Authentic, I have always enjoyed reading of your experiences over the 6 years I have been here on Alldeaf. These new experiences immersing with hearing world too. While I applaud your bravery in trying out new things, however, the novelty of this new experience will soon wear off and harsh reality will set in. After a while, your identity as a Deaf person will slowly get swallowed up. Im not saying about being treated as an equal or as 'one of the boys' here, Im saying as a deep sense of loss of identity as a person. Coming from the other end of the yardstick, with me being born deaf in a hearing family, growing up oral in hearing world with no interaction with other D/deaf/HH, until I joined AD in 2009 and started interacting with fellow D/deafies. I was so relieved and happy to finally find others who understood and had similiar perspectives and experiences. Until recently (19 months ago) when I had started being unable to go to Deaf socials and events due to a illness. Now having no others on a regular basis with whom I can identify as my true self and who I am as a person, a deep sense of loss and grief has returned. I would not wish that upon anyone.