We are currently running these Holiday specials: 

Free Shipping when you buy any Ameriphone amplified telephone!

A $15 discount on the purchase of any TTY or telephone from Ultratec!

PLUS - To find out about our specials, go here.

New Products

We've just added a new selection of computer and Braille products for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Also available are some brand-new models of talking watches.  

More new items to be announced in the next newsletter.

Our website now has a text resizer tool. Simply click on the plus sign (+) right below the company logo on the web pages. 

Did you know that ...

• Very soon Arizona Hearing Online will start selling mobility products such as walkers and bathroom aids for the physically challenged.
  
  
• The Blind or other Handicapped persons can mail recorded or brailled letters FREE - if the wording "Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped" appears on the envelope or package. See Special Eligibility Standards from the US Postal Service.
  

Winners of the October & November Prize Drawings

Congratulations Wendy Parks (Sacramento, CA) and Michelle Galioto (Middle Village, NY), the lucky winners of our monthly prize drawings. 

Each will receive a bilingual pocket-size talking calculator/alarm clock.

Interested in participating in our prize drawings? Read box on your left for details.

Feature Article & Links:
Meniere's Disease: Real, Rare, Invisible - by Dianna, R.N.

My name is Dianna. I am a Registered Nurse, married and the mother of two grown children, Tara and Aaron. I have Meniere's disease. This disease involves the vestibular, balance and hearing systems of the body, and essentially affects the entire body as well as body image. 

Like most Meniere's patients, I have tried medications, diet control, especially the limiting of salt and caffeine, increasing activity and exercise. Although I followed medication and diet regimes, I was eventually incapacitated by Meniere's, and in order to keep my job, my family together, and even my sanity, I have had a right endolymphatic sac decompression with shunt placement surgery in Oct 98. This allowed me to continue working, although I had to limit my hours due to fatigue and vertigo episodes. 

In Feb. 1999, I developed Meniere's in my good ear, a condition termed bilateral Meniere's disease. And as a result, [I] have had an increase in both the severity and duration of my episodes of vertigo and nausea. And eventually had a left endolymphatic sac decompression with shunt placement on Oct. 1999 to try to alleviate the symptoms. The second surgery resulted in a good reduction in symptoms and decreased the number and severity of episodes of vertigo. My hearing continues to decline and I do still have episodes, but compared to pre-surgery episodes, these are milder and last a shorter time. I do experience daily effects of imbalance, ear fullness and pressure as well as tinnitus and small dizzy spells. Due to the decline in my hearing, I recently obtained a hearing aid for my worst ear, the right. It is awkward to get used to, kinda like glasses, for the first time. However, the improvement in my hearing is so tremendous that I am able to do so much more, in so far as conversations and communication goes. Work is so much easier when I can actually hear what goes on. I do find that I continue to use my lip reading skills to facilitate understanding. 

Dysequilibrium, hearing loss, daily dizzy spells, pressure and fullness in the affected ear or ears, are all a part of the daily life of someone with Meniere's. Also, a condition we call "Brain Fog" occurs. It seems to be a combination of the fullness, ear pressure and just plain old being tired from trying balance with an impaired vestibular system. Confusion and disorientation, memory loss are all part of this condition. 

One of the most difficult aspects of a chronic disease like Meniere's is the wide-reaching effect it has on family and interpersonal relationships. As this is an "invisible" disease, for the most part, many without it do not understand, and feel that we are "faking" our symptoms or are just "lazy". However, the opposite is true. We are not faking. Meniere's is classified as a RARE DISEASE. Due to the varying levels of disability, and or inability to tolerate noise, changing light patterns, degree of nausea and dizziness, most, if not all Meniere's patients have had to limit their daily activities, or be required to cancel or change activities with a minutes notice due to the instability of the disease. For most Meniere's patients, there is little or no warning when an episode is about to occur, and injury from falling occasionally results. Frequent hospitalizations and appointments with various members of the medical profession, prescriptions and counseling are also involved in the care of Meniere's disease. 

A good many sufferers of Meniere's are so impaired from the combination of symptoms that they are completely disabled and are unable to work, unable to walk without a cane or require the use of a wheelchair for any mobility. This causes the Meniere's patient distress as others cannot "see" the handicap and the Meniere's sufferer may come under verbal, or worse, attack for using handicapped placards of license plates as well as be subjected to various types of discrimination in the workplace. As some people feel that "If you can't SEE the effects a disease has, then the disease is not real". So the Meniere's patient may be seen as a malingerer, faker, or lazy, by co-workers, friends, and acquaintances. 

Please remember, not all disabilities are readily apparent, and give the person using a handicapped spot the benefit of the doubt. Also, be aware, that there are MANY "invisible" diseases that may not cause visible disabilities or handicaps, but the disability and handicap are there, nonetheless.

The above article can be found on  Dianna's web site, which is packed with information and resources on Meniere's disease. It includes a couple of beautiful poems and even recipes of her favorite dishes. 

Reprinted with the author's permission.