Hello,
I guess I should introduce myself, I'm new here.
I am not sure what to say, so I guess I will list some things first.
I was born profoundly deaf, and with very high myopia. It was correctable to a good level of vision with lenses, but when I was still little I had sudden retinal detachment and 'bubbling', it was repaired but left me with permanent vision impairment. (no central vision left eye, right eye has 'holes')
I don't know much ASL, and find it difficult. I can use it about as well as a child. I tend to use alphabet, with some hand touching, or alternate means of communicating.
I got CI a bit after they 'came out' in the USA, I still cannot 'hear everything' or understand spoken English. I can make some sounds with awareness but do not speak English except for a handful of small words.
I have been told that I write English very well, and have a 'large' vocabulary, but it is not as easy as it looks. I still often have to learn new words and relearn old words and rules, and spellings. I also use a method which I have called 'pathing', and 'phrase chunks'. I see many words as 'pictures' in my mind and remember what letters go to them, and signing alphabet seems to help keep me 'sharp' with spelling but signing is still very different from writing, to me.
I am very shy and reclusive, 'off line', except for my boyfriend and a few people close to me. They have encouraged me to come online as a way to meet others and talk, as I am somewhat 'isolated', I guess. I am not very good at social conversation, but I am starting to find it easier when doing it by typing.
Well, I think that is all I will write, for now.
I guess I should introduce myself, I'm new here.
I am not sure what to say, so I guess I will list some things first.
I was born profoundly deaf, and with very high myopia. It was correctable to a good level of vision with lenses, but when I was still little I had sudden retinal detachment and 'bubbling', it was repaired but left me with permanent vision impairment. (no central vision left eye, right eye has 'holes')
I don't know much ASL, and find it difficult. I can use it about as well as a child. I tend to use alphabet, with some hand touching, or alternate means of communicating.
I got CI a bit after they 'came out' in the USA, I still cannot 'hear everything' or understand spoken English. I can make some sounds with awareness but do not speak English except for a handful of small words.
I have been told that I write English very well, and have a 'large' vocabulary, but it is not as easy as it looks. I still often have to learn new words and relearn old words and rules, and spellings. I also use a method which I have called 'pathing', and 'phrase chunks'. I see many words as 'pictures' in my mind and remember what letters go to them, and signing alphabet seems to help keep me 'sharp' with spelling but signing is still very different from writing, to me.
I am very shy and reclusive, 'off line', except for my boyfriend and a few people close to me. They have encouraged me to come online as a way to meet others and talk, as I am somewhat 'isolated', I guess. I am not very good at social conversation, but I am starting to find it easier when doing it by typing.
Well, I think that is all I will write, for now.
to AD! This is an excellent site to go on and meet everyone here. Just go with the flow and enjoy yourself. 
