Since I'm unable to make traditional phone calls, people have been curious what kind of cell phone plan I have, or they've wondered why I bothered with a cell phone in the first place.
When cell phones began its first foothold in society--Let say, the year 2000, there weren't any options for data&text-only plans. You had to pay for phone minutes, or you had nothing. It wasn't until I got T-mobile's Sidekick II in 2004 and the SKIII in 2006 that I was able to get an unlimited data&text plan for $30/month. I loved T-mobile for being my first available company to offer unlimited texts, and then even more once they allowed customers to opt out of phone minutes.
T-mobile was excellent for Deaf customers. I loved them!
As time went by, I started drinking the Apple Koolaid and I wanted an Iphone. It wasn't until I learned about AT&T's TAP (Iphone plan and other) that purchasing one became affordable. Thanks to TAP, I've had an Iphone since 2009. Similar to the plan offered by T-mobile, TAP allows Deaf people to only pay for data and texts. I have the unlimited data & unlimited texting plan for $50/month. I'm grandfathered into this plan and won't be switching anytime soon.
The downside to TAP is it's only offered to Deaf customers (or those with speech difficulty) who provide medical proof. So if you're you're hearing and you don't make phone calls, tough luck, you can't get this plan. This may seem unfair, especially back when AT&T had exclusive contract for the Iphone (and yes, hearing people complained) but there were other phone companies out there (like Tmobile) that offered text/data-only plans where medical proof wasn't required.
AT&T's TAP would be an example where improved accessibility for the deaf isn't "equal" access ( The law does not require Equal Access for deaf people to use cell phones) since hearing people were and are still unable to purchase the same plan. Hearing people could get data-only plans through other companies, but the most vocal complaints came from iphone users who were angry about their choice to overpay for phone minutes. They were using their phone minutes, they were just unhappy a select minority didn't have to pay for phone minutes they'd never use.
Sympathy level: zero
So what is my phone used for? Texting, web browsing, Google Maps, settling arguments, Internet Relay Phone Calls (using an app), camera, vibrating travel alarm clock, etc. In the past I've used Google Voice services to translate my Voice Mail messages. I generally do not get phone calls, but occasionally a school or business will contact me and the voice-to-text translation tool is useful. When I use the forwarding+Google Voice feature, I am charged the standard phone minute rate. I could find cheaper unlimited data&unlimited text plans, but I'm satisfied with my iphone and I'll stick with it for now.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Vulnerability during a phone call
I'm going to share an awkward subject that I'd rather leave off my blog but I believe it's important to be honest about a variety of topics. Awkward, embarrassing, silly, serious, all of it belongs on here.
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There's a level of vulnerability involved when I make my own phone calls. During the call, I'm communicating with two people: The faceless relay employee and the business agent. When I make phone calls to my credit cards or bank, I worry the interpreter is writing down my information for fraudulent intents. I can refuse to answer a couple of security answers, but I can't refuse all questions. How much information does it take to have your identity stolen?
During my last phone call, my credit card company interrupted the call to directly ask the interpreter to verify their company and employee ID number. Talking directly to the interpreter shows poor etiquette, but in this case--that is an excellent addition to security policies and to date they are the only company I've encountered with this new policy. As much as I appreciate relay technology, I'm constantly worried because it only takes one shady employee to use my information for identity theft or fraudulent purchases. But what else can I do other than force a hearing friend or family member to handle 100% of my phone calls?
Handling my own phone calls is one way to feel independent, but it comes with risks. I've had fraudulent purchases on my accounts twice. Once is entirely unrelated to phone calls (Papa Johns inside Houston Int'l Airport), the second time may have been a relay employee but I can't say that with certainty. Both of those occurred over 5 years ago. It could be unnecessary paranoia, but it's one that will stick with me unless I give up and make a hearing person my Power of Attorney. If it were possible, I would never make phone calls and handle everything in person. That would be the easiest solution, but it's not an option.
It might seem simple: "Get someone else to handle your phone calls, what's the big deal?" But handling phone calls is just one of those things people take for granted. It's easy to do and accessible everywhere-- If you're hearing. It's an everyday habit for most hearing people and probably isn't associated with independence. When other people have handled my phone calls, I'm left without a voice of my own. That feeling of helplessness is why I continue to make my own phone calls despite the risks.
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There's a level of vulnerability involved when I make my own phone calls. During the call, I'm communicating with two people: The faceless relay employee and the business agent. When I make phone calls to my credit cards or bank, I worry the interpreter is writing down my information for fraudulent intents. I can refuse to answer a couple of security answers, but I can't refuse all questions. How much information does it take to have your identity stolen?
During my last phone call, my credit card company interrupted the call to directly ask the interpreter to verify their company and employee ID number. Talking directly to the interpreter shows poor etiquette, but in this case--that is an excellent addition to security policies and to date they are the only company I've encountered with this new policy. As much as I appreciate relay technology, I'm constantly worried because it only takes one shady employee to use my information for identity theft or fraudulent purchases. But what else can I do other than force a hearing friend or family member to handle 100% of my phone calls?
Handling my own phone calls is one way to feel independent, but it comes with risks. I've had fraudulent purchases on my accounts twice. Once is entirely unrelated to phone calls (Papa Johns inside Houston Int'l Airport), the second time may have been a relay employee but I can't say that with certainty. Both of those occurred over 5 years ago. It could be unnecessary paranoia, but it's one that will stick with me unless I give up and make a hearing person my Power of Attorney. If it were possible, I would never make phone calls and handle everything in person. That would be the easiest solution, but it's not an option.
