Can a Deaf Person Hear? My Journey as a Deaf Trekker.

My Journey as a Deaf Person.

What is being Deaf like?

Growing up with Analog Hearing Aids.

Adulting in a Digital World.

Can a Deaf Person hear?

Breaking down the “normal” communication barriers.

How to Talk to Deaf People

Accepting Deafness in a Hearing World.

---

Picture it: The year is 1988. Grab a cassette tape!

Guns N’ Roses topped the music charts with their still popular Rock-anthem; Sweet Child of Mine.  In September, America’s first “#1 Reggae song” topped the charts; Don’t Worry be Happy, by the one hit wonder, Bobby McFerrin.

On September 17th, I came into the world. Born in Hampshire county, WV. I was my parent’s first child. I grew from infant and developed into toddler hood. At a visit to my grandparents house, around two years old. My grandfather observed me playing with toys and holding them next to my ear.

Sweet Child of Mine never heard the riffs.

 At that point, my parents were concerned. After a trip to the audiologist, they had found out that I was deaf. Bi-lateral hearing loss. Deaf in both ears. I had a moderate hearing loss at about 60dB.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

(We are All Created by God)

At the age of 2, I began wearing BTE (behind the ear) hearing aids. Also, at the age of 2; I started Pre-K at West Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Romney, WV.

I don’t remember life before wearing hearing aids.

I don’t remember ever going to speech therapy after diagnosis. I barely remember going to West Virginia School for the Deaf.

Throw me a line, I was Hooked on Phonics

By the age of 5, I was able to read and write. I was pulled out of WVSD. My mother wanted to homeschool me. I began first grade at 5 years old. I was homeschooled until I graduated in 2006, at 17 years old.

I remember my first day of being homeschooled. In 1994, I was five years old. Almost 6. I remember sitting at a wooden desk that my parents bought at an auction. I started first grade in my brother’s bedroom.

Starring down at my Christian Light Curriculum dotted with images of Mennonite women and children.

Math was such a struggle. I remember struggling to figure out what “add” and “plus” means. Like the concept of the word made no sense. 1 AND 1 IS 2.

As a child, I loved writing stories about families

I’d draw people and write stories about families. Most of my stories involved a family going on vacation. My hobbies were playing outside, riding bikes, playing computer.

Fast forward to fourth grade. I struggled with fractions. Again, the application of the words; multiply and divide.

Meanwhile, at that same time; at 10 years of age. I submitted my first story for a writing contest. It was a national contest sponsored by Waldenbooks in partnership with Arthur and PBS Kids. I wrote a ten-page story about the character Arthur teaching his monkey Sign Language. I won first place!

“The whole world can’t adapt to one person. But, one person can adapt to the whole world…“

This is the mentality my parents had. Rather than to make the hearing world adaptive to a deaf child. It would be much easier to make a deaf child hearing the world.

My parents had high ambitions for me

I do not have any regrets in their choices. I would not be the person I am today, without those hard choices they made.

They had a vision for me to grow up responsible, self sufficient, and obedient. Maybe a bit “old fashioned” or strict.

I can remember being young as 8 years old, and making breakfast for the entire family. At the young age of 8, I was able to read recipes and make cookies from scratch. Start to finish!

My Saturdays were spent cleaning the entire house, which I got paid an allowance for.

We went to church two or three times a week, church was a huge part of my upbringing.

I grew up very sheltered

I didn’t have many friends growing up.  Socialization happened in church, family functions, and at the bi-monthly homeschool group. Each year, I went to  church camp for a week. I’d spend time at my Grandmother’s. Or visiting cousins.

I’ve always struggled with socializing. Especially with crowds. I prefer one-on-one, in a quiet place.

“Nobody Talks to Me”

Going to family reunions or a church fellowship dinner; I hated it. The many voices in the room creates one huge “ROMP“.  People would come up and say “Hi, How are you?”… But the conversation ended. I’d find myself keeping busy with food.

In 2006, at 17 years old. I received my High School Diploma. I was not sure about college. Or what I wanted to do when I grow up.

I enrolled into Mineral County Technical Center for Business and Marketing. This was my first time in a real school, as far as my memory goes. The class room setting, socialization with peers. It was all new! I was the quiet one, and didn’t make any friends.

“She’s quiet until you get to know her”

Throughout my adult life, I have heard friends tell me that they’ve told acquaintances.

Living in my sheltered life, I never really had to tell people that I’m deaf. I was either related to them or they knew.

