Hi, I don't know anyone who is like me

BrittBritt

BrittBritt

New Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2013
Messages
240
Reaction score
1
Hi,

My name is Brittney and I am 32 years old. I was diagnosed as HH in my late 20's. It has been getting worse. I don't know anyone who is hearing impaired. Sometimes I feel so frustrated or have things that no one understands. So I thought that I would look online.

I have been learning ASL for the last few years; but since I don't know anyone who is HH or Deaf, I don't ever get to practice it with other people. That makes it very slow going. I do use ASL signers a few times a week to interprate a few classes for me, but I don't sign myself since I can voice for myself. That makes my own signing very choppy, even though I am starting to understand it when other people sign to me a lot more.

I have gone to some deaf events, but I didn't meet anyone else like me though, plus I feel shy since my signing isn't that great. I'd love to meet some people who are going through what I am going through. People who have spent their whole lives hearing, and now suddenly are losing their hearing in their 20's or 30's. It would be nice to be able to talk to people who understand the things that I go through. Sometimes things get really frustrating and no one in my life can understand.
 
There are a lot of late deafened members on the forum. If you do a search there is a whole thread of late-deafened adults. I'm just learning ASL as well but I started losing my hearing in my teens so I don't really count myself as late-deafened. I do know it can be hard though to be hearing and then know what you're missing out on.

Where abouts do you live if you don't mind me asking? lol
 
i was 30..try not be shy it case of confidence there many people same position,it not easy at this age i soo agree but is there not some kind of rehabilitaion you could ask about....it was sudden for me and i got some nhi help,American health system do they have that you could enquire
 
My Dr said my heaing loss is degeneritive, and that it will continue to get worse. She had me get hearing aids and hasn't ever offered me any rehabilitation. I didn't even know that existed for hearing loss. There are so many things I don't know.

I am going to start researching and learn more about hearing loss and try to meet other people like me. I am in the Sacramento, California area. There are lots of events here for deaf and hoh. I should keep going and try to get over my shyness. My ASL is getting better, but I feel embarrassed when someone actually makes an effort to communicate and meet me, and I can't understand them because they sign really fast, or I don't know all the signs yet. I feel like I frustrate them too. And I also get mistaken for an ASL student a lot when I am at these events because my sign is obviously newer LOL.
 
i went to a place in EASTBOURNE england had take one person with us who be signing with but more to it than signing it taught life style all sorts of things...maybe because it was sudden deafness.there was waiting list go to it and had to meet certain criteria..unless you ask you wont know
best of luck
 
BrittBritt said:
My Dr said my heaing loss is degeneritive, and that it will continue to get worse. She had me get hearing aids and hasn't ever offered me any rehabilitation. I didn't even know that existed for hearing loss. There are so many things I don't know.

I am going to start researching and learn more about hearing loss and try to meet other people like me. I am in the Sacramento, California area. There are lots of events here for deaf and hoh. I should keep going and try to get over my shyness. My ASL is getting better, but I feel embarrassed when someone actually makes an effort to communicate and meet me, and I can't understand them because they sign really fast, or I don't know all the signs yet. I feel like I frustrate them too. And I also get mistaken for an ASL student a lot when I am at these events because my sign is obviously newer LOL.
Click to expand...

Go here to this link and you should be able to find a lot of help. Good luck.

NorCal | Services for Deaf & Hard of Hearing, Inc.
 
BrittBritt said:
My Dr said my heaing loss is degeneritive, and that it will continue to get worse. She had me get hearing aids and hasn't ever offered me any rehabilitation. I didn't even know that existed for hearing loss. There are so many things I don't know.

I am going to start researching and learn more about hearing loss and try to meet other people like me. I am in the Sacramento, California area. There are lots of events here for deaf and hoh. I should keep going and try to get over my shyness. My ASL is getting better, but I feel embarrassed when someone actually makes an effort to communicate and meet me, and I can't understand them because they sign really fast, or I don't know all the signs yet. I feel like I frustrate them too. And I also get mistaken for an ASL student a lot when I am at these events because my sign is obviously newer LOL.
Click to expand...

You should let the person know right away that you're just learning how to sign because you are losing your hearing. Then ask the person to slow down so you can understand what they're signing. I think the person that signing too fast should the one feeling embarrassed if they can't tell you're having a hard time.
 
BrittBritt said:
My Dr said my heaing loss is degeneritive, and that it will continue to get worse. She had me get hearing aids and hasn't ever offered me any rehabilitation. I didn't even know that existed for hearing loss. There are so many things I don't know.

