Sign Language?

mshel said:
I can relate. Pretty much same for me but with my adopted parents. My birth mother is sad to know that they did that. Know some ASL and still learning.
Click to expand...

Good for you...keep learning! It's a very sad thing that the majority ofparents do not understand what they have done until it is too late. That is why it is so important for deaf adults to share their experiences with hearing parents of young children. If they will only try to understand whay these deaf adults are telling them, it could prevent another deaf child from having to endure that experience growing up.
 
jillio said:
Not to discourage you from investigating the possibility of getting a CI, but I would suggest that the decision should never be made based on what would benefit other people, but rather, what would benefit you. Being in contact with other deaf might help you clarify this position.
Click to expand...

As someone with a CI (well two now actually!) and who loves hearing with it I agree with Jillio in this instance. The CI should be for self benefit. I'm someone who really loves to hear and values my ability to communicate directly but for someone else this is not as important.

I do agree with you though as a parent myself, that it's extremely important to be able to communicate effectively with your kids. So if you can get onto a signing course to get that started then that is probably a good move to make. Young children are often a lot more interested in learning new things. You can always continue to chew over a CI to decide if it's what you really want or not. It sounds like funding is an issue for you as well.
 
I understand that getting a CI should be based on me not how it would affect others, but i do not live in a "deaf world" everyone i know now and associate with are all hearing...so really i'm the one missing out if i decide to let my hearing keep getting worse as it has been over the last 4 yrs, I'm not used to having to rely on anything like sign language, blinking lights for phone,door and alarms. I used to function real well with an aid but seems like that isnt working much for me anymore. As for my children they all range from 16 to 4 yrs old, i only have a few more years left for a cpl to be at home with me b4 they start college and move on. So i'd really want to at least get back the level of hearing i used to have..thats really all i'm aiming for.
 
dberge320 said:
I understand that getting a CI should be based on me not how it would affect others, but i do not live in a "deaf world" everyone i know now and associate with are all hearing...so really i'm the one missing out if i decide to let my hearing keep getting worse as it has been over the last 4 yrs, I'm not used to having to rely on anything like sign language, blinking lights for phone,door and alarms. I used to function real well with an aid but seems like that isnt working much for me anymore. As for my children they all range from 16 to 4 yrs old, i only have a few more years left for a cpl to be at home with me b4 they start college and move on. So i'd really want to at least get back the level of hearing i used to have..thats really all i'm aiming for.
Click to expand...

Well I was like you, except I lost my residual hearing in just a few seconds rather than over years like you. As you say, moving into the deaf world involves a lot of change, new friends, perhaps a move to a another area, time for you and all your children to get up to speed with sign etc. Some people have successfully done that, but it's very much a personal thing based on your own circumstances. I know that my choice was right for me and in my case CIs give me a better function than hearing aids did.

Best wishes with whatever you decide - it doesn't have to be one way or the other, even. You can do both and mix it according to your preferences.

If you want any more help or info about CIs you are welcome to pop in to the CI forum here. I think some people managed to get theirs paid for through Medicare/Medicaid? The nice thing about AD is that people are willing to help you whether with sign, CIs or both.
 
R2D2 said:
Well I was like you, except I lost my residual hearing in just a few seconds rather than over years like you. As you say, moving into the deaf world involves a lot of change, new friends, perhaps a move to a another area, time for you and all your children to get up to speed with sign etc. Some people have successfully done that, but it's very much a personal thing based on your own circumstances. I know that my choice was right for me and in my case CIs give me a better function than hearing aids did.

Best wishes with whatever you decide - it doesn't have to be one way or the other, even. You can do both and mix it according to your preferences.

If you want any more help or info about CIs you are welcome to pop in to the CI forum here. I think some people managed to get theirs paid for through Medicare/Medicaid? The nice thing about AD is that people are willing to help you whether with sign, CIs or both.
Click to expand...

