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Hi guys
What week. Been out of the office for four days. 2 days on a course and 2 days travelling from London and back to Belfast to see a customer. Only at home today as broken half a tooth at the airport yesterday and have emergency appt with dentist. On soft baby food at the moment!.
Still managed to run on tredmill in hotel gym (had it all to myself) and will run later today (definate advantage to being home). Plan to do a 14 miler on sunday as my LSR. Work still extremely busy and really need to be there rather than at home and no I'm not the boss!
Phil - glad ear infection is getting better.
I'm not fussed about football and was at hotel. At least TV in room had subbies. Did not watch any of it except for the penalties so saved the previous 2 hours of my life for other things!
I went to concert at London Arena at the weekend. When I had analogue hearing aids you had so much more control over thye volume than digi aids. Used to be able to turn them down to an approriate level at concerts. Now with digis I turn them as low as possible but still come out with my eyes ringing which never used to happen before. Definately disadvantage of digis.
Hi Becky,
You have been a busy bee this week...this is a regular hazard in your job? Hope you weren't fighting at the airport with Man U supporters returning home
It is nice when you get the hotel treadmill to yourself. Went to Cyprus on hol a few years ago and it was great because it was too hot for most people to use the gym...had all the equipment to myself.
Only joking about the boss business.
I'm fortunate that the volume can be reduced on my digi aid plus I don't do concerts now...the bands I like are mostly dead or decrepit now. I agree that they are not quite as good as analogue in this respect...but I think they more than make up with better quality sound. I can understand the need for loud music etc at concerts but why does this always have to be the case at weddings/parties. Disco always seem to be much too loud. It takes a couple of days for the ringing to go, plus you can't hear a thing that peolpe are saying during the function.
Enjoy your day off and your run on Sunday...hope the weather holds for you. I will probably have a day rest on Sunday and then get out again on Monday. Hopefully I can avoid the stitch this time.
I'm going to Devon for a weeks hol in June and I can't decide whether to take my runnning gear or have a complete week off. I've not had a real rest for over 18 months now...what do you guys suggest?
Phil
I reckon you should have a rest. By the end of that week you should be itching to run again. Every 4 or 5 weeks I always do a lighter weeks training in order to avoid overtraining. I also find it difficult to not run as much but at least it confirms I like running and gets me all fired up again.
Becky,
Thanks for that...I did feel that perhaps I should have a break. I set myself targets for my mileage over a week and record on a spread sheet and I must admit that I get abit bogged down sometimes. Like you said I should do some lighter weeks to avoid over training. We all get weary at times and are unable to find the motivation to get out of the door. Although having said that, when I do feel a bit reluctant to go out and force myself to go I always feel much better on completion of the run.
I will take your advice and leave my gear at home. We will be doing lots of walking anyway so this will help to keep me active rather than lazing about for for several days. Also when I've had my holiday I will incorporate some lighter weeks to recharge my batteries.
It is the enjoyment we get from being out that often drives us to do a tad too much.
Phil.
Must be about a week of continuous now and this damn squeal is REALLY beginning to get on my pip. Just about drowned it out with the hand dryer at work today in the loos.
Nowt anyone can do, just moaning is all.
Morning all,
DB...If you want to come on here and have a whinge it is okay by me. I can fully understand your preoccupation with this damn noise. We all get this and it does drive you to distraction. Persist with your GP and get the best advice available.
Not too good over the weekend here in Shropshire. We didn't get the heavy rain predicted but it was cold and very breezy. Went out on Saturday morning for a long run...I expected to get caught in rain but completed the run before the showers arrived. Went out again on Monday and once again managed to avoid the rain. Very windy though and cold... perhaps the summer is over now.
I hope not because I'm off to Devon soon and would really like a bit of sunshine for my hols.
Did you all get out for runs...if so did you get caught in the rain?
I don't mind running in the rain if it is warm...but to be cold and wet is just not on. Cold and dry is okay.
Phil.
Hi guys,
Needed emergency dental treatment Friday when a 1/4 of a tooth brook off! Excellent way to lose weight. still all sorted now but a "wondersful" end to a Sh** week.