I get treated differently instantly

I rarely ever “flash out” my deaf card. It seems easier to go with the flow. Than to explain to people. Usually followed by Mime-Pictionary and over-enunciating.

Hiding my disability has helped me get hired.

In my experience, during job searches. Filling out applications and EEOC paperwork. Checking “NO I DO NOT HAVE A DISABILITY” usually led to a call back.

In fact, my last employer had no idea of my deafness. Almost ten years delivering medication and coordinating routes. My supervisor and coworkers had no idea. Only a very few of my patients knew; after they’d complain about their hearing aids not working. Only then I’d say;

“I’ve been wearing hearing aids for over 30 years. Let me take a look!”

Even to this day; I struggle with telling people that I’m deaf. I can speak. But, I really have trouble listening.

When the conversation goes beyond “Hi, How are you?”…

I get lost in the banter of small talk

At a young age, as a teen, as an adult… It takes so much focus to listen. 

I can hear with my hearing aids.

Piece by piece, word by word.. It’s like my brain has trouble processing sounds and distinguishing words.

Sometimespeopletalkwaytoofastanditsoundslikeonehugeparagraph.

If I had to describe my own deafness;

Listening to conversation is like reading a book from 5 feet away.

You can see a few words.

Together a group of words kinda makes sense. In the complete sentence; you kinda get the gist. If you really focus and strain yourself.

As you read one sentence, another comes.

Oh, newsflash: everything is audible! This book must be read to speed.

Conversation is an audiobook, that I’m expected to “keep up” with.

There’s no time to read the same sentence over and over. Or the entire paragraph. Or really to comprehend/apply/understand.

A lot of anxiety happens with listening to audible conversation.

I was born missing a sense

When communicating with ASL (American Sign Language) it’s like,

The book goes from 5ft away to 5 inches away.

Everything becomes clear.

Every word said. And there’s no anxiety or stress in figuring out every word from each sentence. Well, the signs I do know.

I’m neither proficient in English, nor ASL.

After all, I’ve spent my entire life not identifying with the Deaf world. or hearing world. Learning two languages at two years old. I struggle with both ASL and English.

If it weren’t for my younger sister, I’d likely be at “level 0”. We communicate primarily through ASL.

I am most comfortable around Deaf peers

I have spent little time with the Deaf Community in Morgantown, WV.  They host monthly outings and events. I should go more often, really. The get-togethers I’ve went to; I’ve enjoyed tremendously.

Transparency of Truth

I’m currently wearing Phonak Naida v50 UP BTE (behind the ear) Hearing Aids. They’re one of the strongest hearing aids on the market.

I was born with about 60dB Hearing in each ear. At my last audiologist appointment; I tested at 93dB and 97dB.

---

What is a Decibel?

---

My hearing is declining as I get older. As much as I heavily rely on my hearing aids; I anticipate a day they may not benefit me.

I can hear low sounds better than high pitched sounds

I can’t hear the smoke alarm, the pitch frequency is too high

Phone calls are getting to be almost impossible.

Music sounds best at concert!

---

Spectrums of Deafness

Each Deaf Person has their own advantages, struggles, triumphs and joys. What I struggle with, could be easy or 100% impossible for one of my Deaf peers.

We’re all in this together; as we “deal with” communication issues.

I understand the energy and frustration that goes into a “simple” conversation.

Deaf People are able to do everything a Hearing person can do.. Except hear!

Communicating with a Deaf Person

As someone who has worn hearing aids for over 30 years.  I communicate by lip reading along with hearing.

• Get our Attention First!
  • A tap on the shoulder, a nudge, anything!
• Face us, directly.
  • I don’t know someone is talking to me, unless they’re right in front of me.
• Speak at a normal pace
  • Dontrushthrougheverysentence
  • D O  N O T   T A L K  L I K E  T H I S
• Rephrase the sentence
  • If a Deaf Person says “What?” more than twice.. It’s likely not going to “click”. Rearrange the sentence and use different words.
• Treat us like a Person
  • Not like we’re a toddler.

---

Learn how to Interact with Deaf People Properly

---

As a child, and young adult; I just wanted to be accepted.

I guess hearing is “normal”.

I guess being a certain weight is “normal”.

I’ve wanted my entire life to be normal.

What is Normal?

What may be normal for you, may not be normal for someone else.

We are all uniquely and wonderfully Created. Created by God, brought into this world.

Each and every individual has their own experiences, upbringing, environment, joys and triumphs.

In life, we “measure” situations by our own standard of thinking.

My own standard of thinking is muddy and messed up sometimes.

Stop thinking, and start Thanking!

You are so loved ❤️