cochlear implants

[Sweetmind]

Also many people like you out there that they dont realize they did use body language/ facial language to express without their knowledge of ASL itself anytime and anywhere in this society. You just dont see it because you are being so ignorant and stubborn.

My deaf voices doest help them to listen to me unless I talked aloud that pissed them off and tell me SHH SHH ..Thats only way I get my attention and have them listen to me directly.. SO there! Guess what I have always know before they are gong to say it completely cuz I m using my brain and see things that is from my receptive eyes. NOT HEAR with devices La la!

 

[sr171soars]

Yea I m sure you agreed with her since u are a hearing person that I cannot argue with you because it s the same old routine behavior pattern all those years..so there!!! I am not kissing their audist attitude people's opinions as well after all they robbed my life and communication with my whole family and damaged my right ear ( dealing with all those pains every single day whlie my left ear has been left alone. I am not full ASL or ASLER all my life if you dont mind..
Sweetmind

EXCUSE ME! I'm quite deaf when my CI is not working. I'm not a hearing person just like a hearing person! I may act and talk like a hearing person and I even identify with the hearing world far more than I do the deaf world but that does not make me hearing. I'm a 'tweener living between both worlds and I had my share of the pain being there. Fortunately for me, I can function very well in the hearing world and thus that is where I belong. I know of something about which I speak. I'm very thankful for my parents to push me to be hearing...yea I paid a price but it was well worth it me. I recognize that it doesn't work for everybody which is why I'm much more flexible about the business.

Maybe it didn't work out very well for you. Maybe somebody didn't do their job with you. I don't know your full story and I'm sorry for your pain. Don't pass judgement on others. This thread is about opinions not indictments...everybody gets their say whether you agree or not...

 

[Sweetmind]

I can function very well in the hearing world and thus that is where I belong. I know of something about which I speak.

Are you telling me that I am not function in this society? Thats very offensive by you and your attitude. I can function myself in this society anytime if they respect my rights. For your info hearng world doesnt own us or this earth. I dont believe you that it fits you 100 percent in Hearing world ( i hate this term) That s full of crap unless u are more than mild hoh that would be differences.. I know you have a problem with hearies like all of us deafies.

Like I said give d/Deaf children 's rights to Freedom. Thats all I can say that they need to face the reality and change their attitude toward d/Deaf children s rights and true identity. I did give my hearing children 's right to freedom to communicate with both communities. They dont have any problem with that if you mind.

I DO NOT NEED THEIR GIMMICK FACES that I couldnt understand their different kind of lip movements 100 percent or have their flated face without any facial expression or body language DUH!!. Sighs!

Thank you!

Sweetmind

 

[sr171soars]

Are you telling me that I am not function in this society? Thats very offensive by you and your attitude. I can function myself in this society anytime if they respect my rights. For your info hearng world doesnt own us or this earth. I dont believe you that it fits you 100 percent in Hearing world ( i hate this term) That s full of crap unless u are more than mild hoh that would be differences.. I know you have a problem with hearies like all of us deafies.

Sweetmind

Please pray tell where I said you couldn't function in society. You said that not me. I said nothing of the kind.

You are the offensive one in stating what I can I do. How do you know? I have plenty of people in my life that take me for a normal hearing person. Some are aware that I'm not 100% hearing but most aren't. I use the phone all the time and I can hear conference calls and do all the things generally that a hearing person can do. I have been severely HOH all of my life and then got a CI as my hearing was going. I just happen to one of those HOH types that caught on to using a verbial language both from a hearing and speaking perspective. I never said that I was 100% functional hearing wise. I have my limits but I have learned to live with it as others. I also know not every HOH can do this well either as I have been around enough deaf people over time to recognize this fact.

I have never learned sign and probably will never do so (if you don't need to...). FYI - My wife and kids are hearing so it is a moot point for me to learn sign. I'm a firm believer in use it or lose it and I wouldn't use sign enough to stay good at it.

This does not mean I frown on sign or ASL or whatever tool one needs to use. I'm all for it. I just prefer to give kids an opportunity to learn many different possibilities including verbial language.

