As a hearing mother of one profoundly deaf child and one mild to moderate hoh child, stories like these are crushing. As a parent, I do not want to miss a thing with my kiddos. I want to be able to have full, sensical and non-sensical, conversations with them, whether in ASL or English. I figure if I am going to make them learn English, it's only fair for me to learn ASL. Also, people react differently to life changing news. Some people are bottled up, some eventually adjust, some just go with it head on, some are emotional, and some just never lose that fear of the unknown. (I'm relating to what I have learned from knowing other mothers with extreme identifications and diagnosis.)
How long has it been this way for you? Maybe she is still working on feeling comfortable in the new normal. Really, I'm not trying to make excuses for her making you feel like dirt and then lying about it, because that is inexcusable. You deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Whether your mom ever adjusts or not, whether she ever learns how to communicate with you or not, you do not deserve to be belittled or lied to.