Managed to do my LSR on Sunday avoiding the dreadful rain we had "down south" . Extremely chuffed with myself as I did 13.1miles all on my own and did not walk once.
Only the 2nd time I have run that distance. I know progress is being made as this time I do not ache and walk like John Wayne like the 1st time I run the distance.
Come yesterday with the weather bunkered down indoors, so glad I did my run Sunday. Actually got tan lines Sunday!!!
Hi Becky,
Great run for you...half mara. distance without the pain. I didn't run that far on my LSR...10 miler for me plus abit of the John Wayne walk on Sunday. I think I went out a little too quickly and pushed the pace. Not too bad really...my right foot ached the most...just over the arch. It cramped up later in the evening when I sat watching TV.
I feel guilty about Monday. Went for my run in the morning then lazed about the rest of the day(weather induced) and ate far to much. Feel deflated today...thinking what on earth did I put that effort in for just to go and stuff my face later in the day. I suppose we all do it now and then but I tend to beat up on myself if I don't get a grip and resist the biscuit barrel.
Perhaps we should have removeable teeth that will hurt if we eat too much...take em out and stop eating
Oh, I forgot you tried that last week
.
When I was out on Monday I felt that I was on another planet...I hardly saw any one else about...they must have all been at the sales...glad I like running.
As to having bad food in the house like biscuits, I'm lucky its only me and hubby. Hubby doesn't snack. Therefore if I want to avoid bad food I just don't have it in the house. No tempation them to open the bicuit barrel.
Those long runs would be grately improved if I didn't have silence for 2 and half hours as I run with no hearing aids. Such a long time to go without hearing anything. Makes it harder to tell if the dogs that run up are frieldly or not. I have no idea if the owner is calling them off me or not. I just stand there until they go. Anyone else find this a problem?
We do try to maintain a good balanced diet with mostly fresh produce but we both like to have a pack of digestives in the cupboard and on the bad weather days this gets undue attention from both of us. Back to Sainsbury today to restock
I'm lucky in that I can hear traffic noise and dogs etc. On Saturday some kids were shouting at me when I ran past...I knew they were saying something but what I don't know because I don't stop to find out. Often with dogs they are at your ankles before you realise that they may approach you. This problem refers to the thread about dogs. I have a westie and when I walk him and any runners/bikers go past I make my dog stand still. It would be nice to think that all dog owners would do this, but we know this is not the case. I'm going to try some of those eargear things from Connevans. I've ordered them but they are out of stock and it will be a couple of weeks till I get them. I will let you know how I get on wearing them.
I really can empathise with you on this. When I see peolple walking/running about wearing Ipods I think why are you listening to music when there are so many other things to hear that are far more pleasant to listen to. I don't mind the silence too much...most of my runs are less than 90 minutes so I can cope with that. Another hour of running I can't say how I would feel then about the silence.
It is very difficult to know what to do when dogs approach...having a dog you would think I would be able to prevent them getting too close but it just doesn'twork like that. Dog owning is like parenting...you have to set the ground rules early and then be consistent...the moment you lapse then the dog/child misbehaves.
<!--endemo-->
Everyone should contract their brigade as this is a standard service for deaf people. <!-- THE POST -->
Good Morning All
Becky - They used to be fitted by Social Services around here.
We had them fitted in a shared accommodation house I once lived in as 3 out of 4 of us had hearing problems. (This is where I lived at the time of my hearing loss)
Funnily enough, they wouldn't fit them before I lost my hearing, despite one guy being totally deaf.
I'm fortunate that I can hear my smoke alarms through both ears (about the only thing I can hear through my left side) so don't need the fancy ones.
And yes! I do know they work for me after coming home one evening, falling asleep and burning my dinner.
Phil - Going back to the ipod thing. My view is that if that's the only way you can enjoy running then carry on wearing it, but it seems a bit sad.
Anyway, a couple of folks have just started the old "Don't wear an ipod, you won't hear traffic so you will all die" argument over on the "Am I running on the right side of the road ?" thread.
I just love this argument as you can then ask if they want to ban deaf runners for their own safety ? The bluff and bluster that usually follows is such good fun.