I am going to start researching and learn more about hearing loss and try to meet other people like me. I am in the Sacramento, California area. There are lots of events here for deaf and hoh. I should keep going and try to get over my shyness. My ASL is getting better, but I feel embarrassed when someone actually makes an effort to communicate and meet me, and I can't understand them because they sign really fast, or I don't know all the signs yet. I feel like I frustrate them too. And I also get mistaken for an ASL student a lot when I am at these events because my sign is obviously newer LOL.
Click to expand...

Dont worry about not understanding them because they sign too fast. I was in the same shoes when I was 25 years old. Now, I am 40 and one of those who sign too fast! :D
 
You might also look up SHHH. Self Help for the Hard of Hearing. Used to know people in that national
Org. When you see your dr yell all the time so she will look into HAs
 
I'm just learning ASL as well but I started losing my hearing in my teens so I don't really count myself as late-deafened.
Click to expand...
OT, but lovezebras right on!
 
deafbirk said:
You might also look up SHHH. Self Help for the Hard of Hearing. Used to know people in that national
Org. When you see your dr yell all the time so she will look into HAs
Click to expand...

On the downside, the overwhelming majority of HLAA members tend to be older people. It can be useful to learn about hearing stuff, but on the other hand the approach can be kinda too Hearing Health 101. I know late deafened people who find HLAA's approach kinda dull.
I wish there was an organization like Alldeaf for young folks.....
 
BrittBritt said:
My Dr said my heaing loss is degeneritive, and that it will continue to get worse. She had me get hearing aids and hasn't ever offered me any rehabilitation. I didn't even know that existed for hearing loss. There are so many things I don't know.

I am going to start researching and learn more about hearing loss and try to meet other people like me. I am in the Sacramento, California area. There are lots of events here for deaf and hoh. I should keep going and try to get over my shyness. My ASL is getting better, but I feel embarrassed when someone actually makes an effort to communicate and meet me, and I can't understand them because they sign really fast, or I don't know all the signs yet. I feel like I frustrate them too. And I also get mistaken for an ASL student a lot when I am at these events because my sign is obviously newer LOL.
Click to expand...

Britt,Britt you're doing the right thing! You're just starting out and beginning.......but yeah, ASL rocks...you'll meet a lot of other younger folks too......
 
Hi Brit welcome to AD. I lost all my hearing overnight about 1&1/2 years ago. I too am looking for help in learning ASL. We live very close so if you find some place with help, please let me know. I went to a few Deaf Coffee socials at Starbucks but that's about it.

Good luck and I hope you stick around, there are terrific people on this site.
 
Hi Brit welcome to the site.

Finding the right social connections takes time, I see that too being hard of hearing myself. I think SF and surrounding regions are fairly deaf friendly. If you feel like you are nowhere close to the deaf community's level, that's totally understandable, it happened and still happens to me too.

Like Angel, I'm not too far from you either so if you guys want to hang out sometime let me know. The thing about the HOH and late deafened community (or culture if you want to call it) is that it's speculated that there really isn't any, it's either one of those things you go all in the deaf culture or you try to find far and wide for someone in the same shoes as you.
 
:wave: Wow thanks for the replies. That's so many more than I expected. You are all very friendly and I thank you so much for that. That is what I really needed the last few days. I woke up and read this and smiled. :grouphug: And Angel, I would be so happy to meet someone else who is a little bit like me; although I have to admit, after seeing that you went deaf overnight, it puts my own experience into perspective. At least I am losing it gradually. I can't even imagine waking up one day deaf. How scary that would be! This is scary enough for me to have degenerative hearing loss. Your situation would be just unreal. Do you live in Sac? You can PM me :)

And you are so right Naisho, finding the right social connections does take time. Even when I was perfect hearing, I'd meet tons and tons of people before I'd connect on a real friend level. Now the pool of HoH and deaf is so much smaller. I wonder if I will even be able to meet real friends like me. But I know I definitely wont if I don't at least try to socialize with other people like me.
 
:cheers: welcome to alldeaf.
U came to the right place to get info and meet similar.
U can also meet friends who are deaf but do know how to read lips and talk. As well as knowing asl. Can easily do both sign or read lip. Of course personality and connection helps make learning asl easier... I live in bay.area. but work so don't get to meet many deaf or hh or people who know asl as I'd like to.
Hope u get some fun with the new language and culture etc.:lol:
 
Even when I was perfect hearing, I'd meet tons and tons of people before I'd connect on a real friend level. Now the pool of HoH and deaf is so much smaller. I wonder if I will even be able to meet real friends like me
Click to expand...
You will....it's an awesome community!
 
Back
Top