-Deaf and Cochlear Implants

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I never could understand the reason for shunning a person who was a

friend, just because they wanted to improve themselves. Do the

culturally Deaf shun you if you get glasses because you want to see

better? Or cataracts removed for the same reason. Are braces on your

teeth denying your " crooked teeth culture "

If you've heard before with a hearing aid, and can't now, then an

implant is taking you back to where you were before. Many Deaf people

wear hearing aids. So is it OK to have a little hearing, but not a lot?

You do what you need to do to make life livable for yourself. At the

end of the day, YOU are the only one you have to please. And if your so

called Deaf Friends shun you because of your decision, then they weren't

much of a friend to start with. Because friends want you to be the best

you can be.

The Original

Posted by: " Vacks " vacklist77@... xvack98721

Thu Aug 3, 2006 8:43 am (PST)

I use ASL, however I write in formal english. I was born with a severe to

profound hearing loss but I recently lost my residual hearing and hearing

aids do not help. I tried very hard to make people understand that I

didn't

want the implant to " become hearing " I want the implant because I find it

very nerve wracking not being able to hear the environmental sounds that

I

am so used to hearing.

I have been very fortunate to have a good CI team educating me. They did

explain its not a cure. They did explain that it will take me some time

to

adjust to it and that results vary widely. All I want and expect from the

CI

is to hear some type of sound when I see a door slam shut. When I turn

the

key in my car I want to hear the sound of the car starts etc... If my

understanding of speech , music etc improves I will consider that a

pleasant

bonus. As for Deaf Culture- honestly I was always proud of who I am and

had

no shames of being connected to the Deaf culture. I love ASL one of my

favorite past times was to tell funny stories in ASL to deaf kids but the

way I have been treated lately makes me ashamed to be a part of it. I am

very grateful for DJs email -- it reminded me that not all the Deaf are

against me. The Sound and the Fury was propaganda no matter how you look

at it. (my two cents)