AlaskaStar

Hi, I thought I would introduce myself. New to the site as a member, been lurking as a spectator now since December 2011 when I was living with the monks on Kodiak Island.

I lost 100% of my hearing in a tragic mix of my being stubborn and 2 horrible doctors and my official last day of almost clear sound was Halloween, which I spent with my nephew taking him out to gather candy and had him laughing the whole time.

I suffered chronic ear infections, sinus infections, and such forth my whole life thus far. I had so many before that this one was just another storm to weather, or so I thought. It started in June of 2011, when I was on a job site moving a 10,500 square foot building by dismantle, transport and rebuild 76 miles away in the Fairbanks area. I kept working, and my sinus infection added an ear infection like it has so many times before.

So it kept going, and I have an incredible threshold for pain. It's so high that when I break bones I can tell you if it's broken or just a really deep bruise. That kind of pain level tolerance comes from getting hit by cars and trucks as a pedestrian (once hit by a cop that was distracted on a cell phone!).

The pain was numbing and large, but I dealt with it and kept working. I am self employed so I work a lot outside, and when work calls, you go. It's not a comfortable life, and I am not in debt, but I run the under $100 mark of being broke all the time.

Since I have a great disdain for doctors and a bad history of being the one who accidentally finds the bad ones every time, I refused to go see a doctor.

Then in late October, my tonsils swelled up, and the Eustachian tubes had been swollen shut completely, and with a painful sinus infection plus ear infection in both ears... November 1st, the left ear drum ruptured, making my pillow look like a bloody crime scene. November 3rd, my right eardrum ruptured making my new pillow look like a bloody crime scene. The pressure was gone and it felt VERY GOOD!

Though it felt good, the doctor did a Tympanogram Test and it came back as ZERO for both ears. He had me do an MRI and they were unable to locate 2 of the 3 bones from either ear or the drum from either side.

So the 1st doctor (Father in Law...) gave me these drops that literally were made from:
Hydrochloric Acid
Sodium Hydroxide
Salt Water
Hydrocortizone
Isopropyl Alcohol
Potassion Perchlorate

The drops went into my ear like cool water, then upon entering the bloody mess felt like LIQUID MOLTEN METAL as it worked its way into my throat, where I could taste it.

Family members tell me that I howled like a savage beast from a horror movie all night till I passed out from something.

The next day, they tackled me (I was already tired so it was easy) and gave me the drops again. Repeat of the first night.

The 3rd day, I was waiting with my .50 caliber which I pointed at them and demanded they hand me the bottle and leave before I get trigger happy.

I saw the ENT on the 4th day and handed him the bottle with a nice description of what it felt like in my head. The ENT went into a raging fit about the stupidity of the 1st doctor (Father in Law...) and proceeded to do tests and a high resolution scan MRI and discovered that everything inside was all scar tissue due to chemical damage.

Thanks Doc!

Now my Cochlea are perfectly fine. As a mad scientist of sorts, I assembled a home-made bone conduction hearing aide that was worn like a hat, had wires, and dials, and knobs for my adjusting all the time, and it ate 6 "AA" batteries every day.

Then I was gifted a StarKey Bone conductor Hearing Aide by a nice woman in a town 1,000 miles away.

So my wife was already fluent in ASL, and I was already very fluent in ASL for two years prior.

I had the unfortunate discovery of what my friends were really made of, as after going deaf, my friend count hit the negative integers in a hurry.

My family all but disowned me. Wife included. So I packed my tools into my minivan and hit the highway. I landed in Kodiak, and wintered over there with some of the most patient and wonderful people ever. They were monks. Awesome ones at that. You wouldn't believe how low I had hit. I have plenty of guns, and I regularly put the keys in a sling-shot and sent them out into the woods to keep from blowing myself away.

I am back at home, and of all my customers, neighbors, and people I meet at random, the only 3 that have problems are my family.

I recently ended up losing my $1600 hearing aide to an industrial mishap in the garage that I use at my dad's place because he was getting so nasty (verbal) about me not wearing it that I put it on, which allowed him to ask a rhetorical question (really important to ask stupid stuff after acting like a spoiled 5 yr old huh?) of me while I was working. I was replacing the transmission in a 2005 Chevy Aveo, and the new transmission was sitting on the crate in front of the car. Dad had to ask, "You putting a new transmission in the car?" to which I had to answer, "No. I am removing the right rear tail light through a complex process that starts under the hood and somewhere around the back seat I will take a shower and then remove the tail light. This shiny new Chevy Aveo transmission is only here for good luck!"

