Author Archive

Prepared For It?

September 2nd, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

We simply do not take ANY chances “The dog days of summer”… whew! Has it ever been hot here in my home state! I could take a repeat of last winter’s snows, believe me! I’ve always preferred 3 feet of snow to 3 weeks of 95 + temperatures! Because of the heat, Chloe Read More

Making the World Accessible… One Voice at a Time

August 16th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

I love it when I have guest writers come forward to write for Hearing Elmo. There are so many different types of disabilities, chronic illnesses, and debilitating health issues. Reading different perspectives and other individual’s stories is important. This week Hearing Elmo welcomes Read More

Not-So-Fun Life Lessons on Vacation

August 5th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

A little morphine will put a smile on the face of most anyone! Kyersten is a frequent guest writer at Hearing Elmo. She is a KODA and has participated in HLAA, Walk4Hearing, and Fidos For Freedom activities most of her life. She is a junior in college and is majoring in Psychology. Okay, I’m Read More

A Common Dust Speck

August 4th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

To others it was just a common dust speck. To Horton, it housed an entire world in need of assistance, with hundreds of lives at stake on the brink of being (gulp) boiled. “Common” is subjective, for what is commonplace and boring to one individual may be exactly opposite to Read More

Follow-up to “Community”

July 12th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

It’s so nice to have guest writers from time to time if not for any other reason, than to give you a break from me! Today I am posting a well-written and thought-provoking comment from Dr. M.E. Osborne, whom I share a “community” with at the Cochlear Community. Feel free to Read More

Community

July 7th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

I don’t exactly blend into the background… Recently Chloe and I were at our neighborhood grocery store. I rounded a corner and came face-to-face with a young boy approximately 6-years-old. His eyes grew wide as saucers and his mouth dropped open. Curious, I looked around quickly to Read More

Let Go – Let God

June 21st, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

Kyersten standing in front of her new dorm at Liberty University. This past weekend my husband, firstborn and I headed to “Summer Orientation” at the college my daughter is transferring to this fall. She will be transferring in as a junior and we came to complete the remainder of Read More

“Play Your Own Hand”

June 11th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

My Mother at Harper's Ferry, WV, in June of 2010. My parents came to visit last week as they wanted to attend my son’s graduation. They live in Florida, so it was great they could stay awhile after Chris’s ceremony as we don’t get to see them that often. Mom and Dad live Read More

Memorial Day

May 31st, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

I am grateful for the men and women who have given their lives in the service of our great country. Memorial Day is often misunderstood and some folks think the day is to honor all the men and women who serve in our armed forces. Memorial Day is specifically set aside to honor the “fallen”, Read More

Do Not Put it Off!

May 23rd, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

This week marked the end of my son’s life as a high school student. In a couple of weeks, my parents will be here to celebrate at his graduation ceremonies for Chieftain Christian Academy. Although Chris did most of his senior year at a local community college (since he goes free thanks to Read More

5 Year Mapping at Johns Hopkins Hospital

May 7th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

Today I went to Johns Hopkins for my 5 year mapping. It always feels surreal when I go, for five years is simply not enough time to pass that I have already forgotten what it felt like not to hear. As I go in the parking garage, I can clearly hear the ticket machine ask me to take my ticket with Read More

Have a Great Imagination?

April 23rd, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

Chloe and Denise at an old Rock Quarry April 2010 So do you have a great imagination? Unfortunately, I did not have my camera when the incident occurred that I’m about to explain. Even had I located a camera at the time, I certainly would not have had time to “snap” pictures! Read More

It’s a Shame You Don’t Burn Calories

April 19th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

Darn, but his voice is changing YET AGAIN! Geesh, I’ve had a tough week. I hate to complain because I am aware that my frustrations in no way compare to what some folks are going through right now. I mean, everyone in my family is relatively healthy; we’re employed; doing well in Read More

Acclimation

April 12th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

I talked to my mother on the phone yesterday and she and Dad had a big project in which to look forward to for today. They have a beautiful lanai in the back which includes a very nice fish pond and miniature waterfall. In spite of a pump and filters, the pond does need cleaned once in awhile. Read More

The Me I Want to Be

March 23rd, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

Here lately I’ve been living my life like… well? Like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. I’ve had insomnia, which is something I have very little experience with actually. Having a hearing loss and Meniere’s disease usually means that when I go to bed at night I Read More

A Little TOO Helpful!

