hearing, might be headed toward hoh, learning ASL

mek42

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Hi everyone! One of my students is also taking ASL and goes to a local deaf chat partly for her class. I overheard her discussing this with another student and decided to pop in and see what it was all about. Now I'm usually going and trying to pick up ASL by immersion when I go.

My left ear doesn't work all that great, especially not high frequencies. It isn't permanent, in theory it is fluid build up, but so far nothing has made it go away. We're expecting our firstborn child now and my brother's little girl (less than 1 year old) just had tubes installed so I'm a little nervous for our own. I don't have a hearing aid, but since around Christmas I've had a bit of sinus congestion trouble and my hearing seems to be worse. Maybe I should be nervous for myself.

One thing I've already noticed is that sometimes when I don't quite hear what people say I get embarrassed and smile and nod. Then I find myself doing the same thing at deaf chat - kind of just giving up trying to keep up. Some of the deaf people there sign so fast! Does anyone have any suggestions on trying to reduce this character flaw?

Regarding the ASL, I'm not taking any classes or anything, just trying to pay attention at chat and pick up a few more signs each week. Sometimes I'll ask a colleague who is taking ASL classes to go over a few things and one of the other hearing ASL students at deaf chat gave me a CS book (Complete Idiot's series iirc) that I've been reading. Is it rude if the majority of my ASL learning comes from MEANS - fingerspell at deaf chat?

Anyhow, thanks for being here and I hope I'll be made aware gently if I'm close to crossing the line of being rude.
 
Hi Mek42, and welcome. When is your baby due? This must be an exciting time.

I am HoH myself, and have used hearing aids for about 30 years now. Was late-deafened as an adult due to a bad reaction to an anti-malaria medication.

I know what you mean about being embarassed at not catching all the conversation. Often it's awkward to ask people to repeat themselves. There are strategies that might help, like trying to seat yourself in the middle of a group of people, instead of at one side or another. In a restaurant, it can help to have seating with a wall behind you.

Have you been to a doctor to evaluate your hearing, and/or the sinus congestion? From December to now is a long time to have congestion.

If you do need a hearing aid, you will be amazed at what a difference it can make. Also amazed maybe at how tricky it can be to get them programmed right, and get re-adjusted to hearing sounds that you have been missing. It's not like putting glasses on and immediately they are either right or not right; hearing aids need some adjustment and tinkering around.

There are several threads on here about different aids, and why people like one more than another. Those have been very helpful to me. In the end, it's a personal choice, but it helps to have the technical knowledge and the first-hand reports from people who have tried different things.

I will leave the ASL part of your question to others who are experienced in it. Speaking generally, it takes a while to become fluent in any foreign language, and it will take a while to become fluent in ASL. If you are making friends at the chat, it sounds like it would be worth it to continue going. You will probably find your fluency increasing the more you go and the more you try to participate, even if you make mistakes.

Good luck, and welcome.
 
Hi everyone! One of my students is also taking ASL and goes to a local deaf chat partly for her class. I overheard her discussing this with another student and decided to pop in and see what it was all about. Now I'm usually going and trying to pick up ASL by immersion when I go.

My left ear doesn't work all that great, especially not high frequencies. It isn't permanent, in theory it is fluid build up, but so far nothing has made it go away. We're expecting our firstborn child now and my brother's little girl (less than 1 year old) just had tubes installed so I'm a little nervous for our own. I don't have a hearing aid, but since around Christmas I've had a bit of sinus congestion trouble and my hearing seems to be worse. Maybe I should be nervous for myself.

One thing I've already noticed is that sometimes when I don't quite hear what people say I get embarrassed and smile and nod. Then I find myself doing the same thing at deaf chat - kind of just giving up trying to keep up. Some of the deaf people there sign so fast! Does anyone have any suggestions on trying to reduce this character flaw?

Regarding the ASL, I'm not taking any classes or anything, just trying to pay attention at chat and pick up a few more signs each week. Sometimes I'll ask a colleague who is taking ASL classes to go over a few things and one of the other hearing ASL students at deaf chat gave me a CS book (Complete Idiot's series iirc) that I've been reading. Is it rude if the majority of my ASL learning comes from MEANS - fingerspell at deaf chat?

Anyhow, thanks for being here and I hope I'll be made aware gently if I'm close to crossing the line of being rude.

Immersion is the best way to learn any language, and especially ASL. Keep going, and don't be afraid to ask for help. I have found that the Deaf are always willing to help someone who is trying to communicate with them on their terms.

No, it isn't rude. Better to fingerspell than to be giving confusing messages that will be misunderstood. Generally, if you fingerspell something in conversation that has an accepted sign for the concept, the person you are conversing with will show that sign to you for future use.

Just respect the culture and the members of that culture. While you may not always agree with them, or understand their perspective (as you still have a hearing perspective), just be open minded and respectful. That is all we ask.

Regarding your hearing loss...sounds like a conductive loss. If the damage to the ear structures isn't permanent they generally don't aid for conductive losses. They are treated medically.
 
for me, I lost my hearing as an infant (10 months old)
and I also had worn hearing aids for 16 years now so I'm on my 3rd set of hearing aids and they work well for me :)

1st pair: loved the DIY fixture and works good since it's already dead.
2nd pair: lemme tell ya, didn't have volume control and thought it was crap lol
3rd pair: I'm loving it and love the streamer, so awesome!!!

hope you make yourself at home here
 
:welcome: to AllDeaf forum. I hope you can learn something for you to understand your hearing loss if you are heading to. Just try to relax and enjoy silence even if you have mild hearing loss or moderate hearing loss. Have fun reading and posting all the threads here. See you around here. :wave:
 
Hello and :welcome: to AllDeaf

I agree with Jillio. Immersing yourself with ASL is the best way to learn it. I am an ASL student and I try to surround myself with signers as much as possible, or maybe get tutoring if you can.

Hope you enjoy the reads.
 
Thank you all for the warm welcome!

The doctor has me on some allergy meds right now. Maybe this will clear up some congestion and help hearing. If not, he might refer me to an ENT / allergist (dual board certified) specialist.

The local deaf chat was tonight. I learned a lot of new signs. I also learned a lot about myself. Our child is due mid-October and I gained a little insight on how it feels to have thoughts but not the means to express them as I sat wanting to communicate so much but not having the signs. Very, very frustrating.
 
The local deaf chat was tonight. I learned a lot of new signs. I also learned a lot about myself. Our child is due mid-October and I gained a little insight on how it feels to have thoughts but not the means to express them as I sat wanting to communicate so much but not having the signs. Very, very frustrating.

The terrible twos explained
 
Welcome!!

By the way, this is an interesting topic because my girlfriend has gotten fluid often in her ear, but she has kept it under control so no hearing loss. Whenever she gets fluid in her ears, she takes drop and fluids are kept to minimum. How do you know if fluids would effect hearing loss?
 
Welcome!!

By the way, this is an interesting topic because my girlfriend has gotten fluid often in her ear, but she has kept it under control so no hearing loss. Whenever she gets fluid in her ears, she takes drop and fluids are kept to minimum. How do you know if fluids would effect hearing loss?

not an expert on that problem but I'm no enyclopedia LOL
but I am an expert on the techology they have 2day!
 
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