Ragtag Prompt # 25 – Precedent
Garry’s getting a cochlear implant. Because this is a life-changing and unprecedented event for him, he volunteered to help UMass with their cochlear implant fundraising endeavors. Although Garry has been retired for a long time, a surprisingly large number of people recognize him and he is a very good speaker. On camera and live.
The cochlear implant groups want to make this technology more widely available and try to help people who need help for hearing problems. The doctor was particularly miffed that Medicare tells people to get hearing tests, but won’t help pay for hearing aids. It’s one of Medicare’s cruel jokes — along with no help for getting your teeth repaired or get eyeglasses or dentures.
That has always baffled me, too. Most of us can scrounge together a hundred bucks for a pair of glasses. On the other hand, $5 to $10,000 for hearing aids is not something most older — or for that matter, younger — people can afford.
So what’s the point of the hearing test? If you know you can’t hear, why bother to make it official when you can’t do anything about it?
That’s hopefully what raising funds will allow. Tomorrow the camera and crew will be here for an interview with Garry, who is totally (obviously) fine with being TV cameras. I get interviewed too because the effect of deafness on a partner is an important part of the project. Except I really am very uncomfortable when cameras roll. Oh well. Anything for a good cause. I think we need a good case with which to be involved. We need to do something good.
I think most people are unaware of how much and how profoundly deafness affects individuals and their relationships. It will be an interesting project.
Because of all this, we had to clean the house. If we are lucky, the weather will be fine and we can shoot outside. Maybe on the deck. Meanwhile, Owen cut the lawn. Garry cleaned the deck. We both cleaned the house. But if we have to shoot in the house, the hysterically barking dogs are likely to make the project kind of difficult.
It’s really Gibbs who is the hysterical barker. If anyone who isn’t Garry or me is in the house, he barks continuously. Endlessly. And very loudly. He looks like a small dog, but he sounds like Great Dane.
I sure do hope we get good weather! I’ve got terrible stage fright about TV cameras and a frenzied, barking dog in the background is not going to help.
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Categories: Cochlear implant, Daily Prompt, Garry Armstrong, Hearing, Photography
I would love to see the piece too if you are able to share it. I am sure it will be very well received but I do sympathise about the furry photo bombers. Cindy can’t stop barking and running around if anyone comes to the house so I can only imagine how three of them will behave when a van load of film crew arrives.
A close friend of mine is deaf and wears hearing aids in both ears and uses a streamer to answer the phone. Last year thanks to the Lions Club of Australia she got an assistance dog and she recently went out to give a talk to a local club about the program as she also believes you should give back where you can. Age pensioners do get assistance with hearing aids but as my friend has been wearing aids for some years I know how expensive they are. She had to plan for them well in advance even when she was working.
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Fingers crossed about the interview. How could it not go well, after all.
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Hope the entire project goes well – publicity, implant, and fund raising. My husband is on his third set of hearing aids so I truly do understand the impact of hearing on a relationship and a budget.
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We were looking at hearing aids and realized that it wasn’t going to accomplish anything. The improvement would have been MAYBE 5%. His ears are past hearing aids now. It was the surgery or nothing. It is ironic that they won’t pay a penny for hearing aids, but they will pay for the surgery. I have every hope that this is going to go very well. We did our media thing today and when the fundraising event comes up, I’ll post that information too. I don’t think most people really understand how much lack of hearing changes your life — both for those who can’t hear and their partners. I’m so used to being Garry’s ears and translator, it’s going to take time to get used to a different role in his life.
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I look forward to a link to the interview as well. I imagine your both excited and a tad nervous about the surgery. Still from what I’ve learned about implants, the difference is night and day. woot woot
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It will be a while before we know how it went and we shall have to be patient. I’m very optimistic.
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I am too since I’ve seen the end results several times. The delight on people’s faces, babies, moms dads, grandma’s etc. was heartwarming.
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I would love to see it and hope that a video will be available somewhere, like YouTube. At last I could hear you talk. But the main thing is, of course, that Garry can hear us all talking after the implant, I wish him all the best.
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They promised to give us the video. Whether I can figure out how to post it is another issue, but I’ll do my best. It’s MOSTLY Garry talking. Turn a camera on and the guy just can’t shut up. Amazing. The rest of the time, he never says anything.
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I hope you’ll give us a link to the interview so we can watch too Garry.
Leslie
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I’m not sure how to do this, so I will do my best. I gather there’s some YouTube stuff to do and I hope someone will help me because about this stuff, I’m a total dummy.
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I’m sure you will do just fine Marilyn.
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What exciting news! So glad that Garry is getting this opportunity. You are both wonderful to open up your home and selves for a great cause. Good luck!
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Thank you. Our house is open and a tad cleaner for the video crew. A tad — that’s all.
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I assume that the video will be shown on the local news. Since many of us are not “locals,” perhaps it’s something you can post on your blog so we can see it. I hope all goes well.
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Fandango, I believe this is an “in house” thing for the Cochlear Implant Surgery people. Hopefully, we’ll get a dub and can share with friends.
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good luck, and a good cause. Lets hope for good weather. Your garden looks lovely–Daylilies speak summer to me.
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Thanks, Steph. So far, weather looks good so hopefully we can stash the furry kids outside with their barking for fame. They are totally star struck.
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Are they ready for their closeups? A downside of restored hearing will be the barks!
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Steph, they’re ALWAYS ready for their closeups, especially Duke who’s a noted photo-bomber. Bonnie, my sweetheart, is more of the Garbo type. Gibbs is non-chalant but barks loudly, letting the cameras come to him.
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It will be brilliant. Well done, both.
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Thanks, Tish. Looks like the furry kids – notorious photo bombers – will try to divert the video crew for their 15 minutes of fame. They have a big thing about celebrity. They’re very focused on the dog food commercials, especially Duke who walks right up to the TV screen and poses with his good side.
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Ah-ha. There’s the answer to the photo bombing – they need their own video of dog food commercials to watch while you’re doing your stuff 🙂
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Yes, Tish. They’re probably surfing the internet for agents.
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That’s a splendid thing to do, both of you.
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Thanks, Sue. I’m wearing clean underwear for the video shoot.
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I’ll bet you both are 😉
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