Dad was a civil engineer and a mechanic. Talk about a serious "DUHHHH" moment!

15 minutes later, the starter that I had been trying to get out decided to fall toward my face, I turned my head and it crushed the hearing aide into the concrete floor, preventing damage to the nose cone of this $65 starter motor. $1600 bucks gone in a moment of stupid. There is a REASON that I do not wear it while working on equipment.

I cannot stand stupid people. Never could.

At the hardware store, I bring pen and tablet because stupid people work there as well. Lady tapped me on shoulder, and I wrote "I am Deaf" and handed her the pen and tabled, to which she wrote "WHY?"

Really?

I told her to go home, because she needed more help than she could possibly offer me that day!

Being deaf in Alaska has it's challenges.

The first being my addiction to hiking the various mountains (we have plenty to choose from here...) and being unable to hear Bear or Wolverines approaching.

The cost of a service dog is prohibitive, and apartments here that are not over-priced do not allow dogs anyway.

Nobody here hires deaf people, regardless of their skills, and we are left to do janitorial garbage work.

I went from being a $65/hour subcontractor to being unable to be hired even by McDonalds as a burger flipper.

Although there is far less racial discrimination here, the stigma and discrimination that I face as a deafie in public in general and the stigma that my wife faces for having a deaf husband keeps us on the edge of divorce constantly, let alone the financial challenges of trying to survive.

We were fortunate enough to educate ourselves financially in such that we live debt free, have no credit card debt, and live totally cash & carry, our vehicles are 100% paid for (heck my service van and econo-car were FREE!) and though our bank accounts waver below $100 and above zero, it's not easy.

Though I would place us as a couple into an extreme minority in this country as the economy tumbles faster than a Jenga Game during the 1964 quake, I wouldn't say that we are better than anyone else nor do we have any grandeur ideas about it either.

Now the kicker: I have perfect speech. I pronounce things very crisp and clear. My dad is extreme H.O.H. and so I always had to enunciate at full scream so that he could hear, even with hearing aides.

This clarity of speech makes people think that I am not deaf. I don't have deaf accent. So I have to either sign or write and then they get the message. It's amazing. I speak and they speak back, even if I calmly state "I am deaf." 4 times in a row, they still keep flapping their lips.

The prevalence of thick facial hair on men and excess fat (hey, I am blunt, call it what it is!!) on women makes it EXTREMELY difficult to read lips. Not that I can't, it's just difficult because of the culture. We have an excess of excessively fat women and an excess of men with excessive facial hair around here.

My mother taught the Lindamood Bell System of literary education to help people learn to read late in life as well as properly make the sounds that represent the letters of the alphabet and their various combinations. I still remember many of the diagrams and names, like "Lip Popper" and "Tongue Tapper" to make the "P" and "T" sounds clearly without slurring your speech.
In this, I watched and assisted my mother and tutored many kids and adults in my free time.

Now... my family refuses all out to learn ASL. They refuse to write. They push me toward reconstructive surgery (impossible thanks to a certain doctor...) and refuse to interact in a civil manner, but deliberately make life harder for me.

I finally managed to find a way to communicate with one of the parts houses where I mainly buy my parts, and one of the workers uses text, because driving the 7 miles there just ask how much it is and if they have it in stock is a huge toll on the fuel and my working budget, even if I drive a car that gets 47 MPG on the highway, and it's all highway miles to get there.

Of the largest lessons learned, is that "hearing people" are far more MENTALLY DEAF than deaf people could ever be. It's a really sad thing to witness.

Well, that's all for now.

Any deafies in Alaska on here that want a friend who wont judge them, hit me up. I don't care how old you are or what your gender, creed etc.

-Chris

Deafness

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AlaskaStar

So I recently took a trip on the Denali Highway for blueberry picking between Paxson and Cantwell. Had 5 people total on the trip, and 3 of them were semi-fluent-ish in ASL.

It's interesting to note how keen my other senses have gotten as I spotted a good sized Grizzly that they didn't notice. As I have to rely on my eyes to detect danger in the wild, as opposed to my ears. So, while picking berries out there (boy we sure got a lot of them!) I carried my 12 gauge loaded, chambered, and safety off to ensure that if I had one come out of the bushes that I could at least make others aware that something was surely going down.

Getting mauled by a bear is no fun, and I speak from experience. We both left with a bloody limp from a fight where we both were the sore losers back in Kennecott in 2009.

