I got an CI because I wanted to hear my children's voices and to hear them say ILY Mom to me, I wanted to communicate better with my ex husband and my family. I wanted to do many things that I have never done before and use it when I am a registered nurse. Now I have an CI and I am loving every minute of it because I have more confidence in myself to do anything that I want to do in life. I heard so many things that I have never heard before.
The thing is that I grew up in a hearing family and I grew up oral with English signs. My dad used English before he knew about ASL. My mom, her boyfriend Ron, and my grandparents knows some english signs but still speak to me just fine.. if I couldn't understand they would have written it down on a paper and pen. I use oral and ASL now. So what? I grew up with hearing people and was in hearing world with a few deaf people I knew in my life. I didn't learn about ASL until I was in a deaf school and I was open up to the deaf world. Now I love both worlds that I have. My dad is involved in the deaf community and heck he is thinking about becoming an certificated interpreter even though he is hearing. That's ok if my family doesn't want to be a part of the deaf world .. as long as they still love me and can communicate with me in any way they can. My mom thought about putting an CI on me when I was a baby but my doctor told her to wait a while until technology gets better and just go ahead with me using hearing aid. Then when I was 17 years old, I turned down the opportunity because I was scared due to the deaf people and the deaf culture so I said No. Now that I am an Adult and I got an CI.. I am proud of that and that I am still deaf when it is turned off. I am very lucky! Now, I am in both worlds and I am lucky to have friends who is supportive of me having an CI but at the same time accepting me for who I am. If they can't accept that I have an CI and does not like for who I am then just fook them! What pisses me off that some deaf people who are so DEAF POWER and tell those parents not to put CI on a deaf child(ren). It is not YOUR FRIGGING KID(S) .. IT IS THE PARENT'S KID(S) AND they try to do the best for the kids to have alot of opportunities in their lives. YOu can have your own opinion..FINE.. BUT DON'T SHOVE IT DOWN IN OUR THROATS! Heck, my ex husband and I even talked about if our kids was deaf, we would have put the CI on them because.. we want the best for them and have opportunities in life.. and I don't want them to go through the difficult experiences that I had growing up! Some deaf people need to worry about themselves not the parent's child(ren) and their choices in their life!
have a good day!