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
to AllDeaf forum. Don't pay much attention to drphil. Just be yourself. I had been to Vancouver, BC near where there was a mountain for downhill skiing. I love the snow there. We had a Deaf Skiers Club from Seattle Central Community College (Seattle, Washington) and we were really good bunch of us loving the downhill skiing. It was about 35 years ago. 