Beyond utilitarian use of ASL to let me know the group's plans, needs, etc, they conversed amongst themselves (hearing people) and I was left in the dark on conversations. When they were all rolling in laughter at the campfire, I was clueless, and by the time someone translated the joke (took them several tries to sign it- bad spellers) it wasn't all that funny.

I note that hearing vs deaf there is a total lack of "vocal inflection" in ASL, which makes things confusing.

Still learning... the hard way.

-AlaskaStar

MushyCookies

Wow is all i can really say right now.

Ok maybe not but I can relate to some of the things you said. Ignorant people are extremely annoying but i try to take my time to clear up everything so that the next deaf person they may encounter would not have to deal with the bullshits i had to.

Making the world More deaf friendly is much harder than i orginally though. My patience is not the most excellent... thing in the world.
I don't speak at all so i guess my situation is a bit different from yours, Chris. But i still totally understand your perspective.

I am fortunate to have a half deaf family who accepts me for who i am. The other half is not so much the same..

I just wish somebody would invent a book "how to talk to deaf people properly for Dummies." Ha ha

rockin'robin

Very interesting read....thks for posting!...and Welcome Aboard Chris....

Smithtr

it is interesting nice welcome to alldeaf

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authentic

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AlaskaStar

Well, you can't "Make" the world more "deaf-friendly" any more than I can "Make" our government leaders start to use that brain for something more useful than preventing their ears from touching.

Free will is the reign that I face the challenge of, and in that, I face people who are mentally lazy, mentally deaf, or choose to not care about anyone else around them.

So, I find it far easier to not speak, only sign. When I do that, the person will either acknowledge it, or walk away, it's their choice. I don't need to force or make anyone do anything they are not comfortable doing.

It is frustrating often, and likewise, looking back on those moments, I cannot contain my laughter, because more and more of them look like fodder for late night comedy on prime time television.

If you keep "free will" at the front of the thought process when you meet people who are frustrating at best, then it's more likely that forgiving them of their ignorance will be easier.

Bear in mind that when I was in Kodiak, I was the only deaf person on the island, and also the only person to know ASL.

OK, back to work. The manure isn't getting any fresher and my shovel isn't moving when I am typing.

-Chris

AlaskaStar

Recently discovered that if I have a reason to dial 9-1-1, that to properly do that as a deafie, I must dial 9-1-1, wait until they hang up, redial, wait till they hang up, redial, and keep doing this so that they can get a lock on my cell position.

Sucks, wouldn't you say?

I guess that explains why I carry a gun, and know first aide.

-Chris

Sarfarigirl2011

welcome to Alldeaf!

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18 yr old girl with a moderate/severe in the right and severe on the left.
currently wearing purple Oticon Safari P 600s

ChefDylan

You lived with the Monks? I don't really care about how you lost your hearing and such, but seriously, you lived with the monks? That is amusing to me.

dereksbicycles

I wonder!!! Why were you working on an Aveo? You should've been working on something that is better capable for a turbo engine swap just because turbos are sooooooo cool!!!! I'm in Chicago and I don't remember seeing many Aveos on the road.

I'm self employed too and can sympathy with your cash flow. Hang in.

Sarfarigirl2011

ikr? my dad sometimes like to work on his truck and he fixed my mom's brakes last month too!!! *he drives an F-350 and mom drives a Neon *

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18 yr old girl with a moderate/severe in the right and severe on the left.
currently wearing purple Oticon Safari P 600s

respectyoda

Chris, welcome to the AllDeaf forum!

It is awesome you are living in Alaska. I once lived in Alaska and it was quite an experience!

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"Do or do not. There is no try" ~ The Legendary Jedi Master Yoda

AlaskaStar

Yes, I lived with the Monks in Kodiak. I was invited there by 3 of them, and worked as an electrician in the harbor on the fishing vessels including the Cornelia Marie which is currently sitting dormant in the harbor.

I was repairing a Chevy Aveo that belongs to a friend. The transmission had died, and I was fixing it. Not my car...

R-Yoda, where in Alaska did you live? I an currently in Wasilla, but have lived in Kodiak, Fairbanks, Palmer, Anchorage, Valdez, Copper Center, and Fox. I am planning to move back to Copper Center as soon as I can get up the funds.

