I’m excited to announce that the very first Deafinitely Talking podcast has posted. In episode one, I talk with Dr. Anne McIntosh, founder of Safe’N’Clear. Anne is a Communication Professor at the University of Maryland Global Campus and member of the deaf community. In 2012, Anne founded Safe’N’Clear, Inc., the only FDA-approved clear face mask … Continue reading
Today was a landmark day with the new cochlear implant. I went to the movies and understood dialogue without captions. Seems unrealistic because I am deaf. Leaving the theater, I asked my husband: “When was the last time you remember me enjoying a movie without captions?” “About 28 years,” he said. We’ve been together 30 … Continue reading
September is D/deaf Awareness Month. It is an annual event to raise awareness about deafness and the Deaf culture. In the United States, Deaf with a capital D represents the Deaf community, including those who use ASL as a primary language. Lowercase deaf represents individuals who cannot hear and may use technology, including hearing aids … Continue reading
The week after CI activation, I plopped a favorite CD into the car player that flashed the song’s name on the screen – a familiar song. When the opening instrumentals began, I was astounded. Instead of drums and guitars, I heard screeching static. When the vocalist sang, I could distinguish it from the opening music. … Continue reading
I recently engaged in the first interview for the Lipreading Mom YouTube channel. Interview guest was my husband, Scott. What is it like to be married when one spouse hears and the other spouse is deaf? I interviewed Scott about our 30 years as a hearing + deaf couple. Here is a brief interview excerpt: … Continue reading
I recently met my friend, Rebecca, for tea and to talk about our mutual interest in writing. It was the first meet-up with a friend in a public place since the cochlear implant activation. We chose a table with a seat facing a wall. Sound tends to bounce around and echo in noisy tea rooms … Continue reading
My husband and I went to the theater a week after cochlear implant surgery. We saw the documentary “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore” about Marlee’s career as a deaf actress and advocate for the deaf community. The film, directed by deaf actress Shoshannah Stern, explores Marlee’s rise to fame after winning the Best Actress Oscar … Continue reading
It has been five days since the CI was activated, and I’m hearing all kinds of sounds that were silent before: birds chirping, the clicking of the car’s turn signal, the sound of running water from a faucet, and more. Voices currently sound like a robotic Donald Duck with echoes after each word. This is … Continue reading
The dark side of being a deaf extrovert is feeling cut off from people. When I can’t hear conversations, I feel isolated – while everyone else mingles seamlessly, hears the nuances in a speaker’s voice, and catches the joke. I nod along, smile like everyone else, and pretend to hear the punchline. I don’t want … Continue reading
Alistair and Anita Campbell wanted to do something to help their young daughter, Charlotte, adjust to having two cochlear implants. So Alistair received a matching cochlear implant tattoo placed above and behind his left ear. “Charlotte was diagnosed with a hearing loss at the age of 15 months and fitted with hearing aids,” writes Anita and Alistair … Continue reading
