Hello all!! minnesota guy here

Matty74

Matty74

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I'm from the Rochester MN area. I'm just joining in to connect with other people like me. I have a severe to profound hearing loss. I was never exposed to the deaf community and went through the traditional education process from pre-school to college. It wasn't without its severe challenges though! I do not know sign language anymore, but I'd like to learn again and to re-connect with others that have experience life as I have. I'm not quite part of the hearing world, but I'm also not part of the deaf community, so I've pretty much lived my entire life in limbo, between two different worlds. Anyways, feel free to drop a note and I'll be sure to read these boards from now on.
 
Welcome! I'm from the Minneapolis area myself. Good luck with the re learning sign language. There's gotta be classes in the Rochester area. I know there are in the Twin Cities, but that may be too far for you?
 
That is exactly my story too. I'm taking ASL-1 at college right now. Have made a lot of improvement, and it is now helping me to establish connections with the Deaf world.
 
I wish I would have done that long ago myself. Do any of you use assistive listening devices and so on at work/school? Phone amplifiers are of no use to me. I do use a CapTel and ipTTY system. Can't seem to use the CapTel at home because the software isn't compatible with the MacBook Pro operating system.
 
Matty74 said:
I wish I would have done that long ago myself. Do any of you use assistive listening devices and so on at work/school? Phone amplifiers are of no use to me. I do use a CapTel and ipTTY system. Can't seem to use the CapTel at home because the software isn't compatible with the MacBook Pro operating system.
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I use Sprint Text Relay services to make phone calls, it is free. Works in any browser in any OS(no installations are needed for this), they have mobile versions for Android and iOS(need to be downloaded to the phone).
At college, I have a CART system arranged for me by Student Disability Resource Center(it is required by ADA).
For work, my new job is going to equip me with CART system too.


Also I have CI on my right ear. Much better than hearing aids(HA never worked for me). CI works fine, not 100%, but I have reasonable expectations. I still cannot use the phone, and still rely on speechreading.
 
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I learned about Sprint Text Relay on AllDeaf too, in 2014. It has helped me a lot! I now use it everywhere. I call to doctors, to IRS, to customer services and so on. No more dependent on someone hearing.
 
AlleyCat said:
Welcome! I'm from the Minneapolis area myself. Good luck with the re learning sign language. There's gotta be classes in the Rochester area. I know there are in the Twin Cities, but that may be too far for you?
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It may be a bit far. I used to live in the TC. Mainly in the SW and western suburbs. Moved here last spring.
 
Welcome aboard!...I, too...was in the "middle", being late-deafened...learned ASL, and communicate both ways (hearing/deafies)....
 
Matty74 said:
I'm from the Rochester MN area. I'm just joining in to connect with other people like me. I have a severe to profound hearing loss. I was never exposed to the deaf community and went through the traditional education process from pre-school to college. It wasn't without its severe challenges though! I do not know sign language anymore, but I'd like to learn again and to re-connect with others that have experience life as I have. I'm not quite part of the hearing world, but I'm also not part of the deaf community, so I've pretty much lived my entire life in limbo, between two different worlds. Anyways, feel free to drop a note and I'll be sure to read these boards from now on.
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Just curious, how did severe to profound hearing loss caused from? Usher Syndrome Type 3? Meniere's disease?
 
Not sure, I was born that way. Diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic when I was 2 1/2
 
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