Hi Barb,
How are you poor ears after that, you poor thing. I newer model will come
out soon I hope. Janice
----- Original Message -----
From: Barb_MSN <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, November 15, 1999 12:23 PM
Subject: Re: Speech Amplifier Update


> Dear List Family......
>
> Well, "ya win a few, lose a few," and in this case, after 24 hours
> of using the Bruce Hands Free Speech Amplifier, I've found the
> product to be a good idea, but it;s been so poorly designed
> designed that I am forced to return it to the maker.]
>
> Mind you, if someone is handy with basic electronics and prototype
> construction, it  COULD be redesigned and made to function in a
> more useful manner - tho there IS a model using a head set and
> mike.  That would  certainly would be more conspicuous than  an
> alternative feature with an old fashioned headset with an attached
> microphone which WOULD get rid of the problems I ran into;
>
> Basically, the unit I had bought was clumsy.  It was so top heavy
> that the wannbe clip that slid onto the top of the belt and didn't
> really have a true "clip-like-device" to keep the unit securely
> affixed to my belt.  I found that in with my every move, the unit
> would start to slide off the belt.  By constantly having to push
> the unit back into my belt,,the unit would SHRIEK <picture
> magnifying  the sound of fingernails sliding down a chalkboard and
> with the sound seemingly being broadcast in Dolby Surround Sound
> like a movie! <grin>
>
> ALSO.. the microphone had to be moved MANUALLY consistently, in
> order to track your mouth as you moved your head naturally in
> speech - turned and tilted your head unconsciously in
> conversation - your head rigidly in order to speak in into the
> mike and have your voice picked up enough to be heard.
>
> It seemed to me that the design problem that caused the device to
> repeatedly drop off my belt would be very simple to fix and the
> shrieking could also be fixed if the effort was made by the Bruce
> Company (and I could be entirely wrong about this)
>
> A\Anyway, I called BRUCE this a.m., and they were most  gracious
> in permitting me to return the unit, which I'll do today.
>
> FYI.... I'm planning on ordering the other  company's $159 speech
> amplifier today and'll report back to the List on how well THAT
> unit functions and meets my expectations..
>
> Barb (down, but not out) Mallut
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> --Original Message-----
> From: Barb_MSN <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Friday, November 12, 1999 11:57 PM
> Subject: GOT VOICE AMPLIFIER TODAY!!! (Long!)
>
>
> >Oh Joy!  Oh Wondrous Joy!   Today my hand-free
> >speech amplifier was delivered and lo and behold, j
> >just like magic, I CAN BE HEARD *NORMALLY once
> >again!! (Mopping up tears by the bucket with a BIG
> >smile on face...)
> >
> >Personal PD-voice History:    After approximately
> >22 years (now over 25 years)  living  with Parkinson's
> >and a successful unilateral pallidotomy in Oct.
> >of '94,  three year ago began to notice that everyone
> >around me was getting hard of hearing. (Ok... ok.... be
> >honest , now, Barbie) Well let's say about 3 year ago
> >I noticed wherever I went and whoever I was with at
> >the time had a terrible time HEARING me.
> >
> >And it wasn't THEM that had the problem - it was ME.
> >Whenever I spoke, folks were saying "What?
> >WHAT??? I can't HEAR you."  What was even worse,
> >SOME people, in an effort not to embarrass me, just
> >sat there without a CLUE as to what I was talking about,
> >and never ever commented that they couldn't hear me,
> >until _ I _ happened to notice the blank look on their
> >respective and collective faces.
> >
> >Lack of ability to COMMUNICATE, when I had SO much
> >to say, began to frustrate me, and I became desperate.
> >
> >In an effort to be heard, I had speech therapy at Kaiser
> >Permanente, my HMO, and realized by the second
> >lesson, the therapist knew little about PD and
> >PD-related speech problems.
> >
> >Next I went to UCLA's famed Throat and Neck Clinic,
> >headed by Dr. Gerald Berke, who injected collagen
> >into both vocal cords and successfully restored my
> >speaking voice for about 5 months, and $500 (which
> >IS picked up by Medicare, unless you, like me had
> >assigned your Medicare to an HMO, in which case
> >you're out of pocket is you want this procedure
> >performed on your vocal cords immediately.
