Grieving From Within the Dark Silence

A new article of mine is on Homeschool Mosaics. This month was hard for me to write. I wasn’t even sure if I should write it at all, but I already have a comment posted this morning that showed me that it was God telling me to share. I am glad I did. I know often you are busy and just read my FB post and like it, but seldom go and actually read my article. I understand that because you are just scrolling in between the tasks of your life. I sometimes do that, too, but I mostly read everything because I have more time, I guess. Please read and share this article if you will. I am sharing about grief and loss of loved ones. I know many have felt this pain and some I have read that have lost them in the last few weeks and days as I have. This one is in memory of my father, Dr. Joseph Aaron Kelley, Sr. I hope he would be proud. He always said that God often had us go through trying times, so that we could be used to help others in similar circumstances. Thank you, Daddy, for all your lessons. Thank you, Mama, Grace Kelley, for all of yours. I am a better person because you showed me Christ so often. http://homeschoolmosaics.com/grieving-from-within-the-dark-silence/

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The Wedding Day!

My purpose in posting this on Homeschool Mosaics was not to just brag about my younger son’s wedding day (which you know we, parents like to do) because if you aren’t involved in the wedding it can be boring hearing about it in great detail, but I wanted to give people a glimpse into my way of experiencing a memorable event, the hard work that tactile ASL interpreters have to do, and the importance of SSPs, interpreters, and people willing to understand the needs of the DeafBlind. I am sharing it now with you, my friends, in the hopes that you will enjoy it, too. Everybody told me they cried, which wasn’t my intent LOL, but I will give you fair warning that some say you might need tissues handy.http://homeschoolmosaics.com/the-wedding/

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Interpreters: A Special Kind of Hero

Today, I write about ASL interpreters, the heroes to me and many other Deaf and DeafBlind individuals. They train to provide the best interpretation of information in the form of words to the beautiful images found only on the hands and in the minds of those who understand the language of the hands. There are many kinds of heroes in this world. I share how ASL interpreters are true heroes to me. I hope you will read today’s post on Homeschool Mosaics and understand just how special these hard-working people are and how they contribute so much to many. http://homeschoolmosaics.com/interpreters-a-special-kind-of-hero/

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It’s Homeschool Mosaics Day Again!

Yep, today another post went live for my column, Living and Schooling through the Dark Silence. You don’t want to miss this, so pop on over to The Hospital Experience for a DeafBlind Patient. While you are there, check out the whole site. There are even more writers and columns now. You are sure to find something that interests you. Well, besides my column, of course! Now, go on, and check it OUT!

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Good Cheer Fall 2011 Column

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TOUCH POINTS

by Renée K. Walker

 

You may remember me describing here the troubles I have had getting doctors in my area to provide me interpreters. That fight continues, but I now have completed the first battle. Though I can’t speak of the specific circumstances or resolution, I can describe the process that I have been through now and that the process worked. At least for one incident, compliance to the ADA law and education to help those who come into this particular situation in the future has been met. That is what the advocacy process can do. We all need to learn the skills to advocate for ourselves, but at times, we need help to move the mountains before us.

 

The best way to begin is to call and ask for an appointment first. Once the organization has given you an appointment, tell them your specific communication needs that fall under ADA law for effective communication. This could be the CART system, which is where you have a typist who has been trained in medical or legal interpreting depending on your setting, or it could mean an ASL interpreter, or some other form of communication. If the office tells you that they don’t provide interpreters or your method of communication, try to remain calm and use the moment to educate the personnel regarding the ADA law. Explain that it is required by law and offer to provide the personnel with a copy of the law section that pertains to the situation. You can also direct them to the National Association for the Deaf’s (NAD) website at www.nad.org or the ADA website at www.ada.gov. Document your call and its contents in some way. If you use relay services, save the transcript. If you have a hearing person call for you, see if they will write a summary of the transcripts. In my state, the laws allow me to record conversations without the permission of the other party. That could be a possibility, but you have to check the laws of your state first. You do not want to be in violation. A written record is usually quite sufficient. Even if the office personnel stated they weren’t interested in the ADA information, mail them a copy anyway asking them to please look it over and seek legal advice if they wish. Respectfully ask them to consider your need. Call the office again after giving them a little time to do as you requested, documenting the phone call. Many times this opportunity to educate politely is all that is needed to help people to understand your needs and their responsibilities. Often, the personnel didn’t mean any disrespect. They just were unfamiliar with the law and had not had any prior experience with disabled persons needing communication assistance.

