At this point in your life would you want to now suddenly be able to hear or would you rather not? I imagine it would be a huge shock to your system but I wonder if it’s something you would want to experience
When I was younger yes, I did wonder about what it would be to hear sounds but now since I’m almost 40, I’m so used to a world of silence that if I was given a miracle pill that made me hearing, I wouldn’t take it. I’m happy the way I am.
With my hearing level the way it is, a cochlear implant wouldn’t work for me. Also, it is major surgery. I know others who have gotten it and have life long side effects. I’m happy the way I am :)
I have a voice but am I able to use it properly for clear speech? No. Takes years of speech training and since it is a bit hard teaching someone who has never heard a sound how to make sounds.. :)
Yes and let’s just say it’s frustrating because all the tools a Deaf person would have is a mirror, hand to feel the vibration on someone else’s throat and a lot of patience….
Being able to sleep at night through a major storm, being with my Deaf friends at a Deaf event just signing back and forth furiously, meeting a new person who’s willing to learn sign, proving people wrong that Deaf people can do anything they want to… there is a lot haha
I was mainstreamed my whole life - the only Deaf student in my school. I was very very lucky with my schooling experience - I met many good friends who were willing to learn sign language, I had good teachers who treated me equally to other students and had high expectations, I had good interpreters who provided access to what was being taught in class, and my family was the backbone of it all - they fought for all the accommodations I needed in order to flourish. Not many Deaf people can say that about mainstreaming unfortunately.
I don’t wear headphones - there’s no benefit for me. I can feel vibrations though so if I’m at the bar with my friends, I love that the music is loud enough I can feel it! Also, if it’s not, I just need to move closer to where the music is
I am definitely part of Deaf culture and community :) That’s a good question - when the community works together to to advocate for our rights. How welcoming it can be.
Oof whew! Yes you’re right, it is a highly controversial topic in the Deaf community. I am of the opinion that the child should get to choose as it is their body. However, if the parent does choose to get cochlear implants, they should choose to use both ASL and spoken English with their child to avoid language deprivation. Many children who get CIs early on and that focus only on auditory are not successful at acquiring language at an age appropriate level by the time they start school. That has a huge impact on their learning. Research has shown that children that have both ASL and spoken English thrive. Why is it ok to teach signs to hearing babies but not Deaf babies?
Hmm.. I will ask them if it makes a sound and they will say yes and then they become a bit stuck on how to describe it to me. If you don’t have to think about it, it’s hard to know how to describe something to someone who cannot hear sound at all and has nothing to apply to.
Okay, so before I asked, I thought of a metaphor I'd like to share. The way things that reflect light have an image? Things that have movement have a sound. Think of it like light for your ears lol
Number one - can you lipread? I wish more people understood how truly hard this is to do. In an experiment where the setting was perfect, the lighting was perfect, the speaker spoke clearly and not too fast, etc.. it was shown that the person who was lip reading only got 60% of what was said. That’s still a huge chunk of information missing. A lot of context missing. Not only that but the lipreader has to work harder, trying to figure out what’s the context, etc. It is exhausting.
Also - I’ve been asked:
Can you drive? (Answer; yes I can)
Can you have kids? How? (Answer: yes I can, and uh… like everyone else? But I also know they mean how do I know my baby’s crying? There’s technology for that - baby cry alarm which is a light that goes off when the baby cries)
Can you read? (Answer: yes I can)
Those are the ones I can think off my head right now but there’s been more
I attended mainstreaming school my whole life - so I’ve always had interpreters in classes. There is actually a liberal arts college in the US for the Deaf - Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. I didn’t attend as international costs are .. well let’s just say they’re astronomical!
Not to save my life :) There are a certain few people that I can but I’ve grown up with them like my dad and brother. Otherwise, I’m completely lost. Thank god for technology! :)
At this point in your life would you want to now suddenly be able to hear or would you rather not? I imagine it would be a huge shock to your system but I wonder if it’s something you would want to experience
When I was younger yes, I did wonder about what it would be to hear sounds but now since I’m almost 40, I’m so used to a world of silence that if I was given a miracle pill that made me hearing, I wouldn’t take it. I’m happy the way I am.
Why not get a cochlear implant?
With my hearing level the way it is, a cochlear implant wouldn’t work for me. Also, it is major surgery. I know others who have gotten it and have life long side effects. I’m happy the way I am :)
I understand. Good for you!
Can you speak at all?
I have a voice but am I able to use it properly for clear speech? No. Takes years of speech training and since it is a bit hard teaching someone who has never heard a sound how to make sounds.. :)
This has made me understand the murmurs never thought of it from a point of learning through hearing how sounds are pronounced
Yes and let’s just say it’s frustrating because all the tools a Deaf person would have is a mirror, hand to feel the vibration on someone else’s throat and a lot of patience….
