Working with dictaphone/phones response to Shari

February 5, 2011

Sorry for delayed response, too busy on this end...

I often work all day long on the phone, taking incoming calls and typing health

screening info into computer. I use my first CI side (surgery was Aug 2003)

patched into phone using AB direct connect plus hands free headset. High

quality land based phone line with its own volume control helps too, I don't

adjust the latter but do have volume adjusted upwards. I have one CI program set

to 100% direct connect input, another set to 70/30 so I can flip a switch if

need be to maximize speaker's voice.

I got second CI last Jan. so get some input from the regular t-mic via headset

on that newer CI side though don't need it for hearing on the phone. It also

gives me benefit of staying tuned to some room sound with coworkers on the job

in between calls, so I am not fully isolated; the combo is giving me a chance to

automatically rehab that ear on daily basis & being able to hear on second side

has definitely reduced stress & fatigue. A couple years ago I worked alone at

home so hearing others/environmental sounds during work hours didn't matter but

it sure does now. There is a LOT to say about how much easier it is to be

bilateral, **for many reasons that cannot be " quantified " by research studies.

The biggest problem I have (which I don't think applies so much to doing

transcriptions) is background noise coming in from the speaker's side--my CI

seems to pick that up preferentially which can be awful/impossible/crazy

makingingly irritating & exhausting. I can't wait till ClearVoice is approved

as I suspect that will help tremendously. I have several pals who participated

in clinical trials and they loved it.

If anyone else on this list wants to start a thread on dealing with background

noise on the phone, go for it, as I haven't read comments on this, though I

suspect it is an uncommon problem for folks who are mainly using phone for

personal conversations.

Obviously I can & do ask the speakers to turn away from other voices & room

sounds on their end, but I continue to be amazed at just how loud background

noise comes into my CI side from speaker's side on the phone (and how rude

people are on the phone: talking to others, answering other phone lines, doing

noisy work while talking, driving their cars or trucks at same time, once even

had a paramedic transporting a patient!)

Good luck to your daughter.

Deb

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