Adjustment to late onset deafness

KristinaB said:
HLAA was no help to me at all. I am much happier here at AD. Everyone here at AD has helped me on this journey. I didn't know much about the deaf community until I "stumbled" into AD while doing an internet search for help. I went from being just hoh to total deaf. For me, it was progressive hearing loss, but a different issue turned the hearing off like a light switch.
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How was HLAA was of no help to you? Just curious as I never associate with them.
 
shel90 said:
How was HLAA was of no help to you? Just curious as I never associate with them.
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I would ask different questions about products or services and was told that that was what the internet was for. Also, I would ask just some general questions about dealing with everything and was told to grow up. Basically, I got the feeling that they were uncaring and rude.
 
KristinaB said:
I would ask different questions about products or services and was told that that was what the internet was for. Also, I would ask just some general questions about dealing with everything and was told to grow up. Basically, I got the feeling that they were uncaring and rude.
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Really? Sounds like a forum I wont visit anytime soon!
 
KristinaB said:
HLAA was no help to me at all. I am much happier here at AD. Everyone here at AD has helped me on this journey. I didn't know much about the deaf community until I "stumbled" into AD while doing an internet search for help. I went from being just hoh to total deaf. For me, it was progressive hearing loss, but a different issue turned the hearing off like a light switch.
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Wait, are you just talking about the HLAA forum? I was actually referring to going to some of the HLAA functions.

Anyway, I thought I'd mention the HLAA cause some late-deafened people may not be aware that such organizations exists. That they should be aware that such an option exists.
 
My local HLAA group seems to be a marketing tool. The audiologists and CI people use the group for advertising (both in the newsletter and presentations). The group says that it's a "consumer" group. Not sure what that means. This may be helpful to some people but people need to be aware of this focus.

HLAA is not for me mostly because it's just not fun. I don't want to discuss "how to cope." I want a social outlet. HLAA meets only once a month where I live and it's a standard meeting. ASL events are frequent social events in various places, like restaurants, malls, bars, festivals, etc. I've made friends and improved my skills. Highly recommended!
 
HHIssues said:
Wait, are you just talking about the HLAA forum? I was actually referring to going to some of the HLAA functions.

Anyway, I thought I'd mention the HLAA cause some late-deafened people may not be aware that such organizations exists. That they should be aware that such an option exists.
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There are no HLAA functions here in my area. Even if there were, I would never step foot on the property. Even my Deaf Club says they are worthless. All they want to to help people deal with it. they do not want to educate and offer ideas to grow in the experience. I get that through AllDeaf, PBCAD, (my deaf club) and my local Deaf Service Center.
 
I didnt know what HLAA stood for and I googled it, now I know. The closest chapter to me is in Texarkana, AR. Just a mere 4 hours from here. :lol:

I am told there is a Deaf Social in Ft. Smith, but I am not completely familiar with the area so I don't go. HOWEVER if I get the iPhone I may utilize the GPS feature to get around the city to go to one of these functions.

I wish I lived in an area where I could meet and greet with other D/HOH people for socialization, not just for 'coping'. I have been like this since birth, I would say I would be a cookie short of a dozen if I had not learned to 'cope' with deafness/hoh-ness by the ripe old age of 26. :lol:
 
Dixie said:
I didnt know what HLAA stood for and I googled it, now I know. The closest chapter to me is in Texarkana, AR. Just a mere 4 hours from here. :lol:

I am told there is a Deaf Social in Ft. Smith, but I am not completely familiar with the area so I don't go. HOWEVER if I get the iPhone I may utilize the GPS feature to get around the city to go to one of these functions.