You probably wouldn't be surprised to know how little hearing people know about deaf sports (and deadfness in general). There were actually people on one ulta thread who didn't realise that the Deaf have their own Olympics. They thought deaf sports came under the Paralympics.
I like educating them.
PS: No food is bad food.
Good morning all,
It is certainly a better morning here...bright sunshine with a gentle breeze...summer's arrived at last
EM...you are provoking a debate on the other thread with your comments. I still stand by my principle that it is not safe to wear an Ipod in the proximity ot traffic...be it walking/biking/running. We need our wits about us at all times now...so many drivers are totally oblivious to other drivers/pedestrians. Also texting seems another distraction that is over taking people lives. How did they manage before mobiles phones... not too long ago really.
Becky...I'm going to try your suggestion and contact the Fire brigade...not because it is free but having this type of alarm fitted may save my life one day.
EM...back to food...too much is no good and I'm taking steps to reduce the too much that I've been indulginig in lately...the old waist line is getting too big...time to take action
I've had an hectic couple of days here at work...a knock from the Bank holiday...thankfully the backlog is now cleared and it is now time to relax a little. 10K for me this afternoon...just hope the weather holds. I'm really looking forward to a good hard run today in the sunshine.
I'm responding to Muzzy's posting on the "which side of the road" thread. I think the issues she(?) raises are more appropriately dealt with here.
When I run, I have the choice of whether to wear an MP3 or not. Based on my own assessment of the risks of collision with other roadusers and the relative amounts of damage that my flimsy body is capable of sustaining, compared to them, I choose not to wear one. I believe that decision reduces the probabilty of my getting hurt. The probabilty of injury may be remote and unquantifiable, but in my mind it exists. Hence the decision not to wear one.
Muzzy, when you run you don't have that choice. Strictly of course you do, its just that exercising it doesn't make any difference. If I were deaf, I'd still run the way I do, I'm sure that I would still perceive the risk to be quite acceptable, possibly my other senses would compensate (but I don't know how this works).
Your postng implies that I'm saying that the alternative to not running with an MP3, is not to run at all. It's not, it's just to accept that there may be a slighly greater risk to your safety if you do wear one or as your case if your are deaf. I am fortunate to have the choice, you don't.
Apologies for this, but on a personal note I read your posting on this thread in which you made gleeful reference to your response to my comments on the "which side of the road thread". In my view you were deliberately taking pleasure from the embarassment yu me because of my ignorance about deafness. With respect, my original posting was balanced and reasonable, whilst your response was mean spirited and sarcastic. I honestly don't think I deserved it.
Anyway that's all I've got to say - thanks foor reading it.
At the risk of upsetting people I'm afraid I have to wade into this arguement. As I have said on the other thread I cannot see what Tom has said in order that such a defensive response was given in relation to his posting. I appluad Tom for having the guts to formulise his reposnse on this thread. The promlem with text the same as for deaf people who cannot hear speech very well is that the intonation behind the words is lost, text does not have the benefit of facial expressions in order to appreciate how someone is cmmunicating what they are saying. I thinks only 5% of communication comes from the pure words themeselves. Hence why emoicons are used in forums etc.
I also think that it is important particular with hearing people for deaf people to not come across as defensive. I think there are ways and means of educating hearing people as to our situation but using sarcasm etc is not one of them. I believe it then makes hearing people less likely to want to engage with deaf people in a future scenario and avoid us because they are so frightened to saying something wrong. Consequently it alienates us further. It is important if people are to get to understand us not to have a chip on our shoulder.
I'm ready to be shot down!
This issue...like many other things can be very emotive. I think we should all stand back a pace and see the real issue...that is that people are less tolerant now than in the past...this is particularly more noticeable with road use, We are all aware of the need to minimise risks...consequently we should all act in accordance with the rules but often these are ignored by a minority and we all suffer for it.
I think that generally most hearing people will applaud deaf/blind/disabled people who try to live a normal life...it is the minority that will ridicule and make jokes...this goes for every aspect of our society,
I agree with you Becky regarding expression...this sometimes can be misconstrued by hearing people...when they tell a joke or pass a funny comment we often don't catch the funny side immediately hence the sometimes blank response. It certainly helps to be around people that are aware of our deafness otherwise with strangers we struggle to lose our inhabitions that we are often perceived as being standoffish.
