Five-Star Disability

Hey there! Welcome to Five Star Disability!

As a person who is Deaf-Blind, I have developed communication strategies that allow me to converse with people to achieve my goals.

Nowadays, I tend to use iPhone, the Note app is really convenient. But, I also use pen and paper.

Now, I do have a voice and I can speak, but it is not clear. Previously it was more clear, more enunciated. But now, due to CAPOS, it has become garbled, unclear. I sound like… oh I can’t answer that! I am Deaf ya know! I have no idea what my voice sounds like!

That should explain why I use a variety of methods to communicate.

And, it just goes to show, if I verbally communicate with that person, they are most likely to reply in like manner. When I mention that “I’m Deaf, can’t hear you,” they often return with a quizzical expression, which I surmise translates to: ‘But your voice is very clear’ followed by a query “Can you read lips?”

Alas, I write, or type, my message for clarity and for ease of access.

I use the method, usually for picking up prescriptions at pharmacies, and taxi travel.

Now, we are getting to the cusp of this blog!

On a rainy Saturday evening, I took my son to his weekly lesson, session really. Since it was raining, and dark, we tend to use a taxi.

I had the destination already entered into my iPhone.

When taxi arrived, my son and I got in the car, I then showed the driver the phone with the note app open and destination ready for viewing.

Now, I have lost my phone in backseats of taxi’s so I am on alert, the cabbie actually took hold of my phone, took it out of my hand, so he could see it better.

Then, suddenly he has opened my phone up, as now it is lighted, when previously it was dark!

Had he gone into my phone? Is he accessing my information?

Damn!

So, I did the only thing I could think of, and reached to grab my phone back! I didn’t want him searching my phone!

The driver was alarmed, and even more when I loudly, clearly, said to “Give my phone back!”

My son, calmed me down, and then the driver gave me back my phone, which he had put on his lap or elsewhere, while he entered information into HIS phone!

I didn’t see him switch his phone for my phone!

When I realized I had acted out of order, I typed him a new note, apologizing for my outburst.

Perhaps the lesson here is that I should have been more calm, and that the driver should not have taken my phone.

What are your thoughts on this matter?

Thank you for reading, sharing, liking and so on.