Micah's Moment: Deaf high school football player feels roar of the crowd

Delta Airlines: Inconsiderate Flight Attendant

                                                                           

On Christmas I was taking a flight home from Detroit.   They put me on one of those new planes with the Captioning Screens.  It was one of those rare moments that I experienced great joy for getting that.  Out of the 45 years I have flown on planes, this is the first time I have ever seen the safety demonstrations closed captioned.

This is something I could of really used in the past.  But that was never given to me.  It really does relieve a lot of stress for not having to understand what was being said over the microphone.  When I checked in the airport, I signed up for special assistance since I have a hearing problem.   It clearly said that on my boarding pass.

And when I stepped onto the plane, I even reminded one of the flight attendants about it.   But my needs got ignored for the hundredth time on Delta Airlines.  On board was Douglas my hearing dog with me.   So far my flight was amazing since I was able to watch the safety demonstrations in close captioning in front of me. 

 And it was one of the newer more attractive and bigger planes.  Even the overhead compartment had a ton of space for the luggage.  And the other two seats next to me were empty.  So it was nice to have more space to myself.  One of the complaints though was they didn't serve us any drinks or snacks during the flight and I got thirsty.   But they served drinks to the first class customers up front. 

 Anyway my Hearing dog first sat on the floor, then he jumped on the empty seat and fell assleep. What matters was he was very well behaved and was being very quiet.   But an ignorant flight attendant came over to me when the lights were off and started talking. 

Immediately I told her I was deaf thinking she would communicate in a way I could understand.   She was impossible to lipread.   She ignored what I said and started going off again and pointing at my service dog.   I had no idea what her problem was and again for the second and third time I reminded her I was deaf.

So why couldn't she write down what she was saying?   Or at least use a little sign language?  I thought I signed up for special assistance.  But nope it doesn't matter, they don't pay attention to  that. So after that the joy of my flight was ruined by that woman.   I got up and went to use the restroom and she gave me a dirty look when I passed her.

Before I opened the door that same woman started going off with her mouth again on me. For the fourth time I told her I was deaf. I couldn't hear a word she said.  Then she looked at me like I was the rude one.  As I was leaving the restroom, the other flight attendant next to her barged into there and pushed the door in on me.  

 I couldn't believe it as she knew I was in there when I walked by her.  That was when I've had it and a complaint should be made.  Just because I'm deaf it doesn't mean they had any rights to mistreat me or my hearing dog.  That woman made no effort to communicate with me the proper way to where I could understand her.

Read The Vest First Before Asking

In the past year I have taken my hearing dog into airports, malls, restaurants and to many more places.    Rarely I was ever questioned on what he was doing inside a public place.   Most people are aware that he is a service animal by looking at that orange vest that he wears.

Because I was born deaf, this hearing dog helps to notify me of sounds I can't hear around my home.   He was trained to do that from trainers at I.H.D.I. in Colorado.   He goes to work with me everyday. So people are getting used to seeing him wherever I go.

Last weekend I decided to go shopping at J.C.Penny's at the Eastern Hills Mall.   An old sales lady followed me like a security guard around the store.   When I turned around she was right behind me and scared me.   Before I knew it she was asking me if he was a service animal.   Then she looked at his vest and I said yes and she went away.

If she had a problem with this dog being in the store she should of just read his vest and moved on.   Nobody else has questioned me about this dog being in a store in a year.  That is simply because they could read his vest.   She did have a right to ask that question, but it was unnecessary since he had his Hearing Dog vest on.  And it was rude.  Unless she couldn't read.
 

Delta Airlines: Use Some Common Sense For The Deaf Passengers

                               Last summer I had to do a lot of flying to see my father.  He was close to dying.   Everytime I go to the airport I always sign up for Special Services.  So I expect to get the kind of help I need with my hearing loss.   Luckily my dad is ok now.

