Why my Husband ROCKS!

[melalthia]

I just had to share how cool my husband is with y'all.

We live on 3/4 of an acre with two small cabins on it.. and years ago we converted one of the cabins as a rental. My mom who was diagnosed with PBP but they haven't been able to diagnos which MND it is yet.. moved to the rental over the weekend. It's really hard for her.. she is a proud woman and very angry about all of this. She's lost the ability to speak, but we got her an ipod touch with proloquo2go on it. My mom isn't very tech savy but she's managed to figure out how to straight type touch on it. Still, she's not fast at it and there's so many cool abilities (storing phrases, names, etc) within the app, we've been sad that mom probably wasn't going to try and learn how to use it. Over the weekend, this idea solidified when she wasn't even pulling it out, instead relying on a pad of paper to speak.

Well, my husband is a stay-at-home-papa with our two small children. Today while i was at work, he apparently took my mom out with the kids for lunch. Watching her struggle to speak to her grand daughter by typing.. he made a decision. When i got home tonight he told me,

"I've decided the only way your mom is going to learn how to use the program is if i put it on my iphone and talk to her with it. Then she watch how i do it."

I dont know.. it's kind of silly of me, i suppose. But the fact he'd go to the trouble of teaching her how to use it (his mother in law!) by using it himself? How cool is that?

 

[BarryG]

What a guy! I wish more "talkers" would do that and better understand what we silent types are going through. I know that he is doing it to teach her but I also know that he will learn a few things too. My family more or less gets it that they have to wait a bit for me to say something (patience is a virtue) and they also know to not change the subject or else we are all confused but it has been and continues to be a frustration.

Also something to think about, I can still type fine on my netbook and IPod but can't write worth crap cause the fingers on my right hand cant hold a pen.

Good luck

 

[irismarie]

wonderful man and your mother is so lucky to have you both?

Barry is the nextup talker much better than the micosoft application? HAve you tired lots to get it down to tihis as the best?

 

[brooksea]

That is really great that he will take the time to do that for your mother! Good luck with her learning all the features! Hope she will be able to use it for a long while!

 

[GlenBrittle]

and when he is done, can he come and teach me?

That is just awesome.

Glen

 

[BarryG]

Iris, the reason that I use NextUp is because it is easy to use, it has a good layout and it allows for very many preprogrammed phrases that can be called up with keyboard shortcuts. And it comes with a good voice which E-triloquist (which I think is what I think you are talking about when you said the microsoft application) does not. So if you go with the free E-triloquist then you still have to buy a real voice (unless you want to sound like a robot)

It was what my SLP recommended to me and once I got used to it I stuck with it.

Even though my IPod and Proloquo2go has icon based functionality I still use the keyboard to type what I want to say. Maybe someday I will need a button to say "please move my arm" but right now I have other things to say. I guess I should practice though.....

 

[hopeful warrior]

Melathia~ Thank you for sharing your story. I wish you and your family strength and peace on this journey. It sounds like you all are off to a good start.

 

[Just J]

Yes that is very sweet! Nice to know some have in-laws (and not out-laws)

 

[Claire]

Excellent story. I felt all warm and fuzzy reading it. You must feel so blessed to have a husband who is so caring. Good luck to all of you.
Claire

 

[JeffP]

now that is what i would consider a true trooper very unselfish man you got lucky aint a whole lot of people out there that kind hope all goes good thumbs up to your husband

 

[melalthia]

Thanks everybody for the comments! I feel pretty lucky. To have my husband AND have the ability to move my mom in.

Barry thanks so much for your advice, too! I learn so much from all you PALS. I've noticed a bunch of times i talk too quickly and try to finish thoughts. Mainly because i'm impatient. I'm trying to do better on that front. And I thought about whether she'll be able to keep writing when i got her that ipod. What i really would love to get is the ipad for her because i think it would be easier because of the size. I got her a touch-screen stylus for the ipod but its still too small, me thinks. Ah, but one thing at a time.