Struggling with telephone appointments (Deaf and Daft)

Heya Maz, 

Yeh, there's a good reason behind it but as you so eloquently point out, it doesn't suit everyone. 

Could you maybe ask them if it would be possible to do a video chat? That way you and your husband could sit together and listen AND see the consultant as if you were in their office at a face to face in person appointment?

Lots of the video chat services also have a text function. So if there's quality or hearing issues, there's a live chat option rather than an email system. So it's faster and more efficient. 

Lass

Xx

Hello Maz59, please forgive me but your recounting of your latest experiences are so awful but the way you describe them is so funny. I have hearing aids as well but nothing beats someone talking clearly and slowly with no mumbling.

Can you have someone with a proper pair of ears with you on your next appointments to interpret what is being said?

I think we all have bigger things to care about than being thought of as a nuisance. Drive them mad I say until you get some sense and use out of them.

Hi Maz

Ex naughty Tvman here

You have 3 weeks to get something sorted so time to get on the ball. Your best chance is to have someone other than your husband beside you to relay the information being sent. You have previously said that your IT skills are slightly less than good so if you were to arrange an appointment with Skype or Viber or WhatsApp you may not have any of those apps on your laptop or whatever you use and if you lost the connection, which is highly likely as you can see when it happens on the news programmes. If that were to happen and you became flustered then you'd more than likely lose the whole experience. 

You aren't the first person with less than perfect hearing or even worse, profoundly deaf, so I think there must be something in place for people with poor, or no hearing. How about contacting a major charity for the deaf and explain your situation and make quite clear that these telephone consultations don't suit you unless there is something in place to assist you. There's bound to be something to suit the hard of hearing because it's important and imperative to you that you understand your results and treatment plans. 

Hope this is of help to you Maz, and good luck.

Tvman xx

Now Norberry are you wanting me to upset my long suffering husband by telling him he is useless and I need a stand in ,even in just the ear department. He will deny to anyone there is anything wrong with his hearing but there definitely is. 

I couldn't do it to him, only because at the moment, with this shielding he is all I have, he is the chocolate source  that is how much I need him. If not I would of asked my friend who has excellent hearing, is a trained counsellor and finds my oncologists mesmerising (in a case study way) to come over and listen in. 

You need to go back to the drawing board and think a little more Norberry with ideas like this you could cause an international incident in my home. Well perhaps that is over egging it. 

I have emailed the secretary and asked her to remind him of my difficulties and asked if he could send any written information by email. She knows as well as I that he will totally ignore this but she said she will try to get him to look at my email. Someone has suggested a video call but I think that might be a step too far for them but who knows worth an ask. 

Once hearing clinic gets back I will get tweaked and buy a new induction loop but sometimes especially when at home I quite enjoy the almost total silence of having no hearing aids in. 

Keep thinking but don't wear yourself out. 

You are slaughtering me Maz59, you could easily put Michael McIntyre out of business. Look forward to seeing you on telly. I love a good cry reading a lot of poor peoples posts on these forums, usually caused by sadness but you do bring tears of laughter. Thank you.

, Dear Maz!

I would write a email and explain what's wrong. So they may send you a email back with all results and explanation. Or they may able to see you in person then. It's no use for you to get it via telephone if you cannot understand a thing. My Hubby has same problem but he is lucky to have me, nothing wrong with my ears lol.

Hope you can sort that ...Pet

Hi , I’m glad you’ve pinged an email to your team. Tvman said that you can’t be the first this is effecting and I think he’s right there must be lots of good practise already going on if not in your hospital in other hospitals that yours could learn from. I was wondering if the Macmillan Support Line would have any info to help, and before you say but I’d have trouble ringing them how about an email, there’s a form you fill in. (Link below)

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/ask-macmillan-form.html

Best wishes

Alternatively, they also do a live chat option too. 

https://public.mc.hostedcc.com/MacmillanCancerSupport/forms/Chat/SLSChat

Lass

Xx

Hi

You have recounted your latest trials and tribulations with such good humour and once again made us all laugh when perhaps we really should be crying with you.

I think the whole sorry tale  uncovers how the whizzy new systems are being designed and put in place by people who don’t face the kind of disability barriers we have. It all looks so good in theory, what could possibly go wrong? Add in being hard of hearing, or technologically challenged, maybe not having access to a computer and decent broadband. It quickly falls apart.

I really don’t have anything to add accept my sympathy. And my thanks for yet another smile. You are quite right to jealously protect your chocolate source. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Lots of love xxx