Dr. Laura Pratesi, Au.D.
@drlauraisaud.bsky.social
Hard of Hearing, Doctor of Audiology, Hearing Aid User 🤟🦻, Mobility Aid User, Wheelchair User 🦽
Got diagnosed with May-Thurner Syndrome today. It’s hard to explain the mixture of vindication and grief I feel. And how I’m both looking forward to my venogram, and dreading it. This is a path to healing, but also another mountain to summit. I am overcome #RareDisease #MTS #MayThurnerSyndrome
December 3, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Got diagnosed with May-Thurner Syndrome today. It’s hard to explain the mixture of vindication and grief I feel. And how I’m both looking forward to my venogram, and dreading it. This is a path to healing, but also another mountain to summit. I am overcome #RareDisease #MTS #MayThurnerSyndrome
Sonova products take way too long to run Electroacoustic analysis. I said what I said. #Sonova #Phonak #Unitron #TestBoxMeasures
December 2, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Sonova products take way too long to run Electroacoustic analysis. I said what I said. #Sonova #Phonak #Unitron #TestBoxMeasures
Hear me out: a new Home Alone movie starring Macauley Culkin as a dad whose young son is a fan of Mark Rober’s YouTube channel. Mark Rober plays an evil version of himself, trying to break into their house to steal Christmas, and Kevin and son have to defend their home from an ex-NASA genius.
November 28, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Hear me out: a new Home Alone movie starring Macauley Culkin as a dad whose young son is a fan of Mark Rober’s YouTube channel. Mark Rober plays an evil version of himself, trying to break into their house to steal Christmas, and Kevin and son have to defend their home from an ex-NASA genius.
I accidentally texted my husband’s stepmom “THANKSGIVING”. Not wishing it’s happy or anything. Just stating it’s today 🤣🤣🤣🤦♀️
November 27, 2025 at 5:35 PM
I accidentally texted my husband’s stepmom “THANKSGIVING”. Not wishing it’s happy or anything. Just stating it’s today 🤣🤣🤣🤦♀️
Compared to what custom, motorized wheelchairs cost, hearing aids are actually pretty affordable.
November 27, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Compared to what custom, motorized wheelchairs cost, hearing aids are actually pretty affordable.
There’s nothing “horrifying” about hearing loss www.linkedin.com/posts/alexan...
I’ve tooed and froed for a couple of weeks about whether to post anything about this. There are 18 million people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus in the UK who are frequently overlooked… |...
I’ve tooed and froed for a couple of weeks about whether to post anything about this. There are 18 million people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus in the UK who are frequently overlooked an...
www.linkedin.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:25 PM
There’s nothing “horrifying” about hearing loss www.linkedin.com/posts/alexan...
Saw the news #SeaWorld is under investigation by the DOJ for trying to ban rollator walkers from their parks. Good! These are mobility aids for people disabilities. No one WANTS to need them, but sometimes I prefer my rollator to my wheelchair. Who decided to ban them??
November 26, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Saw the news #SeaWorld is under investigation by the DOJ for trying to ban rollator walkers from their parks. Good! These are mobility aids for people disabilities. No one WANTS to need them, but sometimes I prefer my rollator to my wheelchair. Who decided to ban them??
Also convinced Mother Gothel keeps accusing Rapunzel of “mumbling” because whatever youthful restorative powers the magic flower/Rapunzel’s hair has, it can’t fix those damaged inner hair cells in the cochlea. Which implies Audiologist would be a job in that universe! 🤣🦻 #Tangled #Disney #Rapunzel
November 25, 2025 at 2:03 AM
The number of lost pet notifications I get through my Ring app every day…like, is everyone ok?? 😳
November 23, 2025 at 3:35 PM
The number of lost pet notifications I get through my Ring app every day…like, is everyone ok?? 😳
According to the Dept of Education, my degree (the AuD) is no longer considered a professional degree by the US government. It will impact students financial aid, loan repayment, & other things.
This is a huge setback for those of us who worked to obtain our DOCTORATE in a healthcare field.
This is a huge setback for those of us who worked to obtain our DOCTORATE in a healthcare field.
November 21, 2025 at 7:15 PM
According to the Dept of Education, my degree (the AuD) is no longer considered a professional degree by the US government. It will impact students financial aid, loan repayment, & other things.
This is a huge setback for those of us who worked to obtain our DOCTORATE in a healthcare field.
This is a huge setback for those of us who worked to obtain our DOCTORATE in a healthcare field.
Reposted by Dr. Laura Pratesi, Au.D.
"In response to a Freedom of Information Act request covering the past decade, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services produced letters it sent to only five insurers from 2016 to 2022."
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Complaints About Gaps in Medicare Advantage Networks Are Common. Federal Enforcement Is Rare. - KFF Health News
Health systems drop out of Medicare Advantage plans all the time. Yet government documents obtained by KFF Health News show that federal regulators rarely warn plans that their networks of health prov...
kffhealthnews.org
November 21, 2025 at 4:22 PM
"In response to a Freedom of Information Act request covering the past decade, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services produced letters it sent to only five insurers from 2016 to 2022."
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Tried birth control to manage my PCOS for 2 months. When I went back to the doctor and told her I couldn’t live with all the negative side effects (the only positive being now my cycle was predictable-ish) she said there was nothing else she could do for me and to call her if I need her. #PCOS
November 21, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Tried birth control to manage my PCOS for 2 months. When I went back to the doctor and told her I couldn’t live with all the negative side effects (the only positive being now my cycle was predictable-ish) she said there was nothing else she could do for me and to call her if I need her. #PCOS
I am on the struggle bus.