Hi all.
I was temporarily sucked into the real world, or at least, thesis-stuff. I've found running at the end of the day very therapeutic. I can do an hour continuously now, which seems a vast improvement to me, and have finally started to notice some physical changes, i.e. in dim lighting I can convince myself I can see the outline of some muscles! Problem I'm now having is with my shoes (Asics 2110), as they start to rub after about 30-45 mins, and I end up feeling like I have a stone in my shoe. Simple, cheap, suggestions appreciated as I'd dread to think there is something wrong with the shoe which I can't really afford to replace right now.
Oh, I had my annual audiogram last week, showing a slight decline - this was to be expected given my type of deafness (progressive sensorineural). Not too bothered, but I'm upgrading my digitals soon.
Agreed that we need to try and not be defensive, and that effort goes both ways. I try not to make an issue of it, will just tell people once so they understand I am not being rude or ignoring them, and things are normally fine. Nothing much else needs to be said. I socialize with hearing people, and feel included in the group, I'm not left out of events, people come and talk to me etc. Academically, it's fine too, and can't think of any problems I've had presenting, going to seminars etc - I don't know if I'm the exception to the rule. I've just learned that if I don't make it a problem, then others tend to adopt a similar attitude.
Barcode
I agree with you, I also go to seminars and present. At presentations I take along a radio mic, if you give them enough notice and explain sufficiently I yet to meet someone who refuses to accomodate. Again if the individual comes across as being relaxed about it and not be a problem it it helps others be relaxed and more accepting as well.
As for your shoe issue, sorry I don't know what to suggest but well done for getting up to the hour. Where do the shoes rub?
Morning all,
I think we all encounter difficulties at work and in our social lives...it is best to be relaxed and not get up-tight about things...there will always be the a small minority that are intolerant...it is their loss I say.
BC...I use Asics 2110...I've got two pairs on the go...used alternately and I now find that one is more comfortable than the other which is very strange when both pairs have done about the same milage. I like the Asics so I will probably buy these again when I replace my shoes.I've been using Asics for over ten years now and I'm reluctant to switch to other manufacturers.
Did 10K yesterday afternoon...I was really looking forward to getting out. It was a terrible run...my legs felt like planks and I kept feeling tired then I would have a surge of energy and pushed the pace again. I nearly stopped a couple of times and quit. I did finish the run but I can't say that I enjoyed it which is very unusual.
I think it is time we moved on from the furore that was caused by the "which side do I run on"thread. We all have our own ways of coping with things and it is best not to alienate people against disabled peolple.
I've just popped over to this thread beacuse of Muzzy's postings on the 'Which side of the road thread' where it seemed to attack Tom and myself with an unnecessary degree of sarcasm.
We both made the point that by chosing to run with an iPod a hearing runner is marginally increasing their risk of being involved in an accident because they will be less aware of their surroundings particularly with respect to traffic.
At no point did either of us suggest those with hearing difficulties not run.
I've been particularly upset by the inference that I have a problem with runners with any form of disability, such that I got up at 3 am and went for a run to clear my head as I could not sleep over the issue. At the end of the run I decided it wasn't my problem, but Muzzy's.
Hi all,
I visited my sister-in-laws yesterday evening...this is only my second visit in about 10 years. Anyway my point is that her husband, during our conversation, asked if I still pursued my hobby...meaning did I still run?
Can we runners consider our sport to be a hobby...or is it much more that that? A commitment to ourselves to remain fit and healthy or is it deeper that this. Does running gives us an outlet for our competitive natures?
I welcome comments from hearing people who may by chance read this thread.
Phil.
Something to lighten Friday with dudes. I thought was funny anyway.
A man walks into a bar with a paper bag. He sits down and places thebag on the counter. The bartender walks up and asks what's in the bag.
The man reaches into the bag and pulls out a little man, about one foot
high and sets him on the counter. He reaches back into the bag and
pulls out a small piano, setting it on the counter as well. He reaches
into the bag once again and pulls out a tiny piano bench, which he
places in front of the piano.
