Say it a bit louder
Then there are the people who do that old
thing of shouting at me as if they assume
I’m hard of hearing. So they start hollering
away which, apart from being murder on
the ears (and is probably contributing
to me getting hard of hearing), makes it
harder for me to be understood. Good
conversation is all about matching (so I’m
told). So when you’re a parent you talk
softly to calm your child down. When you’re
flirting (I can just about remember how
that’s done) you try and match what the
other person is saying and how they’re
saying it. And when you’re faced with
someone shouting at you it’s hard not to
resist shouting right back at them. Except
of course, I can’t do that.
But if anyone is interested, please do get in
touch through The Voice, or you can email
me at [email protected] or write
to me at Rob Cornish, 1 Templand Park,
Allithwaite, Cumbria LA11 7QS.
Congratulations to Rob for his pioneering work! We
look forward to hearing about future developments.
This is certainly one area of post laryngectomy-life
that needs the attention. Larys can re-learn to swim
in a pool with the aid of a larkel, but there aren’t really
any options for anyone who wants to get out on the
sea. That’s why Rob’s new-concept breathing device is
so important.
Incidentally the only other source of information
we’ve found on sea survival aids for sea-faring larys
can be found at http://tinyurl.com/sealary
?
Again it looks a bit odd. Imagine me in a
pub with a shouty stranger – me all hoarse
whispers and him all supposedly wellintentioned shouting. It’d be hilarious if it
wasn’t quite so objectionable.
The best listeners
So thank goodness for kids. I’d like to take
the credit and say that my grandchildren
are the exception, but they’re not. All the
children I’ve met listen a lot better than
their parents do. And they always talk right
back at me. It’s a real pleasure to have some
proper conversations again – it’s just a
shame that some of the easiest people to
talk to aren’t old enough to drink in a pub!
Maybe you’ve found a way around this
problem? If so, I’d love to hear it. Until then,
I’m off to lie down in a darkened room
while I get my blood p ressure back down to
normal!
This is angry lary signing off. ?
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