November 17, 2025 at 12:40 PM
I am on the struggle bus.
This stomach virus that turned into acute laryngitis has caused a flare and set me back (it feels like light years). It doesn’t help that travel and illness has gotten me off schedule with my meds. #ChronicIllness
November 17, 2025 at 1:55 AM
This stomach virus that turned into acute laryngitis has caused a flare and set me back (it feels like light years). It doesn’t help that travel and illness has gotten me off schedule with my meds. #ChronicIllness
I have lost all my motivation
November 17, 2025 at 1:48 AM
I have lost all my motivation
Took my children to the Anne Frank Museum, then to see Wicked. Pointed out how the treatment of Animals in the show was a parallel to what we had learned about the treatment of Jews during the Holocaust. Trying to inoculate them against fascism. #MakeArtNotWar #ChildrenAreOurFuture #ReadBannedBooks
November 12, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Took my children to the Anne Frank Museum, then to see Wicked. Pointed out how the treatment of Animals in the show was a parallel to what we had learned about the treatment of Jews during the Holocaust. Trying to inoculate them against fascism. #MakeArtNotWar #ChildrenAreOurFuture #ReadBannedBooks
Seriously. I’m impressed at how disability aware and kind the majority of New Yorkers I encountered were. Some of the difference comes from the visibility aspect I’m sure. I’ve lived with an invisible disability my whole life. The mobility issues for sure get a more attention to detail.
November 12, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Seriously. I’m impressed at how disability aware and kind the majority of New Yorkers I encountered were. Some of the difference comes from the visibility aspect I’m sure. I’ve lived with an invisible disability my whole life. The mobility issues for sure get a more attention to detail.
Love that Mount Sinai canceled my appt with the geneticist I’ve been waiting for since March because it was telehealth & because CMS allowed telehealth to lapse, they now won’t offer telehealth for ANYONE regardless if you’re willing to be private pay because Medicare patients can’t get telehealth.
November 12, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Love that Mount Sinai canceled my appt with the geneticist I’ve been waiting for since March because it was telehealth & because CMS allowed telehealth to lapse, they now won’t offer telehealth for ANYONE regardless if you’re willing to be private pay because Medicare patients can’t get telehealth.
NYC has been enlightening and infuriating from a wheelchair user standpoint. Accessibility is definitely not an afterthought here, but the number of out of order elevators, cracked and broken sidewalks, and lack of accessible entrances for subways is maddening. #NYC #Disability #WheelchairUser
November 11, 2025 at 3:34 AM
NYC has been enlightening and infuriating from a wheelchair user standpoint. Accessibility is definitely not an afterthought here, but the number of out of order elevators, cracked and broken sidewalks, and lack of accessible entrances for subways is maddening. #NYC #Disability #WheelchairUser
Sometime in the future:
Me *in my coffin*: …
My Phone: …
Me: …
My Phone: *ding*
Me: …
My Phone: *ding*
Me: …
My Phone: *ding*
Me: …
My Son *whispers*: pssst! Mom. Turn on your hotspot. I wanna play Minecraft.
Me *in my coffin*: …
My Phone: …
Me: …
My Phone: *ding*
Me: …
My Phone: *ding*
Me: …
My Phone: *ding*
Me: …
My Son *whispers*: pssst! Mom. Turn on your hotspot. I wanna play Minecraft.
November 8, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Sometime in the future:
Me *in my coffin*: …
My Phone: …
Me: …
My Phone: *ding*
Me: …
My Phone: *ding*
Me: …
My Phone: *ding*
Me: …
My Son *whispers*: pssst! Mom. Turn on your hotspot. I wanna play Minecraft.
Me *in my coffin*: …
My Phone: …
Me: …
My Phone: *ding*
Me: …
My Phone: *ding*
Me: …
My Phone: *ding*
Me: …
My Son *whispers*: pssst! Mom. Turn on your hotspot. I wanna play Minecraft.
Need advice. I’m taking a work trip to Sweden and Denmark. First trip to Europe since 2005. First trip since becoming a wheelchair user. Not sure how accessibility friendly these countries are…😬🙏👩🦽➡️
November 5, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Need advice. I’m taking a work trip to Sweden and Denmark. First trip to Europe since 2005. First trip since becoming a wheelchair user. Not sure how accessibility friendly these countries are…😬🙏👩🦽➡️
It’s started to happen that so many celebrities are visiting the same surgeons that I’m getting face blindness. Everyone looks alike and I can hardly recognize anyone famous anymore. They all look the same and I no longer recognize who they are or where I know them from!
November 4, 2025 at 2:34 AM
It’s started to happen that so many celebrities are visiting the same surgeons that I’m getting face blindness. Everyone looks alike and I can hardly recognize anyone famous anymore. They all look the same and I no longer recognize who they are or where I know them from!
Used an ECV to navigate around Epcot on Saturday. It wasn’t perfect, but helped me enjoy the 6 hours with my family. Mobility devices don’t limit me. They allow me to be up and about for longer. Without the ECV, I would’ve had a flare, couldn’t have worked today and would have lost time with my kids
November 4, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Used an ECV to navigate around Epcot on Saturday. It wasn’t perfect, but helped me enjoy the 6 hours with my family. Mobility devices don’t limit me. They allow me to be up and about for longer. Without the ECV, I would’ve had a flare, couldn’t have worked today and would have lost time with my kids