2008 MANY STORIES ONE VOICE ONLINE COLLECTION

Sue Hankins, Age 56, United States

Click HERE to download the story in Microsoft Word format.  

 

I am Tammy Paulus. I am a communication assistant where Sue attends workshop. I assisted Sue in writing her essay.  Sue uses a Mercury with word power and scanning using a head switch. Writing remains a tedious process for Sue and her spelling is sometimes and issue.  She is presently looking at software that might improve the rate of her writing.  Sue is a gifted poet but chose to write an essay instead.  Her original version was 1186 words.  It consisted of thoughts and ideas she had written for speeches she has given in the community, her original answers to questions I asked her about her use of AAC throughout her life, and her thoughts and feelings regarding how AAC has impacted her life.  She put much thought and work into it and we worked together to put it together and I typed it for her.  It was a big job to pare it down to 500 words and I hope what we have come up with shows adequately the impact  AAC has had on her life.  She has had many supportive and creative people in her life that have given her opportunity to communicate.  I am proud to have assisted Sue in sharing her thoughts with others in the AAC community around the world.

 

 

HARD WORK PAYS OFF

 

I am Sue and I am 56. I was born with CP but that doesn’t define who I am. It challenges me because it’s hard to control my muscles which make it difficult to use my hands and fingers and to control my tongue and mouth to make many sounds needed to speak. Thanks to my determination and creative people in my life, I have been and am able to express my needs, feelings and dreams.  I have always dreamed of being a poet and living in a home with my own caregivers and that dream is becoming reality.

         

As a child my parents read my actions and expressions to know what I needed, wanted or was feeling. They were my voice.

 

In elementary school I used pictures to communicate. Then a teacher discovered that I could point to an alphabet board to spell. This was less limiting but hard. It took much time. But being able to spell I wasn’t limited to pictures. 

 

In high school I took my work home. Using a typewriter my father made, a board drilled with holes placed over the keys, and using a head stick I typed my work.

 

  Later I began attending a workshop in my community. My speech therapist recommended I look into a SGD.  I was hesitant but tried several devices before deciding on the Dynavox 3100.  At first it was overwhelming but benefits outweighed the challenges. I could save thoughts to tell family and coworkers and letters and poems for others to read. I was able to run my CD player and TV. I had freedom to do things for myself.

 

In 2004 I got a  Mercury which opened up the world of the internet and e-mail. It was challenging also. My mercury has words and a keyboard. It took me awhile to get used to using the words on the screen instead of spelling each word. Now I am looking at software that will help me communicate even faster.

 

Having a device in school would have helped making friends. I tried using my letter board but other children didn’t want to learn how to talk to me. I often felt frustrated, sad and sometimes mad. Now my voice is my Mercury.

 

I laugh to myself when people look around me to find who is talking and think to myself, “I am not invisible.”  Some people see me sitting in my wheelchair and moving my body around. They assume I can’t think because I can’t use my mouth to talk.

 

Sometimes conversation is still challenging. Preprogrammed phrases help me communicate more quickly though. I have been honored and stunned to be asked to give speeches to organizations in my community to let people know that a person who has disabilities can do things like others but in a different way. 

 

My motto in life is “Never give up”.  My challenge to you is, “If you have a dream, try to make your dream happen for you.”