Did you say something to me, Janice?   Sorry, but I
can't hear you right now!

Uhhh... does that answer the question? <darn machine was LOUD!!!?

Barb Mallut
[log in to unmask]

-----Original Message-----
From: Janice Morgan <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, November 15, 1999 3:27 PM
Subject: Re: Speech Amplifier Update


>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]
>>