Thursday, January 14, 2016

January 13, 2016

Using the Wireless 
Mini-Microphone
January 13, 2016


Mom with the ice cream at supper that my sister fixed.  
Mom is wearing my Cochlear wireless mic on her jacket.
 
The day at the office was busy with customers.  It always seems that if we have one or two customers, that other people drive by and see cars and decide to stop.  I don't know if that makes sense, but we can go an hour or two without a customer, and suddenly the office is full.  Why did they all come at once?  The end of the normal lunch hour can get busy as people run an errand or two before returning to their offices after they eat lunch. When I arrived at the office around 10:00, Ron was swamped with customers and we both kept busy for about 20 minutes and then it was quiet for a while.

As it got quiet, I asked Ron if I could run a couple of errands.  The medical supply place a few blocks from our office had called to say they had an order for me from my doctor for a nebulizer machine.  If you are not familiar with this device, it is used to convert medication for asthma or other conditions, into an aerosol mist.  My doctor had ordered one for me about a month or more ago and apparently it had taken this long to get it approved.

The company was out of the machines but would have one for me on Friday, so I told them to call when they had it and I would come get it.  From there I went to the pharmacy to get the medication ordered.  They had received the doctor's order for the medication back when it was ordered weeks earlier, but I had told them to hold the order until the machine was approved.  I told them I would pick it up the next day and to also fill another prescription for me to pick up at the same time.  While I was out, I also ran an errand to the bank to make a deposit.

Back at the office, it got busy again for a while and then Ron left on a job and an errand.  I am not sure where the rest of the day went.  I did some paper work and took time to fill out a questionnaire from the hospital about my experience with their Emergency Room when I was a patient last month.  I am not sure if they really want my answers.  The attention in the initial trauma area was great, but in the area where I was help for the next 11 hours was not as good.  My desk was again calling for my attention.

Following my lunch, I found the top of my desk which had been buried for a while.  I still have a stack of filing to do before I gather all of last years files to store away.  The afternoon went by in a hurry and soon it was time to close.  Ron was going to meet my brother-in-law Jim, for supper so I went with my mom and my sister, Janet, to supper.  We went to Jason's Deli and had a good supper. 

While at Jason's, I had Mom clip the Cochlear wireless mini microphone on her jacket and it made a big difference in my being able to hear her.  Her voice is not real strong and I often have to have her repeat things.  It is a shame I can only pair up one mini mic at a time to my sound processor.  It would be nice if everyone could have a mic, but Mom's voice is much weaker than my sister's so she used it. 

There are things to take into consideration when using the microphone.  First, the wearer must remember at all times that they are wearing a live microphone.  As I walked to the back of the restaurant to get some ice cream, I could hear my mom talking.  She and my sister were just chatting.  A few days ago, a friend was wearing it and headed to the restroom.  She remembered she had it on before she got far from the table, but it does take some practice to remember you have it on.

The conversation at the table with Mom was much easier than usual and I am thankful for the new devices I have: the wireless mini mic and the wireless phone clip.  These two new tools are going to be a great help to me.  These are not covered by Medicare and were expensive, but I think will be well worth the investment.

After supper we returned to Mom's house for a bit before I came home.  There was some good news today.  Mom's helper, Carmen is returning and should be back on Friday.  She has been in Mexico caring for her mother for a couple of months and Mom is eager to have her back.  My brother-in-law, Jim will be leaving to return to Idaho this weekend.  He has been such a great help to Mom while he has been here.  He has taken her to appointments, taken her shopping, run errands for her, taken her to visit friends, etc. and I don't know how we could have made it through the Christmas holidays without his help.  Mom will miss her full time driver when he leaves. 

My sister, Janet, from north Texas, will be here for a few more days which will be good since Ron and I will be tied up this coming weekend with our grandchildren as their parents are off to a retreat for a few days.  We do stay busy around here!

2 comments:

  1. So glad Carmen is returning. I know that is a relief knowing she will be there when Jim and Janet leave. Besides, you'll get your house keeper back ! Happy, too, that the mic is working so well. Got another good report in Houston Tuesday. Going to Lubbock next week for eye check.

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    Replies
    1. Delighted with your good reports. Time for some good news these days. Hope the Lubbock report is also great.

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