Deafness

I believe that deafness is the least understood disability, due to a number of factors.

It is hard for a hearing person to try and image what it is like not to hear, especially not to hear the sound of his/her own voice when speaking.

Deafness is not only a hearing disability; it is also a communication disability. A Deaf person who signs will either have an interpreter with them, sign slowing, mouthing the words or resorted to reading and writing to a non signer.

A deaf person who used speech to communicate will have to lip-read, to have someone to act as an interpreter to repeat in a clear fashion of what is being said or even replying on pen and paper.

This has an impact on social life. Communicating with someone who does not know how to sign or understand the important of speaking clearly knocks the pleasure of mixing with people. So it should not come as a surprised if people with a hearing loss stick with their own kind.

It is not my intention to paint deafness in a negative light, each deaf person copes in their own manner and all leads rewarding lives. My statement here is to point out that deafness is a double edged sword, as it is both a hearing and communication disability.

Personally, I am not ashamed to be deaf. I think my deafness brings out the fighter in me and I am stronger for that. I believe life is what you make of it. I remember reading this quote or statement from somewhere, "Don't let what you can't do, get in the way of what you can do."

There is no better advice.