I don’t own a TTY. I haven’t since I started owning a computer. My reasons are simple: I never need one. I can make phone calls with internet relay. It works. Simple.
Until I need to be able to have someone call ME. Then it all breaks down.
This week I almost had to bring my 6 month old son to the ER for… Mosquito bites. All because I didn’t have a TTY that his pediatrician could call back from, and they don’t have a number that you can call to talk to a pediatrician- just a number that you can call, leave your number, and a pediatrician will get back to you within the hour.
My son had three mosquito bites that had developed a large rash around them, and he had a slight fever (most likely due to teething) and I was concerned. But because I didn’t have a TTY, I had two options: Wait until my husband came home from work, or trek a half mile in the NYC heatwave, to sit in the ER for a few hours around Very Sick People.
Not wanting to expose my son to something potentially worse than what he already had, I gave him a cool bath and waited for my husband to come home.
My husband came home and called the pediatrician’s number, left his number, heard back from them 20 minutes later that all was fine and no need to bring the little guy into the ER unless the rash persisted, got worse, or the fever rose.
I wish the internet would catch up enough for me to be able to take incoming relay calls, and not just make outgoing ones. Maybe I can convince Skype to make a SkypeTTY?
I could buy a TTY. But this is the only time I’ve ever needed to accept an incoming phonecall in the past 7 years. A $500 piece of equipment that will be used once in 7 years is obscenely high priced. It would make more financial sense for me to pay someone to accept a phone call for me and transcribe it. :p
June 28th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
Sara,
I acquired a Sorenson VRS (video phone) and it’s free. It’s great because I can use it for one on one conversations with someone on the tv screen and the resolution is slick. You can also use the VRS to talk to a relay person ON SCREEN and they will make a voice call to anyone.
The relay person will translate back to you what the hearing person says and vice versa. You don’t need to type, but use your ASL to communicate in real time. And this tech is wonderful that allows me to communicate with my new boss who’s a deaf director for a hearing impaired agency around here since I no longer work for Starbucks and am making twice the wages.
Although, I still do my creative work and am trying to find time to learn Poser and Bryce (free downloads) and settling in my new apartment (yes, my own place …finally after 3 year since I’ve been on your site).
Anyways, I recommend a VRS as long as you have DSL or faster. You won’t regret it unless the FCC makes a decision on 6/30 to change the laws regarding VRS.
June 29th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Sadly, I can’t use the VRS because my sign language skills have deteriorated to the level of a babbling monkey. :p
June 30th, 2007 at 8:39 am
LOL!! My sign has gone a little that way too, I only learn and use sign lingo in college, so during the summer I lose the use of it and I get really silly, and effectively only know baby sign!! I have done basic sign twice, and I have completed level one last season, and im going to do it again this season, I dont cere about doing them twice, I really want to know the language!
June 30th, 2007 at 9:07 am
Sara,
My ASL is’nt up to par, myself, too. But at least this technology allows me to communicate to local deaf people in the case they have to talk to me. I use my voice 99% of the time.