Thought I'd Give You An Update On My Quest For New Hearing Aids
By CatsandDogs
@CatsandDogs (13963)
United States
November 29, 2007 2:15pm CST
Well I went to the audiologist on Tuesday and he said I have severe hearing loss because I'm deaf in my left ear and lost about 60% in my right. The cost for new hearing aids is $3,349. because I'll have two aids, the one for my left ear will transfer sounds to my right ear (aid). It also makes the background noise lighter than the voices of the person(s) in front of me which is truly miraculous! It's called Bicross. However there is no way I can afford such a cost so I have to wait a while but, my mom has been making a few phone calls and just as she puts it, one phone call leads to another and another just as if God closes a door, He opens a window. She found an organization that can help me with at least one aid and a device that will help me hear on the telephone. (I'm so dancing right now!!) The lady is sending me the application for help and then will contact me or my mother, hopefully NOT me for I can't hear on the telephone, and we'll go from there. I'm not sure they can help or not but we'll see so I'm asking for prayers!! I know it's not a life or death situation but it is a life altering situation in which would make my life a whole lot easier and not so frustrating.
You see, I don't know sign language because my mom and dad raised me in the hearing world which is has a good side and a bad side to it. The good side is I learned how to live life, I'm not stupid however I'm not as smart as a normal hearing person BUT I can learn things faster than a person who was raised in the deaf world but not learning sign language is a bad thing for I will be totally deaf some day for I've been told that time and time again which is happening now because it's getting worse and worse as years go by. Anyway, if I were raised in the deaf world, I'd know sign language and so would everyone else in my family know it as well. There's no win win situation regardless how a deaf or any other disabled person is raised really. There's an up side and a down side to everything or most everything.
Please pray for me!! I'll pray for you.... LOL just joking but yeah of course I'll pray for you too if you need prayers!!
1 person likes this
2 responses
@nonew3 (1941)
• United States
29 Nov 07
Wow! That is quite a situation! Thank you for talking about all that.
I think it is sad that you do not know sign language in spite of your severe hearing loss and going deaf. Really, I think it is very, very important that you learn it.
Do you use a TTY? If not, surely you can get one. They are very helpful if you can't hear on the phone.
And, you are as smart as a normal hearing person. Like they say at Gallaudet University, you can do everything a hearing person can except hear.
2 people like this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
29 Nov 07
I'd love to learn sign language for it would be so beneficial to me but what good would it be if no one else knew it? Maybe they would once I did? Who knows? No I don't have a TTY machine but have thought about getting one but this organization says they have a device to put on my phone to help me hear better which would be awesome if I could get it too!! To be honest, I'm scared out of my mind about going deaf because I know what it's like to hear and to not be able to hear the birds sing and my cats meows and dogs barking would be devastating to me. (the reason I can hear the birds sing is because I can hear the high notes but not the low ones but it's just barely that I can hear them). Thanks for quoting that saying. That is so true!!
Happy Hanukkah!!
1 person likes this
@nonew3 (1941)
• United States
29 Nov 07
One reason I mention learning sign language is that, at least here in the US, there are videophones, where you can use sign language, and a sign language interpreter, using video relay services (VRS) on a TV screen, to make phone calls. It can also be done with computers using a web cam.
Also, sign language interpreters are sometimes used during things like employment, education, some religious services such as church services, and other things.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169465)
• United States
30 Nov 07
Okay, your parents are not hearing impaired, you are, and evidently it was from birth or shortly after, if I understand correctly. Have you guys thought of learning sign language now? I had to learn some sign language when I worked with two profoundly deaf children who received cochlear implants. We used "Signing Exact English" rather than American Sign Language, but either would help you out a lot. As a side note, I wish I was working with sign language right now, I feel it is beautiful, and there are times, especially when I am singing that I wish I was more fluent in sign, as it makes me feel as if I am using my whole soul to speak or sing. Yes, I will pray for you, and for the right answer to come along with your hearing devices. Insurances are not really set up for that expense. My hubby needs new aids as well.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169465)
• United States
4 Dec 07
Check with the special education department in your local school district. If there are hearing impaired children, they usually hire sign language interpreters, at least here, they do. The interpreter I know knows a lot about how to connect more to the deaf community and other signing individuals. By the way, there is a Gailludet (spelled wrong, I know)Font available online. I used to have it. It looked neat to type in handsign.
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
3 Dec 07
I was born this way however it has progressed over the years and is doing so more and more faster than ever before. I'd love to learn sign language the way it's suppose to be done instead of just knowing a few words but it's hard when I don't know anybody else who signs. Thanks so much for praying for me! I'm still waiting for the application which I thought would be here by now. Maybe tomorrow it will be.
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