As far as vehicle repairs go, I have worked on equipment that dated back to 1892 and as new as 2012, and I can rebuild or repair everything between, doesn't matter engines transmissions, brakes, computers, magnetos, buzz boxes, Anti-Locks, sensor controls, emissions, diesel engines, injection systems (both gas and diesel), wiring, interior, upholstery, body work, frame straightening, and then, the heavy equipment from the remote controlled hazmat dozer controls excavators, old cable cats, pony motors, the transmissions for all that heavy stuff, hydraulics, and then we step into the office and there's nothing I cant repair there either.... then into construction, building houses, plumbing, electrical, rocking, siding, roofing, masonry, landscaping...

And I am bored to death with all that remedial work.

So I design and build new technology. Won the Arctic Innovation Competition in 2009 and again in 2010 1st place both times and got $10K each time.

Now I find myself recycling and doing industrial mining for gold out of old phones and computers using Aqua Regia.

I guess the boredom comes from a complete lack of conversation with much of anyone. The fact that ASL is used only in the utilitarian sense to just inform me of basic stuff... but actual conversation with anyone around here is totally lacking.

So, I text a lot to my Ex-G/F's mom in Fairbanks, who happens to be my "Pseudo-mom" and is awesome. She learned ASL rather quickly, but she lives about 400 miles away.

-Chris

dereksbicycles

What does a "Pseudo-mom" mean? That is new to me.

You're very blessed. I wish I had your talent to repair just about anything.

softabak

Welcome to AllDeaf! I have always wanted to visit Alaska.

softabak

Also, reading all of your stories has made me say, "wow". I don't even know what to say otherwise.

AlaskaStar

dereksbicycles: a "Pseudo-mom" in this example is that she is not my mother. My birth mom is a psychotic hoarder with inwardly and outwardly destructive an negative behaviors unbecoming of a responsible parent. My "Pseudo-Mom" actually gave a darn and actually cared enough to get me off of my self destructive behaviors learned from my birth mom, as well as she successfully got me to start eating healthy, and becoming a better person.

Softabak: if you ever come to Alaska, look me up, I'll give you the dime tour. And bring your camera!

-Chris

ChefDylan

You know of Thomas Mitchell? I wonder if that's the last name he is going by now.

H.o.H_Angel

Welcome to AD!

AlaskaStar

No, I don't know a Thomas Mitchell. The only other deafies I know in Alaska are:
Sandy Sloat
Marion Wood
Geraldine "GK"

Sandy taught me ASL back in '09

-Chris

AlaskaStar

I made it into the newspaper on Sunday:

Local inventor wants to change snowboarding - Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman: Business

For all those that feel like they are at a disadvantage from being deaf in a world that typically ignores or doesn't acknowledge that you exist, please read the article and know that you are equally capable or more than capable because you are free from audible distractions.

I personally attest that the quality of workmanship in my shop has improved by several orders of magnitude since going deaf, as I do not have the audible distractions nor do I have the problem of things like the sound of the grinder making the visual accuracy of my work go to pieces.

-Chris

Steinhauer

Welcome to AD Chris. I have family in Anchorage

(P.S. Most car airbag circuitry also have gold).

AlaskaStar

Ohh... the irony that I happen to have a stack of airbag sensors sitting here!

The contacts are gold, and the weighted steel ball is gold covered, not plated. It's covered with gold because the ball is bigger than the aluminum tube that it must slide through to touch the contacts. There is a magnet to keep the ball in place but on impact, the ball is forced through the tube, where it literally shaves gold off as it is forced through by the physics of things in motion staying in motion, and that guarantees that you must be in a good sized collision prior to the airbag deployment.

I have to drive to Los Anchorage tomorrow too, just the irony of the timing of your post and the content is staggering!

-Chris

Fairdos

well met!

SummerP

I'm in Wasilla, too! I know GK, but I don't think I've met the other two people you mentioned, at least not yet. If you ever see a girl with a service dog that's a big black poodle, that might be me. (Although, it also might not. Apparently there's another big black poodle service dog in the Valley now, too.)

AlaskaStar

OH AWESOME!!

My friend from Fairbanks is down here, and we are preparing to go to Kodiak right now, so my time remaining in Wasilla is measured in minutes for the moment, and then in October I'll be back....

-Chris

CSign

Welcome, AlaskaStar

I really like your current avatar. Beautiful picture...

SummerP

Ooh, Kodiak! Have fun, and don't get eaten by any bears.

AlaskaStar

I am having a total blast here!

You, however, should get a boat and stay dry! My neighbor's house just got ruined from flooding at creek. My in-laws house just lost all the fancy flooring on first floor due to flooding of Wasilla Creek.

-Chris