> >
> >FYI.... Even if I was willing to pop more money in five
> >hundred dollar chunks every 3 to 6 months indefinitely,
> >which I'm not economically able to do (I'd prolly have to
> >cut out FOOD from my daily regimen!), that would make
> >no difference because my body began to absorb injected
> > collagen within hours of getting the injections.
> >
> >Sooooo.... NEXT I tried the Lee Silverman Voice Therapy,
> >and found myself totally HOARSE within minutes if shouting
> >into voice decipal counter, while being coached by a
> >friend who'd completed the Silverman  course.   While
> >she can and did instruct me, HER voice could barely be
> >heard because like so many who've paid $1600 for a
> >Silverman-method therapist she eventually stopped the
> >mandatory daily exercises with the voice decipal counter,
> >and her voice returned to it's whispery self.
> >
> >In desperation (and I was becoming VERY desperate!),
> >I began searching for companies who either made or
> >sold VOICE AMPLIFIERS.  Eventually, I found three
> >companies,  two of whom produced two different types
> >of voice amplifiers in that they each had a "cheapie"
> >unit selling around $159.95, and a more expensive unit,
> >at about $650.   The only difference in the two was clarity,
> >and a bit of a size difference,  The third company made a
> >unit that is absolutely crystal clear and filters out ALL noise
> >extraneous but the voice of the person wearing the unit.
> >This l'il wonder is about the size of a cigarette box, and
> >the OTHERS are a bit more "chunky" looking - more boxy.
> >And IT'S a cool $6000 (that's right, six THOUSAND dollars!)
> >I figured, that tho the units SHOULD be covered by Medicare,
> >since my Medicare-paid HMO, Kaiser, would first put me
> >thru a round of in-house referrals  - to assorted voice
> >therapists, throat specialists, and goodess only-know-what,
> >I began to accept the idea that I'd somehow personally
> >absorb the cost of the cheapest unit ($159), and not go thru
> >Medicare, after months of dancing around the sacred halls
> >of Kaiser till I FINALLY, if ever, received a prescription for
> >a voice amplifier.
> >
> >Last week I ordered the "BRUCE Hands Free Voice
> >Amplifier," which arrived today. And it WORKS!!!!!
> >
> >Initially there was a "shriek," which I soon learned
> >meant the little machine didn't like me holding it in
> >my HAND (which might be why the unit is called the
> >"Hands Free Speech Amplifier, huh?"  DUH!)
> ><giggle>  while I was speaking into it.
> >
> > No biggee.... I hooked it over my belt like a pager or
> >cell-phone, since it comes with a somewhat ungainly
> >hook for that purpose.  Again, o biggee... I can make
> >a variety of cute and/or colorful holders to house the unit.
> >
> >FYI.... I got the feeling from reading the super-thin
> >operating instructions (Reading something like
> >"Plug-in and talk') <grin>, that it was a really big
> >"battery eater," so plan to stock up with a 50 year
> >supply of 9-volt batteries (the unit uses one at a time,
> >and I have no idea how long a single battery will last.
> >Be advised tho, that I *DO* like to talk, and have a LOT
> >of talkin' to make up for! <smile>
> >
> >You can order a flyer for general information on the
> >Hands Free Speech Amplifier or order the unit itself by
> > contacting the following:
> >
> >BRUCE Medical Supply
> >411 Waverly Oaks Road, Suite 154
> >Waltham, Massachusetts 02454
> >(800) 225-8446
> >
> >(Barb grabs Scooter-cat and begins to happily dance
> >'round her wee 8x8 foot office singing in  NORMAl voice
> >for a change! (uhhhhhh..... Scooter has a VERY startled
> >look on her cute little cat face at her "mom's"
> >shenanigans! <giggle>
> >
> >I've put everything I can think of about the speech
> >amplifier and assorted speech/vocal cord treatments
> >and/or therapies I've tried in the last few years, but if
> >someone has any questions 'bout what I've said here,
> >please feel free to email me at  [log in to unmask]
> >
> >I *WILL* respond, but please keep in mind that I'm
> > moving this coming Thursday, so my replies might be on
> > the brief side, 'cause there's still lotsa packing to do.
> >
> >Barb (YIPPEE!  I can TALK!!) Mallut
> >[log in to unmask]
>