Stories are powerful. If done well, stories not only entertain but they also teach us
This form of storytelling is called “narrative”. We are all wired for narrative; it is what connects us to one another.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals with diverse languages, modes of communication, ages, education, and life experiences play an important role in the journey for families with children who are DHH. Knowing the tremendous value of narrative, California Hands & Voices conducted written interviews with DHH adults for families to explore each unique journey and benefit from the wealth of knowledge told through their stories.
You may find while reading these narratives, your thoughts take you in a direction different from the rest of the story. We may suggest that you stay with that thought, for it is that part of the story that will teach you something new about yourself. This is the power of story.
A note of appreciation. This important resource would not be available if it were not for Deaf and Hard of Hearing adults who agreed to share their experiences. Thank you for making a positive impact on the life of every family who will read your story. The interviews give families access to the wide range of opportunities available for their child. We thank you.
Resources to check out!
“Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself.”
Oprah Winfrey
I self-identify as….
Deaf
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
One of my favorite things to do is to explore new places and experience different cultures. I had some great opportunities to travel in the past several years and it has really opened my eyes to how different the human experience can be in other places. Last year, I went to Russia, Cuba, Sierra Leone and lots of Scandinavian places. That being said, if I'm not hiking, you might find me pretending to be a travel agent. It definitely requires a bit of creativity to maintain social distancing with the coronavirus pandemic and to my figure it out with my call schedule, but we make it work with small local excursions!
Please tell us about your earliest years of life related to your hearing, identification etc.
I don't have a memory of the experience of hearing loss, but from what I've been told, I was an "obstinate" child and didn't follow directions in pre-school. This prompted a hearing evaluation when I was three years old that revealed a progressive sensorineural hearing loss of unknown etiology. I have a profound sensorineural hearing loss, which requires the use of behind-the-ear hearing aids.
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I self-identify as….
Hard of hearing
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I'm a new mom, my kids are 2.5 and 1 years old. They are hilarious to be around. They keep me pretty busy right now, but I’ve created a new Instagram account, @Mama.Hu.Hears where I share personal experiences and tips/tricks I’ve learned a long the way for how I live my life with hearing loss. I’ve been cooking a lot more at home, experimenting with recipes and this past summer I took up gardening.
Please tell us about your earliest years of life related to your hearing, identification etc.
I was 3 or 4 years old. My preschool teacher told my mom that I would go off on my own during story time. She recommended me to get a hearing test. I had mild hearing loss at that point but it worsened every few years due to Pendred/EVAS. My pediatric audiologist was Dr. Carol Flexer - she helped guide my mama to do what was best for our family. My family chose to continue spoken language since this is what we were already doing.
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I self-identify as….
Hard-of-hearing
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I like to workout, hike, go to the beach, hang out with my friends, and be with my family.
Please tell us about your earliest years of life related to your hearing, identification etc.
When I was 2 years old, my mom starting noticing that my speech and language wasn’t developing at the typical rate. She had me evaluated, and found out that I was hard-of-hearing. I was born with an ear deformity called Microtia that not only caused outer ear deformities but also caused inner ear deformities, causing me to be hard-of-hearing.
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I self-identify as….
profoundly Deaf
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I love playing tennis ever since I was 7 years old. I am on Women's Tennis League teams in Los Angeles since 2013. I also enjoy reading, cooking, yoga, and being in nature.
Please tell us about your earliest years of life related to your hearing, identification etc.
My mother gave birth to me 3 months early and I was a premature baby. I do believe it's the cause of my deafness. My mother discovered my deafness when I was at least 6 months old baby by calling my name loudly and made different noises to get my attention. I showed no response.
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I self-identify as….
Hard of Hearing
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Running, biking, dancing, community theater
Please tell us about your earliest years of life related to your hearing, identification etc.
I have a moderate to profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. It's genetic in our family with a 50/50 chance of being passed on. If you get the gene, then you have a 50/50 chance of passing it on. If you don't get the gene, then you never pass it down. My parents suspected from birth that I would or may have a hearing loss, however I responded well right away, and showed signs of hearing loss later when I was around 2.
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