The little man sits down at the piano and starts playing a beautiful
piece by Mozart! 'Where on earth did you get that?' says the bartender.
The man responds by reaching into the paper bag. This time he pulls out
a magic lamp. He hands it to the bartender and says: 'Here. Rub it.'
So the bartender rubs the lamp, and suddenly there's a gust of smoke
and a beautiful genie is standing before him. 'I will grant you one
wish. Just one wish~~ each person is only allowed one!'
The bartender gets real excited. Without hesitating he says, 'I want a
million bucks!' A few moments later, a duck walks into the bar. It is
soon followed by another duck, then another.
Pretty soon, the entire bar is filled with ducks and they keep coming!
The bartender turns to the man and says, 'Y'know, I think your genie's
a little deaf. I asked for a million bucks, not a million ducks.'
'Tell me about it!!' says the man, 'do you really think I asked for a
12 inch pianist'?
Personally, I do see running as an outlet. I had been going to the gym for about six months, having been a normal weight, but shockingly unfit (imo). Bored does not describe it. Anyway, I found myself signing up for the RFL back in 2006 to support my brother who had just been diagnosed with (as it turns out, terminal) cancer (we have an genetic predisposition to something in my family and I'm probably going to get it too). So, I stepped on the treadmill, and almost had a heart attack after thirty seconds.
Well, I don't like being told I can't do something. Being deaf, I was told I probably shouldn't be in a mainstream school and taking normal exams, nevermind going to university. I was told that something administrative would be suitable for me, but no more than that. Anyway, I proved people wrong as I am now at the beginning of an academic career doing what I always wanted to do. You get the idea, these sorts of stories must be familiar for those of us who are deaf.
I perservered. Ran the first 5k in 30 mins - not shockingly fast, but faster than those sitting around. I've come a long way since then, both mentally and physically. Here are my reasons:
1. It's almost trivial to say people run to stay healthy. For me, there is more to it. I have a genetic mutation which results in malignant, untreatable cancer in about 95% of carriers. This was discovered after my brother developed the condition as a teenager - as it's a rare kind anyway, and even rarer in young people, the rest of the family were tested, and since then, 12 of us have the gene, with it manifesting itself in 3 of my sibs (all younger than me, two now very serious, one is playing the waiting game and hoping for no recurrence, so wonder how I escaped).
I may not be able to stop things developing, but I can make sure I stay as healthy as possible to slow things down. I do think that environmental factors can speed the process up, and I have no wish to hasten things. It does mean I have a very uncertain future, but the hope is that with regular screening, I will be more fortunate than most, i.e. detected very early.
2. On a slightly less serious note, I am very competitve, but that has usually manifested itself physically. As I said, I resent being told I cannot do something. It is a way to prove myself and others wrong. I might have to work a bit harder than others to overcome some obvious limitations, but that doesn't put me out of the running. If I think I cannot do something, I normally discover that I can - the biggest problem is mental.
This has gone on for a bit .... sorry ....
Barcode, reading your last post was uncanny. With the exception of the cancer I can relate to everything you said. I believe my deafness does somehow make me more competitive. They didn't want me in mainstream school when I started. In the 70s, inclusion was not the rage it is now. Luckily my mum put her foot down and said I was staying. Consequently I went through mainstram school, even going to the grammer as we have here in Kent. I remember being told because I was deaf I couldn't do French, why I've learn English! It's like a red rag to a bull being told you can't do something. Anyway did the GCSE and got a B, stuck two fingers up etc.
This competitiveness has follwed me through my adult life. I am in a bank and had several promotions over the years, I have reached mgmt and really do not have to prove myself any more. I am deaf but I have achieved work wise and academically with a degree and professional qualifications. They problem I have is how do I stop and give myself a break from pushing myself and back off. It's hard to change the habit of a lifetime. I just want to enjoy what I have done despite my deafness but the little voice in my head just doesn't know when to stop.