 

In the event that your needs are still not met, please don’t get discouraged and give up or go to an appointment using just a friend or relative who can communicate with you. The ADA law has been written to help you. There are reasons the ADA law stipulates using a qualified interpreter. Family and friends may not be able to translate the complex medical or legal concepts to the patient in an effective manner. Often times, emotional situations may be difficult for them to handle, and the family member or friend may resort to hiding some information. The love and concern is understandable and commendable, but it is not appropriate when the patient’s ability to make decisions regarding their health or legal issue is hindered. It is the patient’s right to decide the form of effective communication they need and want, but understanding why the ADA law was written is also important in helping the patient function on his own behalf.

 

Your next step should be to contact your state’s local advocacy agency or ADA attorney. The attorney assigned to you will then work with you to get the information regarding your complaint. If non-compliance is determined, the advocate will contact the organization and inform them of your complaint against them, providing the legal information that the organization needs to understand in order to best serve you. This may be enough to resolve your situation and help you get your communication needs met.

 

If not, you are not alone. Your advocate will help you with the next steps. If you wish to proceed, the advocate will file on your behalf a complaint to the Department of Justice (DOJ). You will provide input as to what you would like to receive from the organization that is in non-compliance, such as an appointment where an interpreter is provided to allow effective communication. Once the complaint is written, you will receive a copy and give final approval to allow the advocate to file the complaint with the DOJ. DOJ prefers to start off with using a third-party mediating company. This company provides people who are trained to remain objective and help the parties in a dispute come to an agreement. In this situation, they help the organization understand the need for compliance to the ADA and the best procedure to do that. They also help educate both parties in how to best meet the needs of the complainant (person filing the complaint). The mediation meeting takes place at a neutral place or using telephone conference or whatever method works best for the parties involved. Your advocate is with you throughout the process. You can decide if you want the advocate to speak for you or if you want to speak for yourself asking help from your advocate as needed. The process of mediation is not a court trial. It is an informal meeting for discussion. The mediator helps to keep the discussion flowing and working toward resolution. Either party can end the mediation process at any time. All conversation during the mediation is completely confidential, so you and the other parties can be open. You are not forced into anything, but you do have lots of support from your advocate and the mediator to help things run smoothly and professionally.

 

Hopefully, the mediation meeting will lead to a resolution plan. The plan itself may take several months or more for the respondent (the person you are filing the complaint against) to fully complete all aspects of the plan depending on the situation and the complexities involved. When all is complete, you will be notified. If you are to be given an appointment using effective communication, that will be part of the plan. You will be given the opportunity to arrange that appointment. The mediation process and your case will not be closed until you and your advocate agree that the plan has been completed as prescribed.

 

Should the mediation process fail, the DOJ will then take the case back and a federal trial may then be held. I am not familiar with that process yet, and hope I will never have to go that far. I would prefer that education and/or the mediation process would be enough to secure my rights to effective communication in medical and legal settings. From my experiences with the mediation process so far, I can see that it is highly effective, and the results are probably very successful in many cases.

 

Remember as you request for your needs to be met, that you are not only advocating for yourself, but you are also advocating for others who will follow you. If we all are more willing to use the resources available to us to enforce the ADA law, we can educate more organizations and make the lives of all disabled a little easier.

 

If you have comments about this topic, you may write a letter in braille or print to Renée Walker, 143 Williamson Drive, Macon, GA 31210; or you may email me at rkwalker@wynfieldca.org. You can also read and comment on my blog at http://www.deaf-blindhope.wordpress.com. You can also check me out at www.facebook.com/reneekwalker.

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Good Cheer Magazine- Winter 2010-2011

Touch Points

By Renée K. Walker

To be Allowed to Understand

Time for another touch point, and accessibility is still on my mind. Accessible technology is still a big interest, but this time I am thinking more about events and activities. I sit in this room in this chair at my computer trying to access the world so much that I really want to get out sometimes and do something. I did that recently and wanted to share how it went and how easy it can be if event organizers and businesses will just take the time to think about accessibility.

