The Test of Time

I went on line last night, and on the spur of the moment, decided to search the Internet to see if my pre-school of deaf school days in the South still existed. It is still there, after all these years. The school is sixty-three years old today.  It was there my parents learned of yet another school in the Midwest, from pre-kindergarten through Grade 12, one that was founded even earlier than my old pre-school of deaf school days.

I owe a tremendous debt to these two schools for the deaf - both of which promote oral education, the use of hearing aids, other auxiliary aids, cochlear implants, speech, lipreading, elementary school subjects, and literacy. These schools laid the foundation for me to successfully communicate using my voice, by lipreading and usage of hearing aids in a hearing world.

Like it or not, we live in a world where people hear. My parents, bless their souls, being hearing, wanted what they thought was best for me.  I have said over and over, I am so grateful they did. I was blessed in that I was able to utilize hearing aids, learned to lipread, speak and succeed. Once I was mainstreamed into public schools with hearing students, I never returned to a school for the deaf. I graduated from a high school with hearing peers, I graduated from a university in the South with a bachelor's and masters' degree, also with hearing students.

I think it is telling that deaf schools which promote oral education have stood the test of time while many state schools for the deaf which promoted sign language no longer exist.  There's a lot to be said for that.

Here's my pet peeve with the Audism Movement.  All this talk about cultural genocide and forcing cochlear implants on infants without their consent suggests that hearing mothers and fathers are not "fit" parents. Here's the flip side of the coin: what if Hearing Society decided today that all deaf men and women who are of childbearing age should be sterilized so they won't have deaf babies?

Imagine the outrage. The American Civil Liberties Union would be all over this. Some of us remember when people of color and people who were mentally challenged WERE sterilized without their consent or knowledge so they wouldn't have children.

It is absolutely devastating to a hearing adult to suddenly lose his or her hearing. That hearing adult has hearing memory, and remembers what it is like to have "normal hearing." It is only natural that hearing parents, upon learning they have a deaf child are devastated.  Think about it.  Hearing is all they KNOW.  They don't have a clue of what deafness is other than the fact that their child cannot hear.

Most parents, whether they have a disability or not, want what is best for their child.  Who has the right to label them [hearing parents] as "unfit" or deserving to have their genitalia cut off if they "force" their babies to be implanted with cochlear implants, or, if they cannot afford the cochlear implants, to use hearing aids, and to learn to speak, lipread? I haven't heard of an infant or child being killed with a cochlear implant. Certainly there are risks, there is risk with any surgery, even dental surgery.

If that deaf child does poorly with hearing aids, is not a good lipreader nor speaks coherently or well, then sign language is a better option. One caveat:  If you are a hearing parent, are reading this, and are feeling like a failure because your deaf child is not successful in speaking, lipreading, hearing aid usage, DON'T. You did what you thought was best, now move on.

Not all deaf people are successful in speaking, lipreading or in using hearing aids.  That's okay. That's really okay, and you are not a failure.

Just don't crucify the hearing parents if they choose for their deaf child, an oral education, hearing aids, cochlear implants, and immersion into hearing society.  They feel guilty enough for giving birth to a child, in their eyes, that is less than perfect. 

There are many of us who are deaf who were born before cochlear implants even existed.  We have paid dearly just because we ARE deaf.  We have been treated differently.  People have wrongly assumed we cannot communicate as well as Hearing Society, whether it be by means of the written word, speech or sign language. Should we go on in life carrying a chip on our shoulder against Hearing Society because of real or imagined wrongs against us?  What is the point in that?

I honestly believe that one day cochlear implants will be covered by all private health insurance - 80% to 90% coverage, and that cochlear implants will be affordable for all who qualify for a cochlear implant or two. 

I am delighted there are deaf cochlear implant recipients who, after being implanted as babies or toddlers, are now medical doctors and dentists, lawyers. Cochlear implants have afforded these people a level playing field with their hearing peers, especially when it comes to having skill sets that are in demand in today's labor market, and salaries commensurate with the hearing workforce.

While I am not a doctor or a lawyer, I have succeeded, and continue to succeed, in Hearing Society.  Having a cochlear implant, has broadened my horizons, and I am anxious for more. Hearing is such a gift and a blessing.  My successes have been a long time in coming, which is why I don't take success for granted. Thank God for all that auditory training, the rhythm classes, the endless speech therapy, the hearing tests, the hearing aid fitting, more hearing aids over time, the tutoring, all the volunteers who took notes for me in classes as my hearing continued to deteriorate. Having parents and family who were dedicated to seeing me succeed was crucial. All this set the foundation for my successful eight month old journey as a cochlear implant recipient.  

Just goes to say you CAN teach an older dog new tricks!