Shoshana

I have implant on right side, I was implanted at age 15. I have both cochlear and nerve damage related hearing loss. So even know I have the implant, it doesn't work well at all and I depend on lip reading. I do sign and prefer to, I consider myself Deaf--Even with the implant.

I know there is a lot of controversy regarding this...

opinions?

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SHOSHANA

Deafness

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Beach girl

You are what you think you are, I think. People have such widely varying experiences.

kbnyc

Most of the controversy I've found out about has been about parents forcing their kids to have the procedure done, or doctors recommending it without telling parents enough about what the actual extent is to any assistance it will or will not provide.

I am intrigued though, and can't wait to see other responses

Shoshana

Kbnyc, I feel that was the case in my situation. I remember clearly the Doctor telling my Mom that "she can not survive with this hearing loss". From that time, I was implanted within one month--rush! The Doctors implanted on me despite KNOWING I also had nerve damage loss--the implant doesn't help nerve damage so the implant does not work proper as with other people with only cochlea damage.

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SHOSHANA

posts from hell

Even hearing people can consider theirselves Deaf.....

kristy2078

I smell malpractice.

And, "cannot survive with this hearing loss"??? BULL!! *sigh*

As for your question... I do think it depends on how you act in both worlds. If you are involved with deaf people, use the method of communication preferred by Deaf people, and also use the same resources as other Deaf people use (i.e. interpreters), then I would consider you Deaf as well.

deafdyke

There are still a lot of kids who are not functionally hoh with an implant.
And I mean a lot of hoh kids can still be Deaf....
Hell, the implant only works really well in a best case scenerio. The world is NOT a soundbooth.

kbnyc

I'm so sorry about this.

What sucks is that the two problems feed eachother...if we continue to treat sensory loss as a horrible terrible deficiency that is to be fought at all costs, we'll never get to the point where accessibility and inclusion will fully allow all people to thrive regardless of this technical disability and parents will continue to feel like fighting it is helpful to their children.

To the topic though, I feel like from what I've learned here that there is a technical and cultural understanding of the word "deaf". One can fall into both or just one or neither, and it's really up to the individual to determine that for themselves. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

Shoshana

I do use interpreter and prefer to sign. I am lucky my Boyfriend is Learning for me

I have at one point went back to the Doctor and demand he remove the implant--since having implant I have suffered from severe Vertigo and other symptoms. The surgeon told me if they were to remove the implant it will be worse because they have to re-cut the tissue and stuff--so I opted to leave it in not to make the vertigo worse than it already was.

I just don't want to be shunned from the Deaf community since I know some views on the implant.

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SHOSHANA

drphil

As PFH states even hearing people can self describe themselves as "cultural" deaf.. Just learn/use ASL.
Worthwhile exercise-up to you?

Implanted Sunnybrook/Toronto Advanced Bionics-Harmony activated Aug/07

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Get Real:Implanted Sunnybrook/Toronto -Advanced Bionics-Harmony activated Aug/07

dereksbicycles

You have a boyfriend. Who really care what deaf community think of you??

I am deaf and have a hearing girlfriend. I'm not married to deaf community. Neither should you be married to deaf community.

drphil

Being bilateral deaf since December 20, 2006 I consider it more than a "technical disability" but an actual/real condition. I had "sensorineural hearing loss-nerve problem" for extended time-almost over 40 years till deafness.

Implanted Sunnybrook/Toronto Advanced Bionics-Harmony activated Aug/07

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jillio

There are many like you who have chosen to implant but still consider themselves to be Deaf. I see nothing wrong with that, as Deaf is a mind set more than a hearing status.

jillio

Hello!

jillio

Nope. Takes much more than learning and using ASL. That is only the beginning.

deafdyke

Believe it or not, those attitudes are dying! And you know what? In the past ten years ALONE the acceptance of CI has come so far. I remember over at DumbNotes, everyone was anti CI.
Did you know that the Deaf community was anti hearing aid back when they were first introduced?
Yes exactly! A lot of audilogically hoh folks can be "almost Deaf" even thou they may not be fluent in ASL.

drphil

Thanks Jillio from a hearing persons perspective re: "cultural deaf" to a bilateral deaf person since December 2006. I know one needs the approval of the Deaf community certification of being "cultural deaf" by "knowing deaf values?" Special committee "hearing?" approval required. ( pun unintended)

I am aware I wasn't part of Alldeaf.com back then. Just passed one year of discussion-here. Who says "deaf militants" don't exist anymore?

Off to deaf swimming shortly- Main Square Recreation centre pool/Toronto. Still can't hear the music playing. Sorry don't have the "waterproof implant".

Implanted A B Harmony activated Aug/07

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Get Real:Implanted Sunnybrook/Toronto -Advanced Bionics-Harmony activated Aug/07

posts from hell

Hey, Don't worry about it. The way you cherish the Deaf values - people will look past your CI's.

For example, this happened two weeks ago at a sushi bar I was at with my friend, Aaron.

We were chatting (in ASL, of course) having a gin/tonic. One lady came up to us in a shy manner and said "You two deaf?" We said, "Yup". She then says "I have a CI, my sign is bad" I went "Thats fine, dont worry about it."
Then she says "I want to learn more sign language, my parents never let me learn it in school" I smiled, and gave her information on deaf events in town that uses ASL so she can learn. Thennnnn she starts saying "im sorry for having a CI" we assured her that it was no big deal.

