Wristbands

So, how was last year for you?

The most cheering event of ‘14 for me is simple, and cheap. Even better, it signifies a change in how Sue views her loss of hearing.

For years I’d suggested she wear a ‘deaf person badge’, the basic line across an ear. That, I argued, would provide everyone with a literal sign that Sue can’t hear. Instead of people chatting away and not looking at Sue’s face because they’d be forewarned and turn on full deaf awareness mode. If, I have to say, they understood what deaf awareness actually is.

Which takes me off subject and onto deaf awareness. The tutor for Sue’s signing class was unable to attend last week’s session, so students were asked to treat the session as a practice class. Sue didn’t go, not because she was being negative or sulky, but because those self-led practice sessions turn into general chat during which (most of) the other students forget a deaf person can’t actually hear and so forget to look at, or include, Sue. Instead she stayed home and we watched ‘Despicable Me 2’ again. Okay, she could shout at them and remind them they are learning BSL to communicate with deaf people or even write ‘I am deaf’ on the white board. But, in the real world, that doesn’t happen, we all tend to be withdrawn and try not to advertise we have problems. In that circumstance would a ‘can’t hear’ badge have helped? Can’t answer that.

What Sue did do last year was start wearing Hearing Link wristbands, usually two together on one wrist. After she asked me to get them I placed an order for a full set which took just one working day (thanks Charlotte) to arrive.

To most folks that wouldn’t seem much of a step forward, for those of us who live with a deaf person who has been apologising for not being able to hear when people speak to them, it’s a big – encouraging – step and being slightly elastic, the wristbands can be flicked at people.