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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] >>