Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 3, 1982)
Blind Continued from Pogo 1 she tells of having to read 1,000 pages a week — letter by letter. She had to use an optacon — which takes a printed letter and raises it so it can be "read” by feeling it — to read most of her textbooks. She studied "almost literally 24 hours a day.” For example, one time she had to make cor rections for the committee on her dissertation which would normally take a day or less for a person with sight and hearing She started at 3 p m Friday and worked steadily through until 2 a m. Monday morning with very little sleep, and breaks only to eat so she could meet the deadline "That was not unusual," she says Becht and Schmidt commut ed three days a week from Port land, often getting up and on the road by 7 a m and not returning home until 10:30 or 11 p.m Driving back and forth was the only way Schmidt could main tain a practice to pay expenses An educational fund was also set up for Becht Becht says she expects to start a private practice. She hopes to get approval from the State Psychiatric Board so that she can accept insurance, wel fare and Medicare payments while working in her residency with another doctor -nr She has had no problem with counseling people. “They like it that I can't see and hear them," she says. “Many people don’t like to sit and expose them selves.” She explains that an interpreter gives her eye movements, breathing patterns and physical movements of the patient. If she does not use an interpreter she sits very close to the person. "I can tell, for example, if the client is laughing," she says. “I can feel and smell their breath. Body odor changes when peo ple's emotions change. The way they type (on the Teletouch ma chine) can also tell me their emotions. If they are angry they will hit the keys very hard and if they are sad they are probably not hardly touching the keys at all I also see how they spell. “One patient told me he was not using drugs, but drugs give specific smells to the breath and body odor." She pauses. “You can’t fool me.” Becht also plans to do re search in tinnitus, the sensation of hearing different noises in the head. Becht says she hears seven noises in her head and wants to "develop a treatment program for coping skills. "It's an irreversible condition You have to learn to live with it. . it V ^ Avoid the rush & disconnect your phone for the summer. Pick up one of our handy new postage-paid summer disconnect postcards on campus at the EMU Main Desk (Cashier/Ticket Window) or U of O Bookstore. We will credit $ (T to your final bill when you return your phone(s) to any Grocery Cart Store (nearest campus on 13th & High across from Taco Time). if you choose not to use the disconnect postcard, call us now-484-7770-and tell us when you want your phone disconnected. Your phone(s) can also be returned for credit to any one of the Bell Phone Centers in the Eugene-Springfield area: *112E. 10th Ave , Eugene (9 a.m. - 5 p.m., M-F) •The Springfield Mall, Springfield (9 a m. - 5:30 p.m., M-F) •The Valley River Center, Eugene (10 a.m. - 7 p.m., M-F, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sat.) ARRANGE NOW & AVOID THE RUSH People take their lives — they can’t live with the noise.” Tinnitus is an allusion of sound caused by the nerve de terioration of the inner ear. "For example, if you pinch yourself you feel pain in the nerve,” she explains. “In the inner/middle ear it is not pain, but sound." Typically, sounds include screeching, steel clanking and whining noises. Becht sees nothing unusual about her accomplishments and plans for the future. Even after becoming the first totally blind and profoundly deaf person to earn two doctorate degrees, Becht is modest. "I’m not an overachiever by any means.” Story by Sandy Johnatona Photo by Jutoon Myers OFF (almost) everything in the bookstore June 1 - Everything, yes almost everything, at the University Bookstore will be 20% less, for five days only. Exceptions...(yes, always exceptions) are textbooks, tobacco products, film and processing, sales merchandise and class rings. This sale is the best deal of the year. Take advantage and come in today! 13th & Kincaid Mon-Fri 7:30-5:30 Sat 10:00-3:00 Textbooks 686-3520 • General Books 686-3510 • Supplies 686-4331 uo BOOKSTORE