 

[Sweetmind]

That would be your loss later in your life time before you jumped all over me. Thats all I can say..

 

[highlands]

I'm a tweener living between both worlds and I had my share of the pain being there.

Same here.. ( BTW, I'm a hoh person with severe to profound loss )

I don't understand why some people object to CIs !!!
CI is just an aid smilar to HA ( technically,they function differently ,of course ).. CI doesn't kill the deafness... CI just helps those who cannot benefit from HAs with getting some sound information .. All I see here is that some people consider CIs as an area where there is a battle between deaf and hearing worlds.. and CIs don't stop a person who may want to function in deaf world as well..

 

[rockdrummer]

This is clearly a controversial subject with many sides and opinions. Even though I had to make this decision for my child over a decade ago, just speaking of it brings up emotions that I thought were gone. This CI did not work for my son and for me that was a sad thing.

We didn't go into this because we had to have the latest technology. My position is to do whatever it takes to give my son a chance to be successful in the world. I think we can all agree that without some form of communication, you chances to succeed diminish. I don't care if it is a CI, HA, ASL, Signed English, Home signs or whatever. I will gravitate to what is working best for my child and stick to that solution. If things change, then we will adjust.

I just really took offense to the starter of the thread saying that parents who chose CI's for their children are stupid. A more appropriate word (in my case) would be ignorant. Remember, ignorance simply means you don't know any better. And due to the lack of information available to me, I really didn't know any better and was ignorant to the situation. It was not for lack of trying or searching and researching. Stupidity on the other hand means that you do know better but chose to do the wrong thing anyway. While I am sure some parents do fall in this category, I also know that many don’t. We should not stereotype. It’s not good in any situation.

I also heard a recent statistic that suggested only 3% of parents of deaf children take the time to learn sign. I can’t imagine isolating your child like that and if that is true, then I would suggest (as sweetmind did) that is a form of abuse. I am fairly smart man and find it very difficult to learn and retain sign. That doesn’t mean I will give up. I will NEVER give up. Would it be easier if the CI worked? Absolutely, but how easy my life would be if my son could hear was not even in the criteria for deciding to try the CI.

Deafness is a handicap and like many handicaps, there are hurdles to overcome. It’s not easy in the world for anyone who is handicapped. If you told a blind person there is a device that might make them see, I think they would be interested in more information. If you told a paraplegic there is a device that might give them the ability to walk. I think they would be interested in more information. If you told someone with autism there is a device that may cure them, I think they would be interested in more information. I only hope that today parents have more information available to them to aid in an educated decision.

I highly commend those that embrace their handicap, overcome the hurdles and are successful in the world. I also commend those who are interested in solutions to eliminate or reduce their handicap. Both are very couragous.

 

[highlands]

Good Posting rockdrummer

If only I had had parents like you !!

I'm not totally deaf but I'm at a point that is much closer to deaf world than hearing world... I wear an analog hearing aid.

My family didn't want to accept my loss .. It's very hurting to have some handicap ( I used this term but it may be better to say impaired ) and to have to fight with my family at the same time.. It is alwasy the best to accept the existence of the handicap and parents should seek for better ways of improving quality of impaired person's life .. You do it and I appreciate your hard work

Cochlear implants and hearing aids are devices that are designed to assist to the deaf or hard of hearing people .. They are not designed to cure deafness .. I think , the problem disscussed in this thread is that some people think that CI are for killing deafness... Even though a deaf person uses CI , he/she is STILL deaf and he/she may still join in wonderful world of deafness

In some ways, deafness seems to be a handicap or impairment , but in reality ,it is a door to a wonderful world

 

[Kalista]

Deafness is a handicap and like many handicaps, there are hurdles to overcome. It’s not easy in the world for anyone who is handicapped.

Read my lip ! {edited}
I do not consider that they label me as handicap, Deafness or hearing impaired. I prefer, they label me "Deaf"

Big Sigh !!!