With the holidays approaching with gifts to buy and new resolutions to make, I decided to use some of my saved money to buy myself a gift, and hopefully, keep a New Year’s resolution to get active again. I joined a gym after finding a Support Services Provider (SSP) who could sign; I approached the largest gym facility here that is also a division of a medical facility to apply for membership. The first obstacle was to convince them that they had the responsibility to provide a qualified interpreter for some of my visits such as the first meeting and meetings with a personal trainer. It took a bit of effort, but after education and effort, an interpreter was provided. My first visit was good, though tense at first, as we initially went back and forth on how to best serve me. The facility requires someone to be with me at all times, but I in agreement with that. I am becoming more and more independent, but I still have anxiety issues when out in the public alone. Communication with staff was my biggest concern. Anytime I meet with my personal trainer, I get a qualified interpreter as mandated by the ADA law which specifically mentions gym facilities. For most days, I now can get around independently even if someone else is not with me because we took plenty of time with staff initially to orient me to every inch of the building and its facilities. The staff didn’t quite understand that at first, but they helped me graciously and found it was quite easy on their part. An SSP will provide the means for communication otherwise, if the need arises. I also opted to have massage therapy (my favorite part, of course) provided, too. This was the part that I was most worried about. Apart from the apprehension one might feel with the touching initially, I was most concerned about communication because it isn’t a setting that they want another person in the room due to privacy concerns. The therapist works to keep you covered at all times, but as you move from front to back, someone sitting lower and to the side of you might see more than you want them, too. I understand that, but I was concerned with how the therapist would communicate or even if the therapist would be willing, since it has to all be done tactually. With the help of my interpreter, we developed a set of signs both ASL and made up signals that were easy for both the therapist to remember and me to understand. The therapist was perfectly willing, and the first session went very well. I loved the massage. My feeling of insecurity in regards to the touching quickly dissipated due to the procedures and professionalism of the therapist, and my body never felt so relaxed. I highly recommend it for anyone, but especially DeafBlind people who live stressful lives just because they are DeafBlind. I can say that I have been several times now to exercise and gotten one massage. Due to the understanding of the staff and my SSP, I will be able to keep this New Year’s resolution with the best Christmas present that I gave to myself.

Now my new experiences didn’t end with the gym. I decided that I wanted to experience some Christmas celebration again other than my own at- home celebration. First, I attended the local replica and live play called “Walk through Bethlehem” presented by a local church. This church already provides interpreting services for the deaf members of their congregation for church and other services including this activity. This year they provided two tactual interpreters to help take me through along with my family. The interpreters were wonderful and really helped me understand what was going on. I had attended this event several years ago as a sighted person who couldn’t hear, but I also couldn’t sign. I thought I understood everything. I know now that there was a lot of subtle and inspiring information in the various dialogues that I had totally missed without the ASL knowledge and interpreting. This year I also was provided tactile access to the event making the experience even more enjoyable and fulfilling. I was allowed to touch the fabricated city walls, Roman soldiers’ uniforms, bread and other foods, and the baby Jesus who was to my surprise a living child kicking his little feet in the manger. I touched the nose of a camel and felt the heat of an open fire. The actors made the extra effort to provide this access to me, not just my interpreters. Many told me later that they had never done anything like that before, but they thoroughly enjoyed the experience and learned a lot from it. I know that their effort was extremely beneficial to me and much appreciated.

My next event wasn’t as accessible as these other experiences, though. I attended my church’s Christmas Eve service which included music, message, and a live nativity. I knew before I went that accessibility would not be present. My church provides an interpreter for the Deaf for a Sunday morning service, and my Deaf friends copy the interpreter’s signs to me tactually. Sunday morning service is the only time my church considers providing access to their events for their Deaf members. I think they care, but I don’t think they fully understand the needs of me and other Deaf members. I attended because my hearing family members would enjoy the service as a part of our Christmas activities and as another means of keeping Christ the center of our celebrations which is important to us. I could feel the music from the full choir, orchestra, and band, but I had no other means to understand the message or experience the live nativity. My husband tried to help me get close to the nativity to help him at least better describe the scenario and possibly allow me to ask to touch what I could, but no one would let us even get close as they crowded to see for themselves. He couldn’t even see the actors or scenery to describe them to me. Of course, I knew this beforehand, so I did not complain, nor am I complaining now. My family enjoyed the event and worshipped through song, prayer, and message. I worshipped through the feel of the music and in my own thoughts and prayers. More importantly, I just enjoyed being there to share it with my family as opposed to waiting at home alone. Sometimes that is enough in light of the struggles of being DeafBlind.

These new experiences just emphasize to me the importance of accessibility. I think more understanding and a willingness to try would provide us all with more meaningful experiences and more fulfilled lives. I will do my best to continue to speak out in love whenever I can. I hope you, my readers, will do the same. Together, we can build a bridge of love which will improve the lives of all.

