MND Case Study - Sarah Ezekiel
“I was diagnosed with MND (motor neurone disease) in 2000, at the age of 34. Within one year I had lost the use of my hands and couldn’t operate my computer, my speech deteriorated quickly.
Initially I tried various equipment to allow me to use a computer and communicate including on-screen keyboards and a Lightwriter linked to switches; however, I found it very difficult to operate the switches and as a result couldn’t use the equipment. Feeling entirely cut off from everything I spent every day with my young baby and my carers who couldn’t understand me very well and became incredibly isolated and depressed.
For several years, I managed to regain independence with EZ Keys using a chin switch, this allowed me to email, surf the net, read and communicate again. During this time, I actively used the internet to raise awareness of MND, created my own website, organised my care and did as much as possible to live a normal life again!
Last year, I started experiencing severe neck pain and knew that I had to find another way to operate my laptop as life without a computer would be impossible for me now. On doing some research I found that most people in America and Europe were using Tobii eyegaze computers.
I arranged to trial the new Tobii PCEye from RSLSteeper and despite being dubious that I would be able to do everything with my eyes I’ve been pleasantly surprised because I can do everything and it’s much faster! There were some things that I can’t do with my switch, like login to my bank account and edit my website, which I can do with eyegaze. I’ve just written this piece very quickly and painlessly.
I’m looking forward to getting some environmental control soon so that I can use eyegaze to open my front door and change TV channels again. Using eyegaze is so much easier and quicker, that I feel that I have more energy to do more. I’ve had MND for 11 years and became dependent on other people for everything. Now I just need someone to switch on my laptop and I can do anything on my own.”
To find out more about Sarah visit www.sarahezekiel.com. Find out more about PCEye or email [email protected]
- Sarah Ezekiel - Case Study
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