Wheelin Rev
Member
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2006
- Messages
- 534
- Reaction score
- 0
Howdy folks! 
Yeah, I'm a newb to the forum and a newb to signing. I'm not a newb to the Internet or online forums.
I've got a rare degenerative neuromuscular disorder known as MELAS which is causing my hearing to be gradually lost. I've got a ways to go, 60% loss in one ear and 80% in the other, and thought I'd better start learning to sign. Disease progression is an unknown as it can vary through the years. In the past year, progression has been more rapid than previous years. Loss of sight is also a possibility with MELAS and I do have trouble in one of my eyes now.
If I were to eventually lose both senses, I'd be in deep trouble as MELAS also causes neuropathy in the extremeties which would make reading Braile difficult. I am a full-time wheelchair user and due to MELAS, can no longer drive. Bottom line? I hope none of you all suffer from such things known as mitochondrial disorders.
What allows me to travel widely on a daily basis are forums such as this where I can learn from others that are experiencing similar situations.
So I'm going to be in "lurk mode" for a while. I've got a lot going on right now wrt medical and insurance stuff and the dust is flying everywhere. Hopefully by the end of the year, I'll get settled in to my new lifestyle and environment. For now, I just want to do some searching in the archives for transitioning from hearing to signing, SE, SEE, ASL, SW, etc.
I hope to learn a lot from the forum and its members and perhaps eventually I can share a thing or two in some of the threads. C y'all around!
Dave
Yeah, I'm a newb to the forum and a newb to signing. I'm not a newb to the Internet or online forums.
I've got a rare degenerative neuromuscular disorder known as MELAS which is causing my hearing to be gradually lost. I've got a ways to go, 60% loss in one ear and 80% in the other, and thought I'd better start learning to sign. Disease progression is an unknown as it can vary through the years. In the past year, progression has been more rapid than previous years. Loss of sight is also a possibility with MELAS and I do have trouble in one of my eyes now.
If I were to eventually lose both senses, I'd be in deep trouble as MELAS also causes neuropathy in the extremeties which would make reading Braile difficult. I am a full-time wheelchair user and due to MELAS, can no longer drive. Bottom line? I hope none of you all suffer from such things known as mitochondrial disorders.What allows me to travel widely on a daily basis are forums such as this where I can learn from others that are experiencing similar situations.
So I'm going to be in "lurk mode" for a while. I've got a lot going on right now wrt medical and insurance stuff and the dust is flying everywhere. Hopefully by the end of the year, I'll get settled in to my new lifestyle and environment. For now, I just want to do some searching in the archives for transitioning from hearing to signing, SE, SEE, ASL, SW, etc.
I hope to learn a lot from the forum and its members and perhaps eventually I can share a thing or two in some of the threads. C y'all around!
Dave
to alldeaf!
