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pjay

pjay

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Hello, I started losing my hearing almost 20 years ago from Meniere's disease. Went through one ear and now it's working on the other. My hearing ranges anywhere from totally deaf to HOH with a hearing aid, depending how my Meniere's is acting that day. I just started ASL in the last 1 1/2. I was in denial for a long time, and reality just hit about 2 years ago that I will be totally deaf before long.

I have about 5 deaf co-workers, but I only get to see them at work a few times a week. My family doesn't sign and all of my other friends are hearing. I have learned to read lips over the years, but not very good.

I would love to find some friends that understand me and all my problems dealing with the hearing world. I feel very rejected by all my hearing family and friends, not one of them has made the effort to learn ASL to communicate with me, but I'm suppose to go to all their functions and sit and be bored, just to satisfy there need to see me "have a good time".

I've been told if I want to be immersed in the deaf community I should attend the local church that has an interpreter and a large deaf community. I personally have nothing against religion or God, I just have my own views on that subject and don't feel I should have to conform to things I don't believe in just to get to know other deaf people like myself.

I'm feeling very lost and depressed about my future. I have been a secretary my whole life and am probably on my last job. When are contract is over next year I can't imagine who would hire a "deaf" secretary. I want to go back to school, but just can't afford it with my son going to college and my husband out of work.

I'm so sorry to dump all this on you, but that's me in a nutshell. I'm so glad that I found this board and hopefully I will meet some great and wonderful people.
 
Hi. You will find lots of people here like yourself. We have several members with Meniere's disease also. So you can find lots of friends.

:welcome:
 
:welcome: To all deaf.

Have you tried looking into other Deaf clubs or events in your area besides church?
 
hey welcome to All deaf!
I understand your problem but I was in the same boat before I switched to ultrapowered hearing aids since I have a severe loss right now :)
 
Thanks Babyblue, I have been researching for deaf clubs in my area, but haven't found any. I heard we use to have one, but it kind of broke up over the years.
 
pjay said:
Hello, I started losing my hearing almost 20 years ago from Meniere's disease. Went through one ear and now it's working on the other. My hearing ranges anywhere from totally deaf to HOH with a hearing aid, depending how my Meniere's is acting that day. I just started ASL in the last 1 1/2. I was in denial for a long time, and reality just hit about 2 years ago that I will be totally deaf before long.

I have about 5 deaf co-workers, but I only get to see them at work a few times a week. My family doesn't sign and all of my other friends are hearing. I have learned to read lips over the years, but not very good.

I would love to find some friends that understand me and all my problems dealing with the hearing world. I feel very rejected by all my hearing family and friends, not one of them has made the effort to learn ASL to communicate with me, but I'm suppose to go to all their functions and sit and be bored, just to satisfy there need to see me "have a good time".

I've been told if I want to be immersed in the deaf community I should attend the local church that has an interpreter and a large deaf community. I personally have nothing against religion or God, I just have my own views on that subject and don't feel I should have to conform to things I don't believe in just to get to know other deaf people like myself.

I'm feeling very lost and depressed about my future. I have been a secretary my whole life and am probably on my last job. When are contract is over next year I can't imagine who would hire a "deaf" secretary. I want to go back to school, but just can't afford it with my son going to college and my husband out of work.

I'm so sorry to dump all this on you, but that's me in a nutshell. I'm so glad that I found this board and hopefully I will meet some great and wonderful people.
Click to expand...

:welcome: to Alldeaf forum.


Bold statement -

1.) You are not alone, even if you are late deafened. As a Deaf person I can relate what you are saying as my family does not want to sign and don't want to take the time to learn ASL to communicate with me. Lipreading is not accurate and hearing people expected us to understand one hundred percent. :lol:

2.) If I want to stay home or go quietly do my thing like sitting and watching people talking, not understanding what they are talking about. It is bad enough for them not to tell me what is going on. They should be able to communicate with me if one or two knew basic ASL or write down on paper with pen to communicate with me to tell me what is being said. Otherwise, I am in the dark. :roll:

3. If you have not gone to the Deaf events or Deaf clubs like the Hearing Society for the Deaf, then the best bet would be go to the interpreted church services and they will tell you where to go for Deaf events or Starbuck coffee where many deaf people attend. For me, I had or have never gone to Starbuck coffee place before. But I do go to Deaf events pretty much like Deaf camping for Adults and families plus Deaf bowling. If you can look around, even in the yellow pages where there is organizations to find some deaf activities. Good luck on that. :)

4.) I am sorry that your husband is out of work for the moment and now your son is in college. That is good. As for you, if you want to go back to college. The only solution which I hope will help you is to go to the Vocational Rehabilitation counselor who will help you get the benefit of going to college where there is Deaf program like ASL interpreters, notetakers to help you write down for you so that you don't have to write down when you are concentrating on the ASL interpreters in the hearing classrooms. Just talk with the counselor and discuss what your interest you want to be involve in and go from here to there. Also good luck on that. :fingersx:

Just have fun reading and posting all the threads here. See you around here. :wave:
 
Pjay, I thought that CIs were big for progressive Meniere's?
I've been told if I want to be immersed in the deaf community I should attend the local church that has an interpreter and a large deaf community. I personally have nothing against religion or God, I just have my own views on that subject and don't feel I should have to conform to things I don't believe in just to get to know other deaf people like myself.
Click to expand...
It's too bad there's not a Unitarain Church where you are. It's like religion lite, and welcomes spiritual people and atheists and every and anything in between. My "other mom" (mom of my best friend) is Wiccan and they went to a Unitairan church, while my best friend was growing up.
 
pjay said:
Hello, I started losing my hearing almost 20 years ago from Meniere's disease. Went through one ear and now it's working on the other. My hearing ranges anywhere from totally deaf to HOH with a hearing aid, depending how my Meniere's is acting that day. I just started ASL in the last 1 1/2. I was in denial for a long time, and reality just hit about 2 years ago that I will be totally deaf before long.

I have about 5 deaf co-workers, but I only get to see them at work a few times a week. My family doesn't sign and all of my other friends are hearing. I have learned to read lips over the years, but not very good.

I would love to find some friends that understand me and all my problems dealing with the hearing world. I feel very rejected by all my hearing family and friends, not one of them has made the effort to learn ASL to communicate with me, but I'm suppose to go to all their functions and sit and be bored, just to satisfy there need to see me "have a good time".

I've been told if I want to be immersed in the deaf community I should attend the local church that has an interpreter and a large deaf community. I personally have nothing against religion or God, I just have my own views on that subject and don't feel I should have to conform to things I don't believe in just to get to know other deaf people like myself.

I'm feeling very lost and depressed about my future. I have been a secretary my whole life and am probably on my last job. When are contract is over next year I can't imagine who would hire a "deaf" secretary. I want to go back to school, but just can't afford it with my son going to college and my husband out of work.

I'm so sorry to dump all this on you, but that's me in a nutshell. I'm so glad that I found this board and hopefully I will meet some great and wonderful people.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Pleased to meet you. I am also new here. My name is Kitty! :)
Your post actually made me very sad. :(
 
I just read your post and I wanted to say that I'm sorry that none of your hearing friends have taken the time to learn some ASL. I am hearing myself, but I love learning the language. Someone told me it could help with communicating with my kids as babies, so I was eager to learn a few signs. I have two boys 4 and 22 months. I have taught both basic signs and they both love it. My 4 year old signed to me at 10 months :). As a hearing person, learning ASL is hard, and I often feel insecure because I sign slow and get nervous and forget things. I still keep practicing though. I hope that you can find people to practice with and that you are able to keep working. Tanya
 
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