treatment among your friends with c.i.

Jer Loudenbach of Bravo Family ASL videos, gets CI

I was interested to discover that Jer Loudenbach, who played the father on the Bravo family ASL video tutorial, recently got implants, as did his deaf sons.
There are two stories:
Here
Here

I think there are probably some things in the articles that will, at best, annoy many of the regulars here. I can't tell if that's the reporter's slant or not, but I think some things probably are her unconscious bias.

Speaking of Jer Loudenbach:
Here's a story about a hearing playwright's impressions of what he learned from meeting Jer several years ago.
 
Grayma said:
I was interested to discover that Jer Loudenbach, who played the father on the Bravo family ASL video tutorial, recently got implants, as did his deaf sons.
There are two stories:
Here
Here

I think there are probably some things in the articles that will, at best, annoy many of the regulars here. I can't tell if that's the reporter's slant or not, but I think some things probably are her unconscious bias.

Speaking of Jer Loudenbach:
Here's a story about a hearing playwright's impressions of what he learned from meeting Jer several years ago.
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Haven't we been annoyed enough recently?
 
DeafCaroline said:
People who get CIs are deaf too. And there are many CI users in the deaf community. It's not like CI users are completely cut off from all deaf people and that non CI users have no way of accessing information and stories about CI experiences - heck, there are many accounts written right here on AD. So, yes, they share stories and details about what it's like to have a CI. That's how some deaf people who don't have CIs get a sense of what it's like for some who do have CIs. People talk, others listen. That's how information gets passed along. Surprise!
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Yes, you have larger numbers of deaf people who identify as Deaf who got CIs here. You have some post-lingually deaf people who identify as hearing who post here, but most of them gravitate towards sites where they find larger numbers of others like them. Hearing people who went deaf want to hear about and socialize with others like them. They can't get the same reassurance from a Deaf person who uses a CI. This isn't being argumentative or challenging, it's just the facts.
 
BleedingPurist said:
Yes, you have larger numbers of deaf people who identify as Deaf who got CIs here. You have some post-lingually deaf people who identify as hearing who post here, but most of them gravitate towards sites where they find larger numbers of others like them. Hearing people who went deaf want to hear about and socialize with others like them. They can't get the same reassurance from a Deaf person who uses a CI. This isn't being argumentative or challenging, it's just the facts.
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right. so what are you doing here then?
 
BleedingPurist said:
Yes, you have larger numbers of deaf people who identify as Deaf who got CIs here. You have some post-lingually deaf people who identify as hearing who post here, but most of them gravitate towards sites where they find larger numbers of others like them. Hearing people who went deaf want to hear about and socialize with others like them. They can't get the same reassurance from a Deaf person who uses a CI. This isn't being argumentative or challenging, it's just the facts.
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Like Jiro says, then what are you dong here on a Deaf site?
 
Mountairy1979 said:
After getting the cochlear implant were any of you treated differently by your friends?Were they supportive or opposed to it? Were you treated differently. I know that not all people are for it, but you should make the best decision for yourself. I'm just curious that's all. A friend of mine said she was against it, but she respected my decision to get one.
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To answer the OP's question:

My close deaf friends were 100% supportive of my decision. They never changed their attitude towards me.

Acquaintances and a few distant deaf relatives were shocked and dismayed, and expected me to tell them that it was not worth it. Those that showed the negative attitude did not personally know anyone else that had a CI, so naturally they did not know what a CI really was or what it really does, and only know of what rumors they've listened to.

Hearing friends still treat me the same, as I am the same person they've known. They are happy to know that I've benefited from the CI. I never told anyone that I was going to get my hearing back, just getting an improved hearing aid that might help me hear a little more.

Family is a different issue. Certain family members expected me to be magically transformed into a real, perfect hearing person. They were clearly disappointed during the first year or so, then stopped that mentality after I told them that I am still "the deaf guy" and will always be, just have a different hearing aid now.
 
BleedingPurist said:
Yes, you have larger numbers of deaf people who identify as Deaf who got CIs here. You have some post-lingually deaf people who identify as hearing who post here, but most of them gravitate towards sites where they find larger numbers of others like them. Hearing people who went deaf want to hear about and socialize with others like them. They can't get the same reassurance from a Deaf person who uses a CI. This isn't being argumentative or challenging, it's just the facts.
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Sigh........postlingals or late deafened people who hear well with CIs, are NOT hearing. A CI cannot and does not allow complete and total access to the hearing world. It allows SOME, but not unfettered access. Even late deaf and postlingals are pretty much hearing impaired. Meaning they cannot function at ALL without hearing. Whereas those of us who ARE Deaf can function perfectly well with reduced or little or no hearing.
 
Banjo said:
Body language tells all. Enough said.
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Most definitely.

I used to be one of those who claimed I could hear so well when I really didnt. It was due to shame.
 
and check out the posts on HLAA.......even late deafened people do not consider themselves hearing with CI. They are from the hearing world yes....but they're not physically hearing. They hear like someone who is HOH.
 
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