THE LABEL OF DEAF

As many of you know, I have been hearing impaired since birth. As a result I immediately developed the skill of lip reading in compensation for poor hearing. I fooled my parents for two years before they realized I wasn't responding to sounds the way most children do. Then began a journey of testing and advice.

One doctor used some sort of shock testing (which I remember!). It frightened me and made me cry. As a result I did not respond to the testing. My parents were very angry at the stupidity, ignorance, and lack of compassion displayed by this doctor. Another doctor told them to institutionalize me, not recognizing that I had above average intelligence. Thankfully my parents ignored all this advice -- advice? Utlimately they took me to Johns Hopkins where a Dr. Hardy and Dr. Psyche Cattel evaluated me, told my parents I was very bright and already an expert lipreader. They were the first to give my parents hope.

I was blessed with two wonderful parents who were inately wise when it came to addressing my needs as a hearing impaired child. My father had a Master's Degree coursework in speech pathology which gave him an understanding and knowledge of deafness and hearing impairment.

Back in those days there were two "handles" -- deaf and hard of hearing. I was categorized as hard of hearing because I had a moderate loss and could hear some sounds without an aid. As I aged, I lost more hearing, but was still high functioning in the hearing world. I went through public schools WITHOUT any sort of assistance which is available to hearing impaired students today. Some teachers cared enough to spend extra time with me -- many didn't. It was a tremendous struggle, constantly battling fatigue caused by intense focus required for lip reading.

I have always used the term hearing impaired for myself. Some people may say that I am deaf, but I personally have a difficult time accepting this label. When I was involved in the county deaf/hard of hearing organization as a member, board director, and eventually president, I became aware that there were two societies existing. The deaf clustered together with their hands flying as they communicated through sign language. Then there were the hearing impaired who were joining the hearing people and communicating orally. Some of the hearing impaired were able to communicate both in sign language and orally. I have never been an accepted part of the deaf community. I do not know sign language so I was never able to commuicate easily with them. All my life I have been a part of the hearing world and worked 37 years in public education as a librarian and for several years as district library coordinator for 15 libraries.

Today's technology has been fantastic for the deaf and hearing impaired. Email, text messaging, closed captioning, telephone relay services, TTY, transmitters, vibrating alarm clocks, strobe smoke alarms, miniaturized and digital hearing aids, etc... the list is endless. It has really enabled those with hearing disabilities to become more independent.

I can't tell you how often people have asked me if I am death -- to which I reply, "No, I'm very much alive!" Seems very common to hear the word death for deaf. I also have people who comment on my speech, which is one of the most insulting and insensitive things a person can say to someone with a hearing disability. Some people say, "I can tell you are deaf because of the way you talk." Others ask, "What country are you from?" I usually respond Mars or some European nation.

I don't know why I was moved to make this my blogging topic today -- no special reason. I guess it is a way of reaching out and hopefully educating the hearing so that they have a better understanding. And a way to reach out to other hearing impaired to let them know they aren't alone.