Comments on: A bit more about me

By: funnyoldlife

funnyoldlife — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:22:56 +0000

Hi Bryony
We have a very similar starting point! I was born deaf and diagnosed around 3, given a box hearing aids then the Phonic Ear. I was offered a place at Mary Hare but my parents decided to send me to a hearing boarding school and that was awful – I couldn’t hear the bullying comments but I could see the stares and the exlcusive treatment from the others. University was hard as I couldn’t use a Phonic Ear / FM system by then but I never gave up and got a 2:1. Like you, I am tired of the struggle and finally came round to the idea of a CI, which I got a few days ago. Switch on should be in about a month and I am hoping to hear *something*. Even if I hear nothing, I know that it will improve, even if it takes months. It took time to use hearing aids well (by learning to lipread), it will also take time to use a CI well (by listening). Nobody said being deaf was easy. Hang in there!

By: J

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:22:02 +0000

Oh, B. I’ve only just got to read this and I’ll admit to shedding a tear or two. I remember very well the heavy box on the chest, I was forever breaking mine as I played a little too rough in the playground! Excellent first post xxx

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 07:04:12 +0000

Wow, B.

Nice to meet you.

Well done mate. Great post.

C x

By: Nicola

Nicola — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:27:51 +0000

brilliant blog!
Just wanted to say you are an amazing Mummy and it is your attitude to deafness that helped me be so strong when I found out T was deaf. “not terrible, or sad… just different”

xxxx

By: Raynah

Raynah — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:47:33 +0000

This is not only interesting but very moving. Thank you for sharing – you’ve offered some real insights x

By: Nadia

Nadia — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:34:29 +0000

This has been so interesting to read and has reminded me how easily we take things like hearing for granted. I really hope you get the support you need in getting your cochlear implant and would love to hear more about it and how it works.

By: Steph

Steph — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:10:18 +0000

This is really interesting. Learning about how things were “different” for you and difficult too. In the modern world, with hearing aids and implants, I failed to realise the difficulties that still exist.

A very close friend of mine is deaf and is struggling to get the funding for her new hearing aids. She has some hearing but it is deteriorating rapidly and she will probably be completely deaf within a couple of years. She has a little boy that has just turned two and I shall now endeavour to be more understanding of her and her difficulties.

By: Rache

Rache — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:38:36 +0000

A very thoughtful first post. I had not really considered the impact that deafness might have on having children – I supposed, ever the optimist, that children bieng children, they would never know you any other way and it wouldn’t be a Big Deal. Which, of course, it is.