DBC Fun

I am having so much fun with my new DBC! I feel like a kid
at Christmas time. The presents have all been open and
I'm now playing with my new toys. I'm having a blast!
Imagine what it would be like to be in my shoes. No
telephone or TTY use for eight years. No easy way to
communicate with people who don't sign. Never even used
Instant Messenger or Text messages before. This is the real
fate for many people who are deaf-blind. With the help of
the DBC, we are breaking free of the isolation.
I am doing great with Face-to-Face Communication. It's
bridging gaps and allowing me to talk to just about anyone.
That gives me more opportunities.
A few days ago, I had my first real telephone conversation
in eight years. I called my friend Holly and we chatted for
an hour. We just talked and socialized. We talked about
technology, our children, stupid men and Holly's upcoming
surgery. It was so NORMAL. And it was so new and special
to me.
On Friday, I used the TTY to schedule my own ride with the
transporation service. In the past, my dad has had to do
this for me. No more. I can make my own calls now.
Text messages are an absolute thrill! I can contact my
friends Andrea and Sheila using text messages. Holly sends
me text messages through AIM. Two days after our TTY chat,
we had a fun text chat. My father and I use text
messages, too. If I need him for something but don't know
where he is, I can just text him and he'll come to me.
Google IM is another great option for communication. Many
of my friends are online and we have nice IM discussions.
I've even used IM to test how things work on the DBC and
talk about the technology. Sometimes I just say "hi."
It's just nice to seem that my friends are online at the
same time.
It's all about communication. People without disabilities
probably don't know what it's like to not have access to
this kind of technology. I've got it now and I truly
appreciate what I have gained access to. I am so thankful
for the new device. Most of all, I'm just having a great
time! As one friends online likes to say, "DBC Hugs to
all."