She was saying "Deaf people shun these who have a CI." Then Aaron says "Yo, I have CI's."

She then all of a sudden threw that perspective of "deaf people who shun..." out the window then started talking to us saying "Man, I really wish I knew sign language growing up" Then started listing out small issues but added up resulting in frustration. Aaron says "Yep, I understand" with a smile.

We exchanged information and she now knows where the ASL events in town are.

The point really is - these days the Deaf are starting to be aware of parents slapping CI's on kids everywhere. As long as you are willing to preserve the culture, we will welcome you.

jillio

Uhhh....that would be from a Deaf person to a deaf person. You still don't get it.

Grummer

jill, can you please interpret drphil's swimming/music problems i have NO ****ing idea what's he's saying! really weird writing, i understand Travis's better, and he used bugger-all English grammar, sometimes like, in this instance, English Grammar is actually UNHELPFUL , and worse than ASL's word-syntaxial grammar (made up syntaxial as im tring to verbal-ise that word)
yup it seem he doesnt get it, but whats the hell is he saying?

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AlleyCat

Just put him on ignore. I can't stand trying to decipher travis' posts either so I put him on ignore. That way you can have less frustration.

Smithtr

what you said you are serious! No idea point! what is you think so

no sense I am serious you, huh what you said talkt about to interpreter swimming/ musin unfortunately you know my personal
you are poin my native language asl complication I can do it communication lots of English, I am lots of communication! I can't remember my mind you don't can't help me ! I am serious you not believe it!, Sometimes people confused, or your aware, education shut down is college is very lay out interpreter i can pissed off Education because closed on education because reason not enough understand on education student!

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Smithtr

stop it your play think your! you I am serious! you are not respect to me I am very aware it you dont' believe play games if you suppose hurt your feeling apology will!

many people confused Deaf Cultures and keep going focus effort to education improve your role! It is very many time I don't like who is prove person untwist how do you think on me who is ignored!

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jillio

In reality, he is saying absolutely nothing. He is just stringing words together. His "deaf swimming" reference is when he goes swimming and removes his CI he is left in silence. Silence = deafness to him. He denigrates anything to do with cultural concerns, and believes because he has read one book on cultural concerns, which he obviously did not understand, he is some sort of an expert. His reference to Alice in Wonderland is what he thinks is a cute way of saying Deaf Culture is a fantasy. He is just a crotchety old man that is more impressed with himself that anyone else is.

jillio

It's okay, Travis. Grummer wasn't insulting you. He was just saying that drphil was harder to understand because his posts don't make sense, but that yours make sense when seen in ASL syntax.

Audiofuzzy

ummm, simplifying it- cochlea actually is a part of inner ear that has a tiny hair that carry the sound to the auditory nerve which
when damaged, the resulted hearing loss is called sensori neural hearing loss.
A Pictorial Guide to the Cochlear Fluids

Sensory (say: sen-suh-ree) hearing loss. This happens when the cochlea is not working correctly because the tiny hair cells are damaged or destroyed.

Neural (say: nur-ul) hearing loss. This happens when there is a problem with the connection from the cochlea to the brain. Neural means related to nerve, so neural hearing loss means the nerve that carries the messages from the cochlea to the brain is damaged.

What's Hearing Loss?

this is the type of hearing loss that cochlear implant are used for.

The cochlear implant is designed for patients with sensorineural hearing loss that have failed conventional treatment including medications and hearing aids. Sensorineural hearing loss is a specific type of hearing loss, defined as any abnormality of the inner ear or auditory nerve that prevents transfer of electrical signals to the auditory nucleus (the brain's center for hearing).

Cochlear Implant

So you are mistaken thinking the doctors were wrong.
They were quite correct.


Fuzzy

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A 'No' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'Yes' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.
Mohandas Gandhi
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shel90

A My friend who is a well known actress in the Deaf community...strong culturally Deaf is in a serious relationship with a CI user.

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Shoshana

What is your source?

I am not going to debate what my audiologist told me for something some average Joe could post on the internet.

The implant does NOT replace the nerve, only the cochlea.

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SHOSHANA

Audiofuzzy

???

I just stated my sources ???

In many cases of sensorineural hearing loss, the problem is due to hair cell damage. However, a significant number of auditory nerve fibers are still functional. Since the cochlear implant sends an electrical signal that stimulates the nerve fibers directly, bypassing the inner ear, these patients may perceive sound with the implant despite the damage in the inner ear.

Cochlear Implant

So, even if you have some nerve damage, that doesn't automatically mean you have them damaged 100%.
If you have some working left, there is a chance a CI will help you with what's left.


Granted:
In many forms of sensorineural deafness, the status of the auditory nerve fibers is unknown. In such cases, it can be difficult to predict the potential benefit of receiving a cochlear implant.

just as I was saying all along - CI is for sensori-neural HA loss which includes
both cochlea and also a nerve damage.



Fuzzy

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A 'No' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'Yes' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.
Mohandas Gandhi
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deafdyke

I wish we could get rid of the myth that we are anti CI/anti hoh. Besides there are still significent numbers of kids who can't get to hoh listening levels with CIs.