:gpost:

That has to be one of the best advice I have ever read regarding that kind of situation.. I suggest u to keep that in mind since R2D2 has known what it is like to be deaf before and after CIs. However, everyone benefits from their CIs differently though from what I have learned in my field of deaf ed and here on this forum.

Wish I can help but I have been deaf since birth and I don't have CIs so I don't know any different except how learning sign language has changed my life for the better as opposed to being in an oral only environment around hearing people 24/7.

Good luck and hope u find the answers to a happy and productive life based on your terms.

:)
 
Yes that was great advice :)
But i have been deaf pretty much all my life, its just steadily getting worse :( its not the hearing im losing more of but the understanding of speech and sounds that im losing:(
If a CI can give me back my understanding then thats what i want. I dont want full hearing really never had it just had help from hearing aids, but they're not working for me anymore as to understand what i hear.

Make sense?
 
dberge320 said:
Yes that was great advice :)
But i have been deaf pretty much all my life, its just steadily getting worse :( its not the hearing im losing more of but the understanding of speech and sounds that im losing:(
If a CI can give me back my understanding then thats what i want. I dont want full hearing really never had it just had help from hearing aids, but they're not working for me anymore as to understand what i hear.

Make sense?
Click to expand...

It does. You need to realize and understand that a CI will not restore your hearing to that of a normal person; you are still deaf. Now, jillio mentioned that you talk to/with other deaf people regarding this. With all due respect, the only people you need to consult with is your audiologist (s/he will tell you if you'd benefit by a CI, not other deaf people), your ENT (ears, nose, throat doctor), your primary physician and a psychologist, as you will need to see all these people before you even are considered for a CI. Among deaf people, there is no consenses regarding CI, so this is not the avenue you would want to take. Some are proud to be deaf (and living on SSI), some others move beyond that and make something of themselves. Sounds to me that you want to make a difference, but that difference, dear, has to be for you. Not for other deaf people, not for me, not for the others that responded, for you. Only you.
 
dberge320 said:
Yes that was great advice :)
But i have been deaf pretty much all my life, its just steadily getting worse :( its not the hearing im losing more of but the understanding of speech and sounds that im losing:(
If a CI can give me back my understanding then thats what i want. I dont want full hearing really never had it just had help from hearing aids, but they're not working for me anymore as to understand what i hear.

Make sense?
Click to expand...

Yeah, that does make sense. I wasn't sure earlier if it was something that you wanted or if you just wanted to please others. The good thing about CIs is that if you were once able to have a good understanding of speech and sounds with hearing aids, then there is a good chance you will be able to use it again with a CI, since sound memory is stored for years in the brain.

I never had full hearing either but developed enough understanding of speech with hearing aids to transfer to CI usage as an adult.
 
pek1 said:
With all due respect, the only people you need to consult with is your audiologist (s/he will tell you if you'd benefit by a CI, not other deaf people), your ENT (ears, nose, throat doctor), your primary physician and a psychologist, as you will need to see all these people before you even are considered for a CI.
Click to expand...

You don't need to see a psychologist before getting an implant - at least, I didn't. And the GP ... that depends. If you have a GP you see regularly, it's not a bad idea to discuss it with them, but most GPs know very little about CIs. The only part of the process that it's really necessary to involve them in is getting your medical records to the ENT or implant surgeon. And possibly a referral - I'm not sure how Medicare deals with that.
 
ismi said:
You don't need to see a psychologist before getting an implant - at least, I didn't. And the GP ... that depends. If you have a GP you see regularly, it's not a bad idea to discuss it with them, but most GPs know very little about CIs. The only part of the process that it's really necessary to involve them in is getting your medical records to the ENT or implant surgeon. And possibly a referral - I'm not sure how Medicare deals with that.
Click to expand...

