Hi! I am new to not only the forum but the community. I have been HoH all my life due to chronic and misdiagnosed allergies and infections. I have a problem with liquid building up in my ears. I was even born with liquid in my ears and didn't talk for the first four years of my life.
About 8 years ago, I had to have emergency surgery on my ears due to meningitis caused by an untreated ear infection and was told I would need a hearing aid. I don't want one honestly but find it hard to deal with the hearing community sometimes... it feels like too often though. When I tell them I am HoH, I can feel them rolling their eyes or thinking, "so what?" It does create a barrier and some people don't believe me and think that I am rude because I didn't see them nor hear them. For some reason, people like to stand behind me when they talk.
I feel like I have missed out on a lot because I didn't know about deaf culture and the community. I just barely learned about it today by accident and I am 40 years old. I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do. I don't know ASL but I want to. When I asked someone today about it, she pitched getting a degree in it and becoming an interpreter. I wish! But even that, I don't think I can do because how can I interpret properly when I hear 50% of what is being said at best. But I would love any suggestions on how I can learn more of not only ASL but of the culture that I wish I knew about sooner.
About 8 years ago, I had to have emergency surgery on my ears due to meningitis caused by an untreated ear infection and was told I would need a hearing aid. I don't want one honestly but find it hard to deal with the hearing community sometimes... it feels like too often though. When I tell them I am HoH, I can feel them rolling their eyes or thinking, "so what?" It does create a barrier and some people don't believe me and think that I am rude because I didn't see them nor hear them. For some reason, people like to stand behind me when they talk.
I feel like I have missed out on a lot because I didn't know about deaf culture and the community. I just barely learned about it today by accident and I am 40 years old. I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do. I don't know ASL but I want to. When I asked someone today about it, she pitched getting a degree in it and becoming an interpreter. I wish! But even that, I don't think I can do because how can I interpret properly when I hear 50% of what is being said at best. But I would love any suggestions on how I can learn more of not only ASL but of the culture that I wish I knew about sooner.
