Meet Barbara Weber from El Paso, IL. About one and half years ago, she started losing the ability to use her voice. Currently, she has a possible diagnosis of Bulbar ALS. She is retired now, but remains a very active member in her community and in her church. She received her NOVA Chat 10 in May of 2013. Her NOVA Chat 10 has changed her life! Barb’s vocabulary system is called Essence. It has been modified to meet her needs best.
Barb was a stay at home mom for several years, then went to work in an insurance and real estate office for 25 years. She has two grown children. Over the years she volunteered to provide meals on wheels to elderly individual with disabilities that are sometimes homebound. She also became a helper for her neighbor who had a disability and has now moved to a nursing home. The NOVA Chat has been a lifesaver, as she can still communicate with her neighbor and everyone else!
Last year, her method of communication was writing everything she wanted to say. Barb is also part of a mentoring program for students needing help after school. She mentors two sophomore girls in a local high school. The girls struggled to get the message because they couldn’t read Barb’s writing. Today she can communicate everything and is excited to share information with her new method of communication. The NOVA Chat is also a “cool” tool in the high school!
Barb uses her NOVA Chat everywhere. She uses it to do her banking, talk with her doctors, at the library, shopping and with her church groups, etc. Barb commented that the NOVA Chat has opened up a whole new world for her. In addition to communicating with her NOVA Chat, she is using her device for email. She is the treasurer for her ladies group at church. She is able to give her reports using her NOVA Chat now. People ask her where she got this wonderful machine-and that they wouldn’t mind having one! She enjoyed a recent visit with a friend from Minnesota with her new means of communication. When she goes to the mall, people will remember her by her machine and are fascinated! Barb said this is “priceless”! She also joked that her husband doesn’t hear well when she had limited ability to communicate. NOW, she has a machine that works wonders! It is her lifeline!