It might seem simple: "Get someone else to handle your phone calls, what's the big deal?" But handling phone calls is just one of those things people take for granted. It's easy to do and accessible everywhere-- If you're hearing. It's an everyday habit for most hearing people and probably isn't associated with independence. When other people have handled my phone calls, I'm left without a voice of my own. That feeling of helplessness is why I continue to make my own phone calls despite the risks.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Nursing School: The next step and long-term goals
I'd like to announce I've officially been accepted into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. It will be two years before I could claim I'm a deaf Nurse, but it's an exciting next step! I'm sure I will have new experiences in how people treat me as a deaf student. Will they be impressed? Will they assume I'm dumb? Will they all treat me like I'm a burden? We'll see.
In a previous post, I mentioned it's uncommon to meet Deaf role models in a medical profession. I've never met any, I've never known of anyone nearby. I've only ever read about them through online websites. They seem fictional. My hope is to eventually be a prominent figure in the field and to encourage other deaf/HOH people to enter a medical profession. There's not enough deaf role models encouraging deaf/HOH people they're capable of more than a minimum wage job. Who are the people actively showing them they aren't dumb just because they can't hear (which is how the hearing world treats us both in body language and verbally). Who is showing them they can have support going after their dream career? Encouragement needs to start while they're young. Exposure to Deaf Professionals is a missing key for kids who are involved in the hearing world. This may not be as big of an issue in Deaf Culture. Those heavily intertwined in Deaf Culture may have all the support they need. I'm not certain, because that wasn't my life.
Once I've got my own student loan debt paid, I'd like to set up a scholarship for Deaf/HOH students interested in medical professions. Unlike the other scholarships where you must fit exact criteria, I would like mine to be broad. No age restriction, no communication restriction, no technology restriction ("must wear hearing aids or Cochlear Implant."), nothing except the desire for a medical career. Physician, Veterinarian, Nursing, Vet. Tech, all of that is fine. But the scholarship idea is only an idea. I may not be able to get started on it for another 5 years. Maybe I will be forced to set up strict guidelines for applicants, I'll cross that bridge years down the line.
I need to reinforce my ASL skills. My eventual goal as a nurse is to work in pediatrics and with Deaf patients. There aren't any Deaf-Only hospitals but one possibility is to become a traveling nurse. Legality aside (unsure the protocol for when bilingual nurses can communicate directly with patient and when the patient needs to speak to the physician via interpreting), it would be beneficial to hospitals to hire Nurses who are fluent in ASL. If they have a Nurse who speaks ASL who happens to be on shift, it won't take up to 3 hours to get an interpreter to the hospital. Although I will never work in an emergency department where it would be crucial to communicate ASAP, a fluent staff member for all other departments would preferable to waiting hours. An interpreter may be called anyways, but at least the patients wouldn't have to sit there in silence or relying on hearing family members (if any).
So there you go, I'm now on the next step towards becoming a Nurse. I will start in August.
In a previous post, I mentioned it's uncommon to meet Deaf role models in a medical profession. I've never met any, I've never known of anyone nearby. I've only ever read about them through online websites. They seem fictional. My hope is to eventually be a prominent figure in the field and to encourage other deaf/HOH people to enter a medical profession. There's not enough deaf role models encouraging deaf/HOH people they're capable of more than a minimum wage job. Who are the people actively showing them they aren't dumb just because they can't hear (which is how the hearing world treats us both in body language and verbally). Who is showing them they can have support going after their dream career? Encouragement needs to start while they're young. Exposure to Deaf Professionals is a missing key for kids who are involved in the hearing world. This may not be as big of an issue in Deaf Culture. Those heavily intertwined in Deaf Culture may have all the support they need. I'm not certain, because that wasn't my life.
Once I've got my own student loan debt paid, I'd like to set up a scholarship for Deaf/HOH students interested in medical professions. Unlike the other scholarships where you must fit exact criteria, I would like mine to be broad. No age restriction, no communication restriction, no technology restriction ("must wear hearing aids or Cochlear Implant."), nothing except the desire for a medical career. Physician, Veterinarian, Nursing, Vet. Tech, all of that is fine. But the scholarship idea is only an idea. I may not be able to get started on it for another 5 years. Maybe I will be forced to set up strict guidelines for applicants, I'll cross that bridge years down the line.
I need to reinforce my ASL skills. My eventual goal as a nurse is to work in pediatrics and with Deaf patients. There aren't any Deaf-Only hospitals but one possibility is to become a traveling nurse. Legality aside (unsure the protocol for when bilingual nurses can communicate directly with patient and when the patient needs to speak to the physician via interpreting), it would be beneficial to hospitals to hire Nurses who are fluent in ASL. If they have a Nurse who speaks ASL who happens to be on shift, it won't take up to 3 hours to get an interpreter to the hospital. Although I will never work in an emergency department where it would be crucial to communicate ASAP, a fluent staff member for all other departments would preferable to waiting hours. An interpreter may be called anyways, but at least the patients wouldn't have to sit there in silence or relying on hearing family members (if any).
So there you go, I'm now on the next step towards becoming a Nurse. I will start in August.