                               When I was at the gate I asked the attendant to wave to me when it was time to board.   And then after I was on the plane they did the safety demonstations like usual.  But it was not done in sign language and it was not captioned.   It's always done the same old way year after year.

                                I'm a very good lipreader but the demonstrations are usually done over the speakers.  So I can't hear or understand a word being said.  This has been nothing new.  When we landed I walked off with my hearing dog.   There was a young man waiting with a wheelchair with my name on a sign.

                                At first I didn't get why that was for me, I thought maybe it was for my dog. But yet both me and Douglas have no trouble walking though the airport.  I actually found it quite insulting that the airline would send me a wheelchair when I didn't need one.   Did they actually think if you were deaf you needed to use a wheelchair?

                                No really, someone needs to educate the staff on this airline on what the needs of the deaf passengers are. And by the way I felt very sorry for the young boy wasting his time waiting for me with the wheelchair. I had to decline it.



                                                                       

Delta Airlines Failed To Satisfy Deaf Passenger Again

                                   When I printed my boarding pass for a flight on Christmas I checked the box for special services.   It said I was hard of hearing on the screen by my pass.   Also I had a hearing dog going with me, but there was no option in there for service animals.   All I saw on it were pets.  After I got done filling it out, I figured I was all set for my flight with no problems.

                                   After I arrived at the gate in the Buffalo airport , I sat down and waited.   A lady was constantly making announcements over a microphone in the boarding area.   Of course I didn't understand a word she said.  Even though I was sitting right in the front, the microphone covered her mouth.  Then all of a sudden everyone lined up by the door but it was closed.  I didn't know what to do.   

                                    So I got up and told her I was deaf and to tell me what was going on.  All she said was we were going to be boarding in seven minutes.  But after I sat back down, I thought I was supposed to be standing in line with the others.   It looked like she was checking in everyone's baggage or something.   Like a fool I stood in the end and waited about 15 minutes.  When it was finally my turn, she told me I already got my seat number.

                                   Feeling like an idiot I sat back down, knowing I never had to stand in line the first place.   Finally it was time to board and she saw my dog, so I was one of the people that went on the plane first.  As I dragged my suitcase onto the plane the flight attendant told me it was too small to put in the cabinet.   Then again I felt like a fool, little did I know the lady had announced over the microphone for people to leave their bags outside the door of the plane. 

                                   The flight attendant took my suitcase from me and  pushed it off the plane. Seriously I felt stupid.   If the lady at the gate would of told me, I would of left it where it was supposed to be outside the plane.  It's not my fault I can't hear.  But they should of notified me when I was boarding the plane.   After all I requested for Special Services.  Didn't anyone know how to sign?

                                   I got in my seat and buckled up.   Then the plane started to take off.   I was wondering if they even gave a Safety Demonstration because I was sitting way in the back.   If they did, well I couldn't hear it or see it.   The flight attendant came over to my seat several times to check on me.   Of course I let her know I was deaf.   She smiled a lot and was very friendly, but I didn't ever understand a word she said.  She spoke very fast and had an accent.

                                  My experience flying with Delta for the hundredth time was very disappointing.  They made me feel humilated and embarrassed as a deaf passenger.  The worst times were when they had a wheelchair waiting for me the last few times I flew from North Carolina.   I don't know why they think I would need one if I am just deaf.  That makes no sense to me.   Though I felt sorry for the kid that came all the way to the gate with a wheelchair that wasn't needed.

                                 Come on Delta Airlines!  Please start showing more respect for your deaf customers!

Hearing Dog Wakes Me Up In The Morning

Before I got Douglas from the International Hearing Dog Institute I would rely on certain alarms for deaf people to wake me up.   I am profound deaf with a 90 percent hearing loss.  So there's no way I am going to hear a regular alarm clock going off.

Usually I would use the flashing light together with the bed shaker vibrator.   Using both did wake me up but there was one problem.   The bed vibrator would stop working after 2 years.   Then I would go and buy another one, and that would break too after a period of time.

