative. 

I had just finished the 29-CD recording of the biography Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow, that had inspired the Broadway show.  I found it fascinating, and looked forward to driving so I could listen to more.  What I discovered, interestingly, was that I seemed to be hearing "better" in general situations.  It was just an impression, and certainly still not "totally normal" hearing, but definitely relatively "better."  I seemed to be able to get words at greater distances with improved clarity.  And this practice was also forcing my brain to rely only on sound - no captioning or other cues. 

Fast forward to the "Arlene to the pharmacy" announcement, and it fits right in with my recent experience.  Getting better speech discrimination, and awareness.  Just what I had been practicing in my car - and plan to continue doing!

Progress - with practice - after 20 years!

Better Speech and Hearing Month Crossword Challenge

Here it is May, again - which is Better Speech and Hearing Month!  Last year, the HLAA magazine, Hearing Loss, published a special crossword puzzle in celebration of this event.  It's called Hooked on Bionics, and is really fun - well worth bringing back for an encore!

Just click here for the puzzle, and click here for the answer key, as well as bio information about the puzzle constructor, George Barany - and some more info about me, too!

If you're curious about how this came to be, then you might want to check out a great bunch of crossword puzzle enthusiasts here.  There's nothing else about hearing loss at that site, but I think you'll agree that's a refreshing change of pace!

In Memoriam: Ira Z. Romoff (1947-2013)

My beloved husband of 43 years, Ira, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, July 30, 2013.  The funeral was held Thursday, August 1, 2013 where open captioning was provided.  I delivered the following eulogy in his honor.  Additional eulogies were delivered by my son and daughter. Donations in his memory can be sent to the Center for Hearing and Communication www.chchearing.org  A detailed review of his professional accomplishments can be found at    http://leasingnews.org/Pages/extra_romoff.html



IRA ROMOFF EULOGY

AUGUST 1, 2013 – Arlene Romoff

 

This is such a difficult task for me – yet seeing all of you here today – friends, family, colleagues - I just have to tell you that it means so much to me to have your support and your love.   

And, speaking of love, let me tell you the story of Arlene and Ira – it goes all the way back to the High School of Music & Art in Manhattan – starting in Mr. Howard’s English class in 1963.  Ira was somehow partial to redheads – and I enjoyed being adored – so that was a pretty good way to begin a 50-year relationship.  Our first date was a New York Philharmonic rehearsal at Lincoln Center – I bought the tickets – a dollar each!  By our next date, the 1964 World’s Fair, romance was blossoming by the moonlit fountains.  And did you know that Ira came to my Sweet 16 Party – and was annoyed that there were other people there!  Next – on to City College – and a ZBT fraternity pin – and then an engagement ring by our senior year. We were married in 1970 – and our first dance was “Someone to Watch Over Me.”

And THAT song was prophetic.  As I started losing my hearing, Ira did, indeed, watch over me.  He was devoted to me, to my well-being, and to my happiness – just as he was always devoted to his family and to his friends. 

 We did work as a team, though – as I became “the banker’s wife” – and we became “Michael and Emily’s Mom and Dad.” We were quite a team, too – and outwardly looked so normal.  Yet my hearing loss was the invisible damper that couldn’t be ignored.  

But – for those of you who knew Ira in business – good strategy can triumph over weaknesses. Just last week, Ira told me that when we were tennis doubles partners, many years ago -  he would call “SWITCH” so our opponents would think I would cross the court – but he knew I wouldn’t hear it, so wouldn’t switch.  (Are you following this? It’s really quite brilliant!) 

We had other strategies too (that I was actually aware of!)  I communicated by subtle facial expressions when I needed his help understanding something – and he always “got it.”  He most surely “watched over me” – and I really needed him to.  And he never faltered – or complained. 

And then a miracle happened – something we never could have imagined back in 1970 - cochlear implant technology allowed me to hear again – and with two devices, one in each ear, I could finally turn to the sound of my name – something that had eluded us for four decades.  Can you imagine the look of joy on Ira’s face when he could finally do something as simple as call my name, and I would turn around?   No matter how many times we did this, we still smiled – it just never seemed to get old.

And that brings us to the present – just as recently as this past weekend, Ira helped me participate in a cochlear implant convention – assisting in my booksignings and such. He took such joy in being that “someone to watch over me” – as if nothing had changed in 43 years.  Except today I’m on my own – but I’m pretty sure he’s still watching over me – and watching over you, too.

 

 

NE Cochlear Implant Convention - persistence of memories

The  Northeast Cochlear Implant Convention 2013 is coming up next week, being held at the Holiday Inn, in Boxborough, Massachusetts on July 26-28.  This year, I am one of the presenters - doing a session on bilateral cochlear implants on Sunday, July 28 at 9 AM, and also doing a booksigning on Saturday, July 27 at 4:30 PM.

The history of this convention runs deep for me - I was at the very first one, held  in June of 1997, researching my own cochlear implant options.   I wasn't alone, either - it was there that I met many of what became a close-knit group of "first generation" cochlear implant users.  We weren't exactly pioneers, but cochlear implants weren't exactly commonplace yet either. 

Those were the days when you had to have very little hearing left to qualify - about 20% using hearing aids.  I didn't have to worry, though - my hearing at that point was just 8% in my "better" ear.  I met people like myself, researching their options - and I also met people who had already gotten their CI's.  I didn't have to be sold, though - I was desperate - my long journey from normal to profound deafness had reached its ultimate destination.

I made a return visit to this convention in 2001, to sign copies of my first book, Hear Again - Back to Life with a Cochlear Implant.  And now, in 2013, I'm looking forward to talking about bilateral cochlear implants, and also signing copies of my second book, Listening Closely: A Journey to Bilateral Hearing.  

 I have to smile at the thought of returning to my "alma mater" once again this year, as a member of its original graduating class.