I can walk
I can write
I can type
I can drive
I can ran
I can dance
I can climb the tree
I can swing at the playground
I can ride the bike
I can fuck with my husband.

Do I look like handicap ?

 

[Sweetmind]

:bsflag:

I have never learned sign and probably will never do so (if you don't need to...). FYI - My wife and kids are hearing so it is a moot point for me to learn sign. I'm a firm believer in use it or lose it and I wouldn't use sign enough to stay good at it.

Guess what I feel like I am not invited into your house since no one signs in your house.. So I feel offended as well as it s a fact. I'm sure that you wouldn't be providing interpreter services for me if I was to visit your home. And I am not responsibile for your communication needs because you think you dont need sign langauge. You dont have any respect for me and who I am and my needs and my rights. Thats the whole point it is a struggle for me and won't understand you completely. I will miss out the whole conversation going on in your house. I find this is UNNECESSARY. LIPReading is not 100 perecent for all of us. It s not a two way street with you while It is with ASL with or without orally speaking if you don't mind. Thats the whole point that I WILL NOT do it for you but you gotta to work with me also.

IT s same old routine audist attitude that you have .. I am not gonna sniff around oral method only area.. NO thanks.. Thank you for showing your true colors. How interesting!! Thats very unthoughtful and self centered and that is ONE sided as usual....

NO ONE CAN FORCE ME TO HEAR AND SPEAK ONLY and telling me that u dont need to use sign is too limiting to yourself.. How selfish to leave natural deaf people with ex Hearing Aids and CIs out there who would love to be friends with you that goes into the trash can and throw away the opportunity for you to communicate with natural deaf people like me. That, to me, is the view of a CI radical with an audist attitude JEEEZZZ!!!!!!!!!! It doesnt make any sense at all. OH please!!!

It seems to me that you dont give a shyte about working together to have communication with non oralists. The whole pen and paper thing is not really effective and is otherwise unnecessary when you could just simply use Sign Language. BINGO!!!!!!

Thank you!
Sweetmind

 

[highlands]

NO ONE CAN FORCE ME TO HEAR AND SPEAK ONLY and telling me that u dont need to use sign is too limiting to yourself.. How selfish to leave natural deaf people with ex Hearing Aids and CIs out there who would love to be friends with you that goes into the trash can and throw away the opportunity for you to communicate with natural deaf people like me.

You stressed a good point !!

Of course, no one can be forced to use HAs and CIs .. IF they CHOOSE to avoid those devices then it's their own choice.. I highly respect them

I don't know how to learn sign language since there is no deaf people around me .

I would love to learn sign language and use it to communicate with the deaf.
My love is a deaf person and it would be a great tool to talk to her

 

[rockdrummer]

Sorry that the word handicap offended you. I didn't mean for it to do that and after reading your response, I thought that maybe I chose the wrong word. So I looked up the definition and found this.

Main Entry: 1hand·i·cap
Pronunciation: 'han-di-"kap, -dE-
Function: noun
2 a : a disadvantage that makes achievement unusually difficult b sometimes offensive : a physical disability

It says it's sometimes offensive and based on your response, it is true. I didn't mean to offend anyone and I am sorry if I did. Because my son is profoundly deaf, he is at a learning disadvantage which per the definition is a handicap. I see this every day and I see this in his school reports. I chose not to use the word inparied because that means a reduction in perfection. Since he is profoundly deaf, there is not a reduction but an elimination in his ability to hear perfectly. He can't hear a sound. It would not offend me if someone were to say he was handicapped. Becuase he is. I accept that. He has a physical disability with his ears and is at a disadvantage with regards to achievement. This doens't mean he will not acheive, it simply means that he is at a disadvantage.

Again, I am sorry to offend anybody with this word. It was not my intention.

 

[Sweetmind]

Deafness is a handicap and like many handicaps, there are hurdles to overcome. It’s not easy in the world for anyone who is handicapped. If you told a blind person there is a device that might make them see, I think they would be interested in more information. If you told a paraplegic there is a device that might give them the ability to walk. I think they would be interested in more information. If you told someone with autism there is a device that may cure them, I think they would be interested in more information. I only hope that today parents have more information available to them to aid in an educated decision.