I know I should be grateful especially with situations like Barcode which brings it home how precious life is. My best friend of 30 years has in the family colon cancer. At least there is the benefit for her of regular testing etc and that does provide some comfort but the spectre of it must always be there somewhere. I can only imagine what it must be to live with. At least you appear strong mentally and physically.
Hi Becky,
How old are you? I'm 26 (and too close to 27). I don't know how supportive mainstream schools are nowadays. Am I imagining that deaf schools don't typically enter so many students for g.c.s.e's and a-levels? Until I was 13, nobody diagnosed my deafness. Prior to that, I had been in speech therapy, and it was assumed I had behavioural problems (well, I did have an extremely dysfunctional family situation, but that was not the case). As it was, I advanced a year, went to uni a year early, but dropped out, thereby proving everyone right apparently. That was in 1998. I worked, saved (as I don't have any family-support) and was able to return in 2003 to a different uni where I did my BA in philosophy, followed by the MA last year, and now I am in the middle of a phd, or a thesis of doom.
I think there is the feeling that we have to fight just that much harder than hearing people. There seems to, sometimes, be an implicit assumption that until proven otherwise, we are intellectually challenged. I think it's only recently, that I'm more concerned with proving things to myself, and have been able to step back a little bit, realizing that it's o.k to have some downtime. Obviously, I don't know you or your situation, so generalizing, I'd think about whether you need to take a break to focus on other areas (i.e., friends, family, relationships, personal projects etc) incase you feel you're presently neglecting things.
I don't think you should worry about feeling grateful - after all, it is less about the different difficulties we have, and surely more about how they actually effect us. On a day-to-day level, I don't think much about the cancer. There is a feeling of being a walking timebomb though. That said, I am very fortunate to have six-monthly checks and annual screening. Although the condition is very rare (there are about one hundred of us known to have this gene in the world), the same principles apply of it being far more manageable the earlier it is caught. I do joke that I've inherited deafness from my biological father and cancer from my mother. But you know, I bet there are many people predisposed to things they are ignorant of until it's too late. So, I have reason to be hopeful.
Good morning all,
There are some very profound feelings revealled in the last couple of posts. After reading your stories I feel very humble. I didn't have to struggle through school because of my deafness. I joined the army at 17as a youth soldier determined to forge a career in the forces. My deafness was diagnosed after just three years service. I was medically discharged but was lucky in that I was able to find employment immediately and I've remained in permenant work since. I have changed my job a few times...a couple of times due to redundancy but I have moved jobs to better myself and improve my income. I think now that my running takes the edge off some of the disappoints of the earlier set backs life chucked at me and now I accept that, at my age, I'm not going to progress any more in the jobs market so I use my running to prove to myself that I can still create goals and push myself to attain them. I hope this makes sense. I now have my running in perspective and balance this to fit in with the need to relax and enjoy other aspects of life.
Now on with some lighter chat...I had a nice steady 10 miler on Saturday. Very enjoyable mid morning run. Lots of people about walking dogs etc. No chavs and no aggressive animals to spoil things.
Hello all, I hope you'll excuse my intrusion onto your thread, but I felt I wanted to respond to DB's comments about tinnitus. I'm not deaf, but I do suffer with tinnitus and have done all my life. My noise is like a high-pitched pure tone, usually louder in my right ear; sometimes it becomes two- or even three-toned in various pitches, usually if I'm stressed/emotional. I have difficulty hearing well in environments where there is a lot of background noise, so I've always shied away from pubs etc because trying to hear the conversation is hard work (though nothing like what it must be for you guys).
The main way I cope with it if it gets bad is to have some kind of noise - be it music or the television - in the background. Having had it all my life, I can't say it interferes with my sleep (unless I am extremely stressed and it's unusually loud) and I know I am very lucky in this respect. I've never used a white noise generator but the principle is the same - a noise "distraction" from the noise inside your ears. Sometimes hearing aids help if you've got a hearing loss, so DB it's definitely worth mentioning to your medics.
Well, I have finally bitten the bullet and made an appointment with the GP for Friday morning. Think I was mainly prompted by a colleague remarking to another colleague that I obviously didn't like her coz I kept ignoring her. That and this damned squealing hasn't shut up for weeks now.
I'll let you know...