You don't have to see a psychologist before getting a CI, this is true. However, given the life altering experience of an adult being implanted after a life time of deafness would certainly warrant psychological assessment. And hearing parents of deaf children should also be subjected to such assessment, to rule out the failure to have realistic expectations.
 
pek1 said:
It does. You need to realize and understand that a CI will not restore your hearing to that of a normal person; you are still deaf. Now, jillio mentioned that you talk to/with other deaf people regarding this. With all due respect, the only people you need to consult with is your audiologist (s/he will tell you if you'd benefit by a CI, not other deaf people), your ENT (ears, nose, throat doctor), your primary physician and a psychologist, as you will need to see all these people before you even are considered for a CI. Among deaf people, there is no consenses regarding CI, so this is not the avenue you would want to take. Some are proud to be deaf (and living on SSI), some others move beyond that and make something of themselves. Sounds to me that you want to make a difference, but that difference, dear, has to be for you. Not for other deaf people, not for me, not for the others that responded, for you. Only you.
Click to expand...

My bad . . . I just noticed a gaff on the first line. It should read, ". . . hearing to that of a normal hearing person.
 
jillio said:
You don't have to see a psychologist before getting a CI, this is true. However, given the life altering experience of an adult being implanted after a life time of deafness would certainly warrant psychological assessment. And hearing parents of deaf children should also be subjected to such assessment, to rule out the failure to have realistic expectations.
Click to expand...

Hmmm as someone who has gone through this, it's not much of a psychological adjustment if you once functioned well on hearing aids as dberge320 says she did. CIs do not make you into a hearing person but rather at best, a highly functioning hoh person. Also dberge may not have the funds to see a psychologist - they are not cheap! The only situation I think she could use it if she didn't get the results that she hoped for.

I'd certainly agree that parents of deaf children should receive counselling though to prepare them for the journey ahead, to have realistic expectations and for encouragement to have their children get access to other kids/families in their situation rather than complete isolation.
 
Just to see if I'm getting the gist of this: As a general rule, I'd suggest psychological counseling for the prelinguals but not so much the posties....
 
Tousi said:
Just to see if I'm getting the gist of this: As a general rule, I'd suggest psychological counseling for the prelinguals but not so much the posties....
Click to expand...

Why? Posties can have disappointing results as well, particularly if they are comparing their results against normal hearing and they've constantly been told "posties do much better". I think a prelingual is more likely to be advised to have realistic expectations in the process and also a prelingual has a much lower comparison base to start off with.
 
R2D2 said:
Why? Posties can have disappointing results as well, particularly if they are comparing their results against normal hearing and they've constantly been told "posties do much better". I think a prelingual is more likely to be advised to have realistic expectations in the process and also a prelingual has a much lower comparison base to start off with.
Click to expand...

They can have varying and disappointing results, yes, but as they are "returning" to a greater hearing status, it is not so much of a complete life change. Tousi and I are both referring to pre-implant counseling.
 
jillio said:
They can have varying and disappointing results, yes, but as they are "returning" to a greater hearing status, it is not so much of a complete life change. Tousi and I are both referring to pre-implant counseling.
Click to expand...

How would a pre-lingual adult CI candidate, who has most likely been orally educated, learned speech with hearing aids, experience a "complete life change" with a CI? I've personally seen some qualitative changes such as being able to use the phone and hearing speech better but "complete life change" is a bit strong. I still function as a person who has difficulty in hearing at times, even though the degree has changed.

Are you refering to pre-linguals who have never heard sound or had only limited benefit from hearing aids prior? In this case, I'd agree.
 
R2D2 said:
How would a pre-lingual adult CI candidate, who has most likely been orally educated, learned speech with hearing aids, experience a "complete life change" with a CI? I've personally seen some qualitative changes such as being able to use the phone and hearing speech better but "complete life change" is a bit strong. I still function as a person who has difficulty in hearing at times, even though the degree has changed.

Are you refering to pre-linguals who have never heard sound or had only limited benefit from hearing aids prior? In this case, I'd agree.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is what I was referring to.
 
Back
Top