LizT
Very helpful member
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2010
- Messages
- 1,547
- Reason
- Lost a loved one
- Country
- US
- State
- WI
- City
- Beaver Dam
You know that old saying- when you assume you make an a** out of u and me?
Boy oh boy did i learn a lesson today!
My PALS wanted to go on the computer today and i really didnt feel like it. So after I stomped around for a minute or two, we went on- though i wasnt too happy about it. Anyway, while we were goofing around on the computer, I started wondering why he never got an eyegaze. So when we were done, I asked him.
"Babe, how come you never got an eyegaze? Did you ever look into it at least?"
To which he replies
"What is that?"
OMG. Here is where the assumption part of this comes in. This whole time (3yrs) Ive been ASSUMING that he chose not to use an eyegaze. Nope. He had no clue it even existed. So I spent some time telling him the very little bit i know about it. Told him that he could go on the computer himself... and that he could talk again.
He almost cried. My poor PALS has gone over 6 years with no voice. He couldnt communicate with anyone unless they learned how to spell things out with him- which noone in his family did, except for mom.
He hasnt been able to talk to his kids. He hasnt been able to talk to his friends. Shoot, he has never said one word to his 3 grandkids. All because noone ever told him about this option and I assumed that he knew about it.
Here is the problem. They are very expensive and he doesnt have the money for one. Also, (and im sorry, but i still cant figure out how to work the search thing to well on here) I dont know alot about them. Is it eye movement that controls it? Because he cannot move his head at all. He also cannot blink on demand so if blinking controls it, then its a no go. What else can be done with them, or is it mainly for going on the computer and talking?
I am so excited about this, but sad too because i dont know if i will be able to get him one. But can you imagine the look on his grandkids faces when the next time they stop in, grandpa can actually say something to them?
Also, his mom is having a really hard time reading his eyes lately, as her eyes are getting bad. If he could just "talk" to her, that would save so much time and heartache.
Where do i start guys?
Boy oh boy did i learn a lesson today!
My PALS wanted to go on the computer today and i really didnt feel like it. So after I stomped around for a minute or two, we went on- though i wasnt too happy about it. Anyway, while we were goofing around on the computer, I started wondering why he never got an eyegaze. So when we were done, I asked him.
"Babe, how come you never got an eyegaze? Did you ever look into it at least?"
To which he replies
"What is that?"
OMG. Here is where the assumption part of this comes in. This whole time (3yrs) Ive been ASSUMING that he chose not to use an eyegaze. Nope. He had no clue it even existed. So I spent some time telling him the very little bit i know about it. Told him that he could go on the computer himself... and that he could talk again.
He almost cried. My poor PALS has gone over 6 years with no voice. He couldnt communicate with anyone unless they learned how to spell things out with him- which noone in his family did, except for mom.
He hasnt been able to talk to his kids. He hasnt been able to talk to his friends. Shoot, he has never said one word to his 3 grandkids. All because noone ever told him about this option and I assumed that he knew about it.
Here is the problem. They are very expensive and he doesnt have the money for one. Also, (and im sorry, but i still cant figure out how to work the search thing to well on here) I dont know alot about them. Is it eye movement that controls it? Because he cannot move his head at all. He also cannot blink on demand so if blinking controls it, then its a no go. What else can be done with them, or is it mainly for going on the computer and talking?
I am so excited about this, but sad too because i dont know if i will be able to get him one. But can you imagine the look on his grandkids faces when the next time they stop in, grandpa can actually say something to them?
Also, his mom is having a really hard time reading his eyes lately, as her eyes are getting bad. If he could just "talk" to her, that would save so much time and heartache.
Where do i start guys?