I just saw this forum. <blushing>
I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. It's likely considered rude to just jump in and post a topic. I'll remember my manners next time.
I was born and raised on beautiful Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. No, I don't live in an igloo.
I was born Deaf. Some will have read in another thread that I was left at the hospital because of it but my Mum *did* take me back just before I was one year. I do have some hearing now but it's all mumble jumble. I tried hearing aides, about 10 years ago, but life was too loud for me after having lived it in near silence so I rarely ever use them unless I have an important meeting.
While I learned sign, pre-five, I wasn't allowed to use it once my Mum sent me to mainstream school so I read lips very well, body language, facial expressions and I taught myself how to speak/annunciate because my Mum didn't want me to talk since I sounded funny. She was never going to win Mother of the Year. I literally spent hours and hours in front of a mirror in the bathroom, each day after school, teaching myself how to say words. Over and over. Putting my hand on my throat to feel and sense volume.
I do talk rather well but with what most consider a British accent though I've never even been to that country.
Only family and close friends know that I'm Deaf. Co-workers also know because I've felt a little more secure about it in the last year or so to tell them what I need to be able to communicate with them. *THAT* was hard to do. It's been something of an embarrassment to me because of how my Mum made me feel about it. No more! I am who I am. Flaws and all. Imperfections and all.
I am so, so glad that I found this forum. I lurked for some time to get a feel for the membership. I've never been involved in the Deaf community like this. The few times I encountered Deaf people online I couldn't understand their written word. I'm learning about that here, too, as to why it was so different.
I hope you'll be patient with my ignorance of my own community. Had I been raised with other people like me I wouldn't have felt so embarrassed, or somehow less of a person, to involve myself. It kind of makes me angry that I wasn't allowed to embrace the unique person that I am and to embrace others like me.
Rebecca
I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. It's likely considered rude to just jump in and post a topic. I'll remember my manners next time.
I was born and raised on beautiful Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. No, I don't live in an igloo.
I was born Deaf. Some will have read in another thread that I was left at the hospital because of it but my Mum *did* take me back just before I was one year. I do have some hearing now but it's all mumble jumble. I tried hearing aides, about 10 years ago, but life was too loud for me after having lived it in near silence so I rarely ever use them unless I have an important meeting.
While I learned sign, pre-five, I wasn't allowed to use it once my Mum sent me to mainstream school so I read lips very well, body language, facial expressions and I taught myself how to speak/annunciate because my Mum didn't want me to talk since I sounded funny. She was never going to win Mother of the Year. I literally spent hours and hours in front of a mirror in the bathroom, each day after school, teaching myself how to say words. Over and over. Putting my hand on my throat to feel and sense volume.
I do talk rather well but with what most consider a British accent though I've never even been to that country.
Only family and close friends know that I'm Deaf. Co-workers also know because I've felt a little more secure about it in the last year or so to tell them what I need to be able to communicate with them. *THAT* was hard to do. It's been something of an embarrassment to me because of how my Mum made me feel about it. No more! I am who I am. Flaws and all. Imperfections and all.
I am so, so glad that I found this forum. I lurked for some time to get a feel for the membership. I've never been involved in the Deaf community like this. The few times I encountered Deaf people online I couldn't understand their written word. I'm learning about that here, too, as to why it was so different.
I hope you'll be patient with my ignorance of my own community. Had I been raised with other people like me I wouldn't have felt so embarrassed, or somehow less of a person, to involve myself. It kind of makes me angry that I wasn't allowed to embrace the unique person that I am and to embrace others like me.
Rebecca