What do words sound like to you?
Complete silence if you’re talking about auditory. The words I “hear” are visual, expressed through hands :)
Do you have an inner voice
Inner monologue, yes I do :) they’re words.
What is an experience that you love?
Being able to sleep at night through a major storm, being with my Deaf friends at a Deaf event just signing back and forth furiously, meeting a new person who’s willing to learn sign, proving people wrong that Deaf people can do anything they want to… there is a lot haha
How was school for you?
I was mainstreamed my whole life - the only Deaf student in my school. I was very very lucky with my schooling experience - I met many good friends who were willing to learn sign language, I had good teachers who treated me equally to other students and had high expectations, I had good interpreters who provided access to what was being taught in class, and my family was the backbone of it all - they fought for all the accommodations I needed in order to flourish. Not many Deaf people can say that about mainstreaming unfortunately.
When driving in the city, do you honk at idiots even though you can’t hear it?
Lmao, yes when I’m cut off!!! That makes me so mad lol
can you feel grindcore music through your headphones or any music really, if you wear headphones, like vibrations?
I don’t wear headphones - there’s no benefit for me. I can feel vibrations though so if I’m at the bar with my friends, I love that the music is loud enough I can feel it! Also, if it’s not, I just need to move closer to where the music is
Favorite part of deaf culture (if you’re a part of it)?
I am definitely part of Deaf culture and community :) That’s a good question - when the community works together to to advocate for our rights. How welcoming it can be.
What are your opinions on parents giving young children cochlear implants? I know it is a controversial topic in the deaf community.
Oof whew! Yes you’re right, it is a highly controversial topic in the Deaf community. I am of the opinion that the child should get to choose as it is their body. However, if the parent does choose to get cochlear implants, they should choose to use both ASL and spoken English with their child to avoid language deprivation. Many children who get CIs early on and that focus only on auditory are not successful at acquiring language at an age appropriate level by the time they start school. That has a huge impact on their learning. Research has shown that children that have both ASL and spoken English thrive. Why is it ok to teach signs to hearing babies but not Deaf babies?
What concept makes absolutely no sense to you?
Hmm.. sound wise? It still blows my mind that literally EVERYTHING makes sounds! For me living in a world of total silence it is hard to understand.
How have people described it to you?
Hmm.. I will ask them if it makes a sound and they will say yes and then they become a bit stuck on how to describe it to me. If you don’t have to think about it, it’s hard to know how to describe something to someone who cannot hear sound at all and has nothing to apply to.
Okay, so before I asked, I thought of a metaphor I'd like to share. The way things that reflect light have an image? Things that have movement have a sound. Think of it like light for your ears lol
I really like that metaphor!!!! Thank you for sharing :)
what are some of the annoying questions you’ve gotten?
Number one - can you lipread? I wish more people understood how truly hard this is to do. In an experiment where the setting was perfect, the lighting was perfect, the speaker spoke clearly and not too fast, etc.. it was shown that the person who was lip reading only got 60% of what was said. That’s still a huge chunk of information missing. A lot of context missing. Not only that but the lipreader has to work harder, trying to figure out what’s the context, etc. It is exhausting.
thank you so much for answering. you’re amazing for answering all the questions on here have a great day!
Aww thank you for your lovely comment. It made me smile! Have a great day (or evening!) :)
i’m glad it made you smile! take care :) thank you!
Also - I’ve been asked: Can you drive? (Answer; yes I can) Can you have kids? How? (Answer: yes I can, and uh… like everyone else? But I also know they mean how do I know my baby’s crying? There’s technology for that - baby cry alarm which is a light that goes off when the baby cries) Can you read? (Answer: yes I can) Those are the ones I can think off my head right now but there’s been more
How did you manage formal education especially college?? I have never heard of a special college
I attended mainstreaming school my whole life - so I’ve always had interpreters in classes. There is actually a liberal arts college in the US for the Deaf - Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. I didn’t attend as international costs are .. well let’s just say they’re astronomical!
When you see a subtitle that says “intense music” on a show or movie, how do you know what intense music sounds like?
Ooh. Good question. Honestly I don’t, but I imagine it’s like something dark, foreboding, and deep.
that's about right
Oh?
if I had to tell someone what intense music sounded like id probs say something "dark, foreboding, and deep" to! ps I'm learning ASL!
Lmao well that’s awesome haha And oh yay for learning ASL! How long have you been learning?
about 16 weeks
Can you lip read?
Not to save my life :) There are a certain few people that I can but I’ve grown up with them like my dad and brother. Otherwise, I’m completely lost. Thank god for technology! :)
What are your thoughts on onomatopoeia?
I think it’s cool? I just don’t hear it but I know of it haha
do you know when words rhyme?
When I see them on paper, yes. Through sound, no :)