I wish I lived in an area where I could meet and greet with other D/HOH people for socialization, not just for 'coping'. I have been like this since birth, I would say I would be a cookie short of a dozen if I had not learned to 'cope' with deafness/hoh-ness by the ripe old age of 26. :lol:
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I think I used to have some official from HLAA on my friends list at Facebook. He had requested. Then I think he figured out I am deaf and tossed me off his friends list. :(

He had one of those little airplane Otocool things on his hearing aid and I kind of liked it. Oh well
 
wavedancer said:
I'm having a little trouble connecting to the other Deafies in my area, but that is likely because I've only been here for a little more than a week, lol.
Still, if I can't connect because people are too far away or something, I will just start my Own Deaf.. Something ! Deaf coffee chat or Deaf Darts and pool, or even "People who are bad at ASL Practice group".
It's scary what can be accomplished with an attitude and too much free time :P
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Good idea! Many of us should do the same thing. I know from my own experience, I wish there were more Deaf (sign language only) gatherings. There are mostly monthly gatherings (in Australia). It would be nice to have some weekly ones.
 
Tommy...yes, I have the same thing with me. I call it "deaf sense". My sense of smell is so great now I think the cops should hire me as a drug sniffing deafie! I started to lose my hearing in my 20's and now I am severe to profound deaf. Because my vision and smell and touch senses became so much stronger I didn't really think that I was HOH or deaf for a long time, I had adapted so well. Heck, I didn't know that I could lipread until my hearing test. When the lady did the word game she was sitting across the table from me and I was doing fine until she smiled and then covered her mouth with paper, after that I was lost!
 
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Well I have yet to leave the water running just because I'm so anal and I check everything before I leave a room (yes it gets tiring) but in my last apartment the hearie chick upstairs left her water running in the kitchen sink so long that it came into mine and flooded my kitchen and living room! And keep in mind that her apt was only a 1br that was 550 sq ft at the most!! I suggested a hearing test to her...lol!
 
hubby -happens to be deaf w/o HA's and didn't happen to check like you do, srlevesque - left water running recently - and I missed it too as I'm now hoh <am in my 30's>.
 
srlevesque said:
Tommy...yes, I have the same thing with me. I call it "deaf sense". My sense of smell is so great now I think the cops should hire me as a drug sniffing deafie! I started to lose my hearing in my 20's and now I am severe to profound deaf. Because my vision and smell and touch senses became so much stronger I didn't really think that I was HOH or deaf for a long time, I had adapted so well. Heck, I didn't know that I could lipread until my hearing test. When the lady did the word game she was sitting across the table from me and I was doing fine until she smiled and then covered her mouth with paper, after that I was lost!
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That is so true about myself too. I smell stuff all the time and ask others if they can smell it and they are like "no" and then a few minutes later theyre like "I can smell it now".

And I think its funny when I have hearing tests and the person giving me the test looks at me and they finally realize whats going on when they mouth something and I tell them what they said and they tell me that they made no sound.
 
Have any of my fellow latened deafies experienced any hostility (lg or sm) from ppl on here in re: to not being born deaf? If so how have you felt about it and how have you handled it?
Thanks
Staci
 
srlevesque said:
Have any of my fellow latened deafies experienced any hostility (lg or sm) from ppl on here in re: to not being born deaf? If so how have you felt about it and how have you handled it?
Thanks
Staci
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Of course they have. That is why this thread was my brainchild.

It gives you a safe place to go and talk without offending everyone until you get your sea legs. :lol:
 
Bottesini said:
Of course they have. That is why this thread was my brainchild.

It gives you a safe place to go and talk without offending everyone until you get your sea legs. :lol:
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So then should a newbie such as myself restrict themselves to commenting only on this thread and wait until I have my sea legs as you put it? And if so then how would one know that they are ready to post elsewhere?
 
srlevesque said:
So then should a newbie such as myself restrict themselves to commenting only on this thread and wait until I have my sea legs as you put it? And if so then how would one know that they are ready to post elsewhere?
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Just observe how the interaction goes on the forum for a little while and then it should be easy for you to see how we interact.

You can go out there anytime you want. The thing we notice most about the late deafened is that they are terribly sensitive and not used to our blunt speaking.
 
:wave: hubby is very blunt and I had some interaction with the Deaf community before I started losing my hearing, so I don't remember being surprised by bluntness but I still know how important it was and is for me to be open here, to try not to take things personally, to think about what I can learn and to keep trying. My nature is to be shy and sensitive but I'm also persistent and flexible.
 
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