March 16th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

Chloe and I can be found in Wal-mart on most Tuesday mornings. A friend from my home church in North Carolina (thanks Kim!) told me that the best time to go to Wal-mart was on Tuesday mornings. As I rarely stand in line to wait AT ALL, and as the aisles are usually clear of shoppers, she was Read More

Try Something New

March 9th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

An Elmo Application for the iPod My husband called me into his office last night and checked out the “side of my head” to see if I still had my cochlear implant and hearing aid on to hear. I kind of grin to myself when he does this, for after all… I’d not hear him call Read More

“Hearing Again” Woman #7

February 26th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

FOR TODAY… February 26, 2010 Outside my window… Oh my! The wind is really strong today! The trees and bushes are whipping about as if in a dance competition. Right now, the bushes are winning hands down. About 70% of the snow has melted off. Our once spectacular drifts are now mere 2-3 foot Read More

“Hearing Again” Woman #6

February 19th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

FOR TODAY… February 19, 2010 Outside my window… Still lots and lots of snow! We have had a record-breaking February as far as snowfall goes! Our driveway and sidewalk are finally clear, and what was once 8 foot drifts are down to 5 and 6 feet now. I love to shovel snow (strange, aren’t I?) Read More

Red Flag

February 16th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

I have little “red flags” in my life… or warning bells if you like! Really, we all need to have them, for they are excellent opportunities for reflection, brain-storming, and goal-setting. Well a little “red flag” waved like mad right in my line of vision this week. When I stopped to Read More

Point of View

February 10th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

Black squirrel 2/1/2010 I snapped this picture of one of our black squirrels in between snow storms. Squirrels can be funny sometimes. This pregnant female was eating old bread that I had put out for them, when she paused to look at me as I appeared with the camera. It sometimes makes me wonder Read More

“Hearing Again” Woman #4

February 5th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

FOR TODAY… February 5, 2010 Outside my window… It’s snowing! This is “the big un” according to the local and national meteorologists. We could get anywhere from 26 to 32 inches. I can’t wait! Right now it is just drifting down pretty calmly, but more than what one could call Read More

“Hearing Again” Woman – #3

January 29th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

FOR TODAY… January 29, 2010 Outside my window… It’s already 5:15 and the sun is going down. Everything looks like it is “bracing” for the winter storm on its way! I am thinking… … about my daughter Kyersten and the tough six months she has had. I’m so glad her God is better Read More

My Own Backyard

January 25th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

Tin Woodsman, “What have you learned, Dorothy?” Dorothy, “Well, I – I think that it… it wasn’t enough to just want to SEE Uncle Henry and Auntie Em – and it’s that – if I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own back yard. Read More

“Hearing Again” Woman #3

January 22nd, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

FOR TODAY… January 22, 2010 Outside my window… Icy rain falling, and slushy ice particles all over the ground and driveway. Hope everyone is careful out there today! I am thinking… … about the numerous families in our church that are hurting. Disease, sickness, unemployment and divorce Read More

Could the Common Thread Be… ADVERSITY?

January 18th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

Yeah… they love each other! Chloe woke me up this past Saturday morning at 1 AM. I was reasonably sure I hadn’t set my alarm for 1 in the morning, so I grouchily sweetly sat up and turned on the light to face the hound dog on my chest licking me anxiously. “What’s up, Chloe? Read More

“Hearing Again” Woman #2

January 16th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

FOR TODAY… January 16, 2010 Outside my window… It is dark. It is already 6:30 PM so I can’t see anything outside my window. Imagine that! I am thinking… The kids just left to go to a movie and I am thinking about how glad I am that they can “stand each other”. Oh sure, they argue Read More

My Story

January 13th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

Hearing Elmo welcomes contributions by guest writers! Thank you to Tywanna for her contribution today! By guest writer Tywanna My Story…. I was the first born in a family of three children. As a child and later a teenager, I attended “mainstream” schools. I did what all kids do – play, Read More

“Hearing Again” Woman #1

January 8th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

FOR TODAY… January 8, 2010 Outside my window… There is about an inch of lovely, white snow on the ground. It started last night while DD and I walked a stray dog from house to house to see who he belonged too. Sky is cloudy, but the sun is still peeping through. It’s rather bright out Read More

“Hearing Again” Woman

January 4th, 2010 by Hearing Elmo

One of my online friends is very faithful about posting her Monday blogs entitled, “Simple Woman“. We “met” I suppose due to a mutual interest in hearing loss. One of her handsome sons has a hearing loss and wears a hearing aid. I tried being a “Simple Woman” for a time, and some of Read More