I was tired of having to buy one alarm clock after another just to find out they didn't work for long.  And these special alarm clocks were expensive.   Now I have my hearing dog that is trained to wake me up when a regular alarm clock goes off.  He was trained to respond when it either beeps or plays music.

He is the most reliable one I can depend on to get me up each morning.

Communication Needs Not Met At Doctor's Offices

This year I had to go to a well known dermatologist for testing.  After my first appointment I kindly asked the nurse to email or text me the results.  Sorry she said, but they do not provide those kind of services.  So I replied to her how do you notify your deaf patients of their future appointments?

Instead of giving me an answer she asked if I had someone they  could call for me.  After that I suggested that they either email or text me the information.  We do not provide either one of those services she said blankly.  Feeling discouraged I told her to just leave a message on my voicemail.

Since I have a closed captioning phone it can caption my messages in there.  It's got to be difficult for some deaf people dealing with these issues.  It seems like we are still living in the old days.  Nothing much as changed at doctor's offices that I go to when it comes to communication needs.

I would recommend all doctor offices to provide email service and texting for their deaf patients.  It would make the world a much easier place to be.

Security Guard Sleeps Away In Mall

Two weeks ago I decided to go shopping with my hearing dog.   I have him because I am deaf and he assists me to sounds I can't hear.  We went in through Rocky's Big City Games & Sports Bar at the Eastern Hills Mall.   First thing I noticed was there was a Security Guard sleeping in a chair.   There was people there but nobody was doing anything about it.

We went into a few stores with no issues.   Then all of a sudden one of the ladies denied my service dog in one of them.  I decided to find a Security Guard to ask if the lady had any rights doing that.   By law service animals are allowed in public places.  But I thought it would be best to let someone else handle it there.

So I went back into Rocky's to get help.  Except the same Security Guard was fast assleep in the chair.  She has been sleeping over an hour.   So I went to find the Security Guard's office at the end of the Food Court Area.    There was nobody at that desk.   There was a number in there for us to call in case we need to get ahold of one.  But being hearing impaired I'm unable to hear on a regular phone.   And there was no number for texting one.


So after that I went to the center of the mall and I saw a woman in a uniform with a walkie talkie. So I thought that's it, let me ask her a question.  So I tried walking up to her with my dog and she ran the other way in a hurry.   Feeling disappointed from failure from finding someone to help I stopped at the Customer Service Counter.  There I made a complaint about the Security Guard that has slept over an hour at Rocky's.   Then I also told them there was noone in the main office.


So the lady there tried making some calls.  Even she was unable to get in contact of any security guard for me.   I waited for 25 minutes there as she kept trying to call one over.  With no luck, I told her thank you but to just let it go.  She said she would report it to the manager.  It wasn't worth wasting my time on this so I left.

I sure hope I never have to go through something like this again.

Doctor's Office Is Lacking Deaf Services

For years I have been going to the same exact doctor's office for check ups. This is over at the Highgate Medical Group office.  Why I stay there is because they have done a good job.  It's in a convenient location and the wait is never long.  Not having to drive far when I need to go is a big plus for me.

Besides all that they gave me no issues with my bringing my hearing dog to my appointments.  I have him because I am deaf.  And he helps to notify me of sounds I can't hear.  So that means a lot to me as well.  But there is one big problem at this place.

And that is they don't have any email service for their deaf customers.  Neither can they text me of my future appointments.   All they can do is call me on a phone to communicate with me.  But that does me no good because of my hearing loss.   And sometimes they leave messages on my voice mail.

And that isn't good either because I can't always understand those messages.  But due to having CaptionCall it takes care of  some of these issues.   I would suggest that my doctor's office set up a service to use for contacting their deaf customers like me.

That is set up an email service.  And allow them to text their deaf customers.  And do whatever else to communicate properly with those who can't hear.  This is only fair for the deaf.