If you have comments about this topic, you may write a letter in braille or print to Renée Walker, 143 Williamson Dr, Macon, GA 31210; or you may email me at rkwalker@wynfieldca.org. You can also read and comment on my blog at http://www.deafblindhope.wordpress.com.

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Good Cheer Column Fall 2010

TOUCH POINTS

By Renée Walker

 

My last column brought a lot of attention from Good Cheer readers and my blog readers where I share this column as well. Feelings of isolation for DeafBlind individuals seem to be very common even if it is intermittent. We all seem to have felt it at some point. I was also pleasantly surprised that I had so many readers interested in my column. I know Good Cheer has a large audience, but it was very nice to learn that you are interested in what I have to say. I appreciate that very much. I will try to continue to discuss topics to which you can relate. Please continue to write me via email, print, or braille. I am very interested in your comments. I learn from you, and we can help each other discover hope for the future.

 

This month’s column is all about easing some of that isolation. There are options out there for DeafBlind individuals, but they are few, and none are perfect. I have discovered an option that I want to present to you. It may not work for you, but since it has helped me, I hoped that it might help a few of you. First, let me tell you that I am not employed by Apple, and I am not being compensated by Apple or American Publishing House for the Blind in any way. I wouldn’t even call myself an Apple supporter. I just look for ways to help myself continue to work and live as fully as I can. Often that is difficult because technology is so expensive, and I can’t get help from government agencies like some. I am glad there are some who can get the training and equipment they need from a government or non-profit organization. For me, that hasn’t been possible, so I have to look for ways to help myself.

 

Apple recently introduced an operating system called Snow Leopard that did what few other companies have ever done before. Apple built in accessibility options throughout their entire operating system making almost all tasks seamless and easy on their Macintosh line of computers. Their screen reader called Voice Over handles voice output and braille output very well. They have also built in options for the Deaf with closed captioning and visual notifications for many tasks such as emails. There is also Zoom for those with low vision. The greatest thing about these accessibility options is that it is included in every computer product sold without purchasing extra equipment and software for your needs. The most you need is a braille display if you require one. There are many braille displays that are compatible with Apple’s Voice Over with more being added all the time. The Voice Over commands are simple and similar to other popular screen readers. The learning curve isn’t as steep as others either with the built-in tutorial that really gets you started. You also don’t need a sighted person to help you configure your Apple computer because when you first boot it up, the system asks you if you need Zoom or vVoice Over. If you have a braille display connected to the computer, the voice is also displayed as text on your braille display. The system will then walk you through the entire configuration, and run the tutorial, if you desire. If  you are comfortable with computers at all, you can’t get it any better than that.

 

Some of you may not be comfortable with computers, or due to your severe losses of vision and hearing, you may be lucky if you have experience with notetakers. Computers may still be a bit more than you think can handle, or you might not be that interested in their many uses. Like many hearing/sighted people, email, text messages, and the occasional browsing of the internet to check shopping sites may be your only interests. If so, Apple has a few other options that can open your world in many ways without the hassles of learning how to use a computer. With the accessibility options built in, the effort can be more like a walk in the park. With the IPhone 4 or IPod Touch, you have fully accessible devices to browse the internet, send and receive SMS messages (text messages), send and receive email, take notes, write documents and read documents, have a face to face conversation with someone else even if they don’t know ASL or braille.  Again, the best part is that you don’t need to pay for extra software and equipment except for a braille display. It is all included in the device that is easily available to anyone regardless of disability issues. With the IPhone 4 or an IPod Touch, you need the help of someone sighted to go in the first time and turn on the screen reader. If you only need the zoom or screen magnification, you might be able to go into the settings and accessibility tabs to turn that on yourself. The sales clerk should be able to help you even if the person didn’t know about it before seeing you. My sales clerk heard me describe what I needed and said that must be in settings. He found it within about five seconds, and my braille display which was already on popped right up with where I was and instructions of how to get out or change accessibility options. I manipulated the buttons and joystick on my APH Refreshabraille 18 finding the web browser, the mail program, and other things as tears of joy streamed down my face. I have no experience really with JAWS, Window Eyes, or any other screen reader. I don’t know those kind of commands at all. With the IPhone 4, I didn’t need that knowledge at all. I just rotated through buttons and text finding what I wanted easily. I set up my email program by myself in the store and got my first email that I could read on my display. I had only just gotten the APH Refreshabraille 18, recently and had only read emails in braille on my MacBook a few times before. Here I was checking email on the first cell phone I have owned since losing my sight almost ten years before. My husband has had to set up my computers before and read everything to me, or I had to put my nose to the screen to read very large fonts. In recent years, I no longer have any residual sight and feeling as if I was disappearing from the world as my sight faded. Here I was setting up this device on my own and getting information. The sales clerk then typed a message to me just using the notes app that comes with the phone that I read on my display, “Hello, my name is Brian. Welcome back to the real world.” I spoke and said, “Hello, Brian. It is good to be back,” laughing and crying at the same time. I had just had my first conversation with another person who didn’t know ASL or through an interpreter in such a very long time. I can’t even describe the joy I felt at that moment.