I am referring to the statement that Deafness is a handicap. Because if it really was a handicap then where is my handicapped parking pass?

Im referring to the statement about deaf autism or hearing with no vocals...they can learn ASL that works for them as I know it so.

There are many references for ASL as well.

Smile!
Sweetmind

 

[highlands]

I am referring to the statement that Deafness is a handicap. Because if it really was a handicap then where is my handicapped parking pass?

Im referring to the statement about deaf autism or hearing with no vocals...they can learn ASL that works for them as I know it so.

There are many references for ASL as well.

Smile!
Sweetmind

In my opinion, The hearies compares deaf or hoh people to that of health standards for hearing people ... they think there is lack of something .. so they call us handicapped !

In reality , deaf world has its own standards and beauties and it's different from hearing world.. there is a diversity between these two worlds

 

[Sweetmind]

In my opinion, The hearies compares deaf or hoh people to that of health standards for hearing people ... they think there is lack of something .. so they call us handicapped !

NEGATIVE VIEW of Deafness while they reject deaf because of their own audist attitude that relates to PREJUDICE / DISCRIMINATION and you can name it all that never ends. I dont understand this anymore after all MEDICAL did harm those d/Deaf children in many ways that shouldnt be done by their own control / power / $$$$ . Thats the only reason they are doing it all along in this society and know it all about deafness on one sided as usual. I aint licking my lollipop.

In reality , deaf world has its own standards and beauties and it's different from hearing world.. there is a diversity between these two worlds

Positive outlook that we want to offer and share our communication as well as we did not reject them.That is a real gift of appreciation for both communities. We worked very hard to make the difference.

So therefore I am very glad that I am a natural deaf person after all those negative experiences that I had for a long time from audist attitude...Boy I am so thankful for being deaf and use my hands to communicate with both communities in a diversity world.

Thank you! You are right. I just want to add to it to make it clearly.

Have a wonderful day!
Sweetmind

 

[rockdrummer]

Read my lip ! {edited}

I do not consider that they label me as handicap, Deafness or hearing impaired. I prefer, they label me "Deaf"

Big Sigh !!!

I can walk
I can write
I can type
I can drive
I can ran
I can dance
I can climb the tree
I can swing at the playground
I can ride the bike
I can fuck with my husband.

Do I look like handicap ?

I learn more about the deaf community and culture every day. I have chatted with deaf people that agree their deafness is a handicap and it's obvious that some don't. This is ok. Each of us have different views of ourselves and the world around us. This is ok too.

I am sorry to you Kalista for offending you. It sounds like you don't like the word handicap, deafness, or hearing impaired. How could I possibly know that. I was only trying to make a comparison for the sake of the CI discussion. I hope that you are able to get beyond the word I used and at least find something good in what I said.

 

[rockdrummer]

I don't know how to learn sign language since there is no deaf people around me. I would love to learn sign language and use it to communicate with the deaf. My love is a deaf person and it would be a great tool to talk to her

I have taken many ASL classes but am not able to retain it because I don't have the opportunity to use it. This is why I am trying to meet some adult deaf friends in my area. I am finding that it is not so easy to do. I have joined many deaf sites and have only met two deaf people in my state and they are even to far away to hang out with or attend social events with. It is my priority to learn as much about the deaf culture as I can and make some new good friends that are deaf. Hopefully we can help each other out in some way. If your love is deaf, and she knows ASL, why not take some asl classes. I have found a pretty good site that I try to use to keep up on my ASL. It's called http://www.aslpro.com check it out.

 

[deafdyke]

We didn't go into this because we had to have the latest technology. My position is to do whatever it takes to give my son a chance to be successful in the world.

