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Melissa
Melissa Yaretz, Sicamous BC,
You can’t know me by seeing me! I am inside……
I am a 19 year old woman just starting my adult life. Life has always been a struggle for me, just to survive, to thrive and to live. I have spent a life time proving myself to the world. I am still proving myself and this will never change. I graduated 2 years ago with a 4.0 grade average; this would not have been possible without a high end communication system. (I use an ECO.) It doesn’t matter how much you know if no one knows what you know. Without a communication system there would have been no grades and no proof that I am all that I am. I would have just sat in the back of the room looking cute. Cute only works for so long. Without communication, to the rest of the world I am just a woman in a wheelchair with a severe disability, who is dependent for everything. You can’t know me by seeing me! I am inside……
I am dependent for all physical tasks and care. Yes the basics can be provided without input from me but this is just sustaining life, not living it. With a great communication system I hold the reins in my life. I choose my life and the path I take every moment of every day. What I eat, when I eat, what I wear and when I wear it, the basic things all people hold the rights to. I can choose my life because I can express it. I have spent the past two years since graduation trying to achieve another extreme goal for me, my potential for independence. This too has been proven to be a struggle I must endure. Training staff to understand my level of emotional and intellectual independence is extremely difficult. I don’t think the world is ready for me, but I know I am ready for the world.
My future goals (that can only be achieved with modern technology - my ECO and computer) are basic for most people but grand for me. I plan to take courses to enhance my education in business and office management and go on to successfully run a business. I will continue to write and do public motivational speaking events. Art is my passion. I am and will be in future, a recognized accomplished artist. I will continue to grasp all of life that is in my reach - love, happiness, and fulfillment. I am not alone in this journey and others have paved part of the road before me, Stephen Hawking to name one….
What about Love? I too desire love from life and all that it can mean. How can someone love me if they don’t know me? How can they know me if they don’t understand me? To be able to communicate all my thoughts and feelings allows others to know all of me inside and out. As I desire an equal place in life, I also desire the same of love. I have met my special someone on Face Book. Yes, he is able-bodied not that it matters - but you thought it! Yes, he is my age! Though we met on Face Book which I can run on my ECO Communication system we also chat on MSN now. He has seen my picture as well through web cam, he knows my outside and he fell in love with my inside.
If everyone evaluated their life and considered living without communication they may start to understand how vitally important this is! My communication is the key that unlocks the many doors. The doors to my future and my life.
Fatemeh
Fatemeh Karimi – Vancouver BC
By Halimeh Karimi, sister of Fatemeh Karimi
Fatemeh is my 27 year old sister and she began working with CAYA in November, 2007. Our family came to Canada as refugees from Afghanistan in 2006. Fatemeh has a congenital condition which resulted in a physical disability and profound deafness. Because of Fatemeh’s hearing impairment and lack of access to hearing aids, she did not learn spoken language, and we communicated using a combination of hand and facial gestures. However, in 2007, Fatemeh suffered a permanent high level spinal cord injury and lost the ability to use her hands for communication. She received a DV4 speech generating device from CAYA, which she accesses using a switch activated by her cheek. My sister has had the DV4 throughout her recovery journey which began at Vancouver General Hospital, then took her to GF Strong rehabilitation centre, and finally to George Pearson Centre, a long term care facility.
Having the DV4 device has helped my sister immensely. With the DV4, Fatemeh is able to express her needs (e.g. that she is in pain, requesting medication) more effectively with the nurses who provide her care. When Fatemeh misses us, she uses the DV4 to request to call her family. Through the DV4, Fatemeh is also able to access a computer. Finally, with support from CAYA, Fatemeh is pursuing her life-long goal to attend school. In mid-February of this year, Fatemeh will begin attending the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bridge from ASL to English class at Vancouver Community College, which will develop her knowledge of American Sign Language, English and literacy skills.
Thanks to CAYA’s support, Fatemeh is enjoying an improved quality of life, greater independence and the ability to pursue her educational goals. Many thanks from our family for the difference CAYA has made in Fatemeh’s life.
Andrew
With his communication device from CAYA, Andrew is now a participating member of the community in Trail BC where he works as a greeter for Walmart. When shoppers enter the Trail Walmart, Andrew is there with a smile and a greeting “Hi! Welcome to Wal-Mart. Would you like a shopping cart?”
Whitney
Whitney sent CAYA Manager, Jeff Riley, a unique letter composed with the symbols she uses to communicate using a program called, Writing with Symbols. In the letter, Whitney in her own words tells about the difference that independent communication has made to her life…
Ashleigh at ICE
A Report from the Pittsburgh Employment Conference by Ashleigh Dukoff
In 2007 I went to the Employment conference for augmented communicators. (PEC – Pittsburgh Employment Conference, www.shoutaac.org/dec2009.htm). I found the Employment conference very interesting because the speeches were mostly about people living by themselves and I live by myself in my own apartment. I found it very interesting because I got to hear different people talking about what living on their own is like for them. I didn’t know that so many people who have communication devices live on their own.
I have also been to another educational Conference called ICE. (Independence, Community and Empowerment, www.iceconference.ca) I think everyone who has a communication device should go to either the Employment conference for augmented communicators or ICE because I think they are both good for people who have communication devices to make friends who are just like them. I also think that both conferences are awesome for Caregivers because Caregivers can talk to each other.
Andrea
Andrea Paterson – Abbotsford BC
A letter from Andrea and her parents,
Esther and Paul Paterson
We were first introduced to CAYA in August 2005. It seemed too good to be true! CAYA provided a thorough assessment of our daughter Andrea’s needs to determine that the Lightwriter [communication device] was best suited for her. Through CAYA, funding was provided for the Lightwriter as well as for the specialized and creative mounting of the Lightwriter to Andrea’s power wheelchair.
CAYA has been very helpful by providing several inservice sessions to train family, day program workers, care attendants and respite staff how to maximize Andrea’s ability in using the Lightwriter. Occasionally we have needed technical support and it’s only a phone call away! Once the device had to be sent away for repair for an extended period of time and CAYA even provided a replacement Lightwriter so that Andrea could keep up with her conversations.
July 2008 marked a big change for Andrea – and us! Andrea moved to a wonderful 4 bedroom group home close to our home. This meant many new staff to train and get to know Andrea. In Andrea’s words “I use my Lightwriter to help the staff at my new group home know what I like to do, to eat, or how I am feeling. Once when I was sick I wrote ‘I want to go home.’ I love to have fun and to tease the staff and the Lightwriter helps me do that. I love it here!”
As parents, we are at ease knowing that no matter what situation or challenge Andrea is facing she can always make herself understood and her feelings made known. Thanks to her Lightwriter and CAYA!
Beata
Beata Scibor – Surrey BC
My name is Beata Scibor and the CAYA program is something I could not live without. My ECO [communication device] is my whole entire life. It enables me to communicate with the whole wide world! I have cousins from Poland whom I will get to know better now, thanks to the technology and support CAYA provides me with. My whole day is spent trying to communicate with my world, because I don’t talk. I don’t see myself living without CAYA. If I did not have CAYA and the support this program gives me I wouldn’t be able to do simple things that many others may take for granted such as; reading and sending e-mails, talking to my friends and family, managing my staff, or even just saying “I love you” to my mom. I have much in my life that I am thankful for, and CAYA definitely is near the top.
Community Partners