 

Of course, the IPhone allows me to check and send email, browse the internet, and send text messages with a data plan and a text messaging plan. There are other useful apps available like the WhatsApp Messenger which allows the IPhone 4 or IPod Touch do text messages from smartphone to smartphone for free without needing a messaging plan. You just need a data plan on the IPhone 4 or access to the internet through a wireless connection on either the phone or the IPod Touch. This helps lessen your monthly fees if you can’t afford much. There is also a Color Identification app which is available in the Apple App Store for $.99 that tells you by voice and braille the color of any light source such as the color of your shirt or the color of the leaves on a tree. There are several multi-protocol chat programs, too. These allow you to log in to many of the common chat programs like AIM, Google Talk, IChat, and Yahoo! Messenger with one program app. Palringo is a free one that is totally accessible. There are probably others, as well. These and more powerful apps are being designed every day that can open our worlds to us regardless of how much sight and hearing we may have. The Apple IPad will also be totally accessible with a new update of the OS 4 beginning in November. It already has Voice Over and Zoom for the hearing blind and low vision or Hard of Hearing. In November, the software will be the same as the IPhone 4 and newest IPod Touch allowing braille displays and other features.

 

The world of the DeafBlind is changing quickly. Apple has proven that mainstream technology products can be made accessible with the same off the shelf products that hearing/sighted users enjoy without costing anymore to purchase. With companies like Apple deciding to reach out to those with disabilities they are increasing their market share for certain, but they are doing wonders by bringing the world back to those of us. Now I can explore that world with my IPhone 4’s GPS and maps. I will check back in with you next time. Well, if I don’t get too busy exploring…

 

 

If you have comments or questions about this article, you can email me at rkwalker@wynfieldca.org, or write me in braille or print at 143 Williamson Dr., Macon, GA 31210. Check my blog also at http://www.deafblindhope.wordpress.com. I am also on Facebook as Renée K. Walker, too, if you want to become friends.

 

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Winter 2010 Good Cheer, International DeafBlind Magazine

Touch Points

By Renée Walker

How many of us have had problems getting what we need due to communication issues? Despite laws that are in place to help equalize education, entertainment, legal, and medical worlds, how many of us still have trouble accessing the world around us? In this rural area that I live, I have encountered enough problems to last me two lifetimes. Growing up hard of hearing as a child to deaf as a teen and young adult, I thought I knew plenty about the problems caused by the inability to fully communicate. When my vision problems became an issue that couldn’t be ignored or overlooked, I just didn’t realize what I was about to face. Coping with the loss of vision and eventually independence was hard enough. I just didn’t know that I would have a struggle just to see a doctor and be able to understand and act on my own behalf.