Rockdrummer, I said SOME parents are like that, espcially since the criteria for implantation has changed. There are some parents who are OK with sign and who think "Oh COOL! I get to learn Sign and learn about all this cool cultural stuff!"....But many parents are still really despondent about the fact that their kid is DIFFERENT!!!!!!!!!! One of my friends on here says that she went to a support group for hoh kids, and ALL the parents there were whining and saying that they wish their dhh kid was "healthy and normal" .....Unfortunatly that type of attitude is too common among parents, even today!

Good posting! A very balanced answer to the difficulties with the whole business.

Thanks! And I appreciate your response....FINALLY an oralist who is rather sucessful in the hearing world, who thinks that it's OK to be non partasain towards early methodology. I commend you on that.
Sweetmind, don't you agree that it's better to have command of TWO languages, rather then ONE? I think its productive for deaf kids to have some spoken English skills, so they aren't lost without an interpreter.

 

[sr171soars]

Guess what I feel like I am not invited into your house since no one signs in your house.. So I feel offended as well as it s a fact. I'm sure that you wouldn't be providing interpreter services for me if I was to visit your home. And I am not responsibile for your communication needs because you think you dont need sign langauge. You dont have any respect for me and who I am and my needs and my rights. Thats the whole point it is a struggle for me and won't understand you completely. I will miss out the whole conversation going on in your house. I find this is UNNECESSARY. LIPReading is not 100 perecent for all of us. It s not a two way street with you while It is with ASL with or without orally speaking if you don't mind. Thats the whole point that I WILL NOT do it for you but you gotta to work with me also.

IT s same old routine audist attitude that you have .. I am not gonna sniff around oral method only area.. NO thanks.. Thank you for showing your true colors. How interesting!! Thats very unthoughtful and self centered and that is ONE sided as usual....

NO ONE CAN FORCE ME TO HEAR AND SPEAK ONLY and telling me that u dont need to use sign is too limiting to yourself.. How selfish to leave natural deaf people with ex Hearing Aids and CIs out there who would love to be friends with you that goes into the trash can and throw away the opportunity for you to communicate with natural deaf people like me. That, to me, is the view of a CI radical with an audist attitude JEEEZZZ!!!!!!!!!! It doesnt make any sense at all. OH please!!!

It seems to me that you dont give a shyte about working together to have communication with non oralists. The whole pen and paper thing is not really effective and is otherwise unnecessary when you could just simply use Sign Language. BINGO!!!!!!

Thank you!
Sweetmind

What assumptions we make! Please...I had enough of this lunancy! Of course, I would have an interpreter available or if the person only spoke Spanish...a translator would be there. Given your attitude and underlying bitterness, don't worry we have no reason to meet. This is exactly what turned me off to the deaf in general until I realized not all acted this way.

I joined AD to see if some sanity prevailed and by and large it has in my opinion. What turned me off (about the deaf) years ago was visiting a beloved former teacher (at Galludet) from my deaf school (four years) before I was mainstreamed. I couldn't believe how "snotty" alot of the deaf were about me wearing a HA and speaking like the hearing. Like I was some exotic creature who broke the rules. Excuse me for breathing! I much prefer the hearing world as they pretty much accepted me as I am.

Your pathetic attempts to lay a guilt trip trap on me about leaving behind the natural deaf is utterly without merit. For one thing, I'm in the hearing world 24x7 with no opportunity to deal with them. I simply have forged my own identity and I'm comfortable with who and what I am. My motto is that I'm a hearing person who happens to be deaf. If that is a problem for you, so be it. No sweat off my back. I haven't judged anybody here in this forum even if I have wondered about certain ones. Life is far too short to get all riled up about others who do things differently. It works for me... If I do deal with the natural deaf as you put it, it will be with somebody interpreting the proceedings so that everybody is comfortable and nobody is left out.

Live and let live...

 

[me_punctured]

Oooo! I am very tempted to answer your question, Eyeth, but it wasn't clearly directed at me. I'm fidgeting in my seat.

The single biggest obstacle a deaf child faces in his/her infant years, when the parents are hearing and do not know any sort of visual-based language, Eyeth, would be acquiring language by learning it as it is expressed (spoken or signed). Did I answer your question? I can give you a longer, more in-depth answer, if you'd like.