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
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
What is the first sound you remember hearing? Auditory memory for hearing babies begins in the womb. They become aware of sounds, such as a loving mom’s voice. From early childhood on, I am amazed at the words, sounds, and conversations I remember. As my family’s car pulled away from the hospital, I remember my … 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
Growing up, I found that I didn’t want to miss out on conversations. If I didn’t hear someone, I asked questions. Lots of questions. Some people interpret asking too many questions as being complicated or obtuse. While a lot of people were accommodating, there were times that I heard the phrase that no one who … Continue reading
Hard of Hearing. Moderate to severe hearing loss. Hearing impaired. They’re all the same. They all describe me. They all simply mean that my ears don’t function as intended. This doesn’t mean that I can’t think. This doesn’t mean that I’m stupid. This doesn’t mean that I should not, or cannot lead a normal productive … Continue reading
Like me, you are probably a more conscientious driver with precious cargo in the back seat. One of the most challenging parts of having a hearing loss, though, is attempting to lipread children while you drive. Three things that have helped me as a lipreading mom behind the wheel: 1) Remind your kids that you … Continue reading
As I sat in the patient’s chair gripping the vinyl armrests, a mask-wearing dentist probed my mouth. Her findings nearly busted my jaw: Multiple chipped teeth, a recessed gum and six cavities. One cavity for each year I put off going for a check-up. I tensed even more as she injected anesthesia into my infected … Continue reading
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