I think my first clue was that people didn’t know what a guide dog was at all. Stores, banks, schools, churches, and malls all refused to let me enter with my guide dog. It was a repeated effort of education with the help of my guide dog school, Southeastern Guide Dogs, Inc. that finally seemed to ease the travel issues over the first couple of years. As I learned to be more independent through travel and then after gaining more control from study at Helen Keller National Center, I found that I needed to face some serious health issues. I had been seeing doctors before for my chronic issues, but now things had changed. Needing a tactual interpreter to communicate my health problems with a physician became an absolute necessity. None of my preparation learning about communication cards, interpreting services, getting used to discussing private issues through a stranger helped me to cope with the shock that the medical agencies here didn’t seem to know anything about interpreters much less the American Disabilities Act. I tried to educate each doctor with a copy of the law and a list of interpreting agencies for the area which weren’t many and only a couple of interpreters from those agencies comfortable enough to agree to tactual interpreting. Every doctor’s office I had and new ones that I tried to go to for new or worsening symptoms or to replace doctors were now refusing to provide me with an interpreter. My procedure was to call and ask for an appointment. I didn’t have a problem getting an appointment, but after arranging a day and time, I would then state that I needed a tactual interpreter. Many times I had to explain what an interpreter did and then what a tactual interpreter did. I would explain how they went about finding one and requesting the service. I told them how they were responsible for the fees, but ADA law allowed them to take it off under operating expenses or overhead. I always offered to mail or fax the information to them and mentioned telephone numbers of agencies that they could call and ask questions. I also referred them to the website for the National Association for the Deaf (NAD). I would then say you can call me back, or I will call you back when you have had time to research your responsibilities under the law. I can’t remember a single one calling me back first. I would call them and ask again. This would usually go on for weeks before they would finally say, “We won’t provide an interpreter for you.” My initial contacts with NAD a year and a half ago resulted in nothing. They wouldn’t return my emails even though I knew the email address was correct. A few months ago, I tried again. I was pleased when someone did respond and was very helpful. They made phone calls to all the doctors’ office in question and were amazed how adamant most were in not caring if they were in violation of law. NAD sent letters from their attorney informing them of their responsibilities. One doctor’s office relented and now provides me an interpreter. The others still refused to do so. NAD felt the situation was bigger than they could handle and put me in touch with a group of attorneys at an advocacy center that is now in helping me with my problems. NAD continues to follow the situation. My current attorney has repeated the initial steps of phone calls and letters to try and solve the situation with the least amount of litigation as possible. The doctors’ offices in question have still refused to provide an interpreter for my appointments. The center is still acting on my behalf. I am still working to better educate the medical agencies in my area on the needs of deaf and deafblind patients regarding communication issues and their rights to be informed and make decisions. The fight goes on as my medical issues continue to deteriorate.

You might now ask if I contacted local and/or state agencies and private organizations for the deaf on this issue. I contacted them before I contacted NAD the first time. Most of my attempts to call were not returned. At one agency, I was told that in this area the deaf usually choose to use family members and friends who could sign or otherwise help them to communicate. The doctors’ offices in the area have come to expect this. This organization and others who mentioned similar reasoning felt that it was their responsibility to support what the Deaf community desired. I think back to when I could still see, and I went to the doctors without help. It wasn’t always easy because I had to keep asking the staff to look at me or repeat, but I didn’t know ASL. I had heard of ADA, but only knew about wheelchair ramps, braille signs, and hearing aid compatible phones. That was because I saw them around me in the environment and knew it was because of the ADA law. No one ever offered to explain that it meant more than that including the deaf services area of Vocational Rehabilitation Services that helped me get into college or later go to Helen Keller. Would I have requested accommodations if I had been informed? I don’t know, but it would have been nice to have had the choice to consider.

A final aspect to this situation that I would like to pose is the argument that the Deaf and some DeafBlind would rather use family members and friends. Of course, that is their choice, and I would not want to force anyone to do anything that would make one feel uncomfortable. Again, though, I would want to make sure that choice is an informed one. It has been shown that untrained family members or friends often do not understand the medical terminology and processes well enough to accurately translate to ASL or convey it most any other way. They often are too close to the patient and wish to shield them from pain and fear if the news is negative. Others may see the patient as more of a child and try to make the decisions for the patient. Or, often it is simply a matter of feeling overwhelmed with the information being given and trying to convey it to the patient that friend or family member resorts to, “I will tell you everything later”. If the patient is fully aware of these issues and is ok with that then fine, but education should be in place to make them aware of the possibilities and help the family members and friends be aware, too. Most of this would not be a conscious attempt to deceive just blinded my love and concern. In addition, the other side to this coin is the doctors’ offices are at risk as well. There have been cases of a patient making appointments and not requesting accommodations for communications such as for an interpreter and then suing the doctor’s office for not providing one. The patients win the case because the ADA law is clear. Having a policy of asking a deaf or deafblind patient if there are any communications issues and any modifications that they need and providing them upon that request could help protect them from such possible litigation. I have heard and read many opinions on all sides of this issue regarding providing interpreters in medical settings. The ADA law exists to protect deaf rights, and it was written to prevent overdue hardship on medical providers. Everyone needs to educate themselves and others. Litigation should not be needed for deaf and deafblind to receive proper medical care and understand that care given. The patient should not also have to fear that the medical provider might retaliate in poor care once forced to provide the accommodations for communication.

Advocacy is the key here with education and awareness being the preferred method. The law is there for us to use if needed. No one should have to have their medical issues ignored or medical decisions forced on them. We all need to work together on this and other issues that face us. Since there have been others asking about similar issues, I wanted to share my experiences in hopes of helping others.

If you have questions or comments, you may email me at rkwalker@wynfieldca.org or write me in braille at 143 Williamson Dr., Macon, GA 31210.

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