Hearing, Listening & Loving

[1stwahine]

Aloha Sally! I spent some time on your Web Sites this morning. heheheh

There is always a reason why I get to meet special people! Your ability to work with Deaf Children and their families is awesome! For our lil Kiana and Ohana ~ I pray and hope we will find someone like you too.

Love and Aloha

Auntie Lynn

[Cruisin Angel]

Re: what is the best lei greeting

Aloha Sally! I spent some time on your Web Sites this morning. heheheh

There is always a reason why I get to meet special people! Your ability to work with Deaf Children and their families is awesome! For our lil Kiana and Ohana ~ I pray and hope we will find someone like you too.

Love and Aloha

Auntie Lynn

I haven't worked with deaf children in a while and I so miss it. But dont settle for anyone you don't feel is teaching your ohana will full desire to be there. Most people that work with deaf children are there because they want to be, so I'm sure you will find someone special. Just be sure they start right away. The child and family need to be immersed in sign language. And don't let them try to talk you into cochlear implants. That is the worst thing to do. The deaf community is very close knit and can help alot but they won't associate with anyone who has had one. They dont feel that they need to be "Fixed". They just speak a different language. I feel that way too. Deaf people are awesome and I love their language. American Sign Language. The school system will try to force speech and signed English but dont you let them. Deaf children that learn American sign language first always learn English later on much faster. Deaf kids that have been forced to concentrate on trying to speak and learn signed English (Which is NOT a language.. it's just a symbol system.) learn English so much slower and never completely. Kids need a language from day one. So grab your sign books and start giving her language

OK I guess I can go off on this subject.. I just dont care for how it's all hearing people running the deaf programs, when deaf teachers and management would do a much better job and the children would learn so much easier and faster.

I hope I have'nt offended anyone... I jsut feel strongly on this particular subject. Deaf children are very special, as are hearing children. And I want to see them get the best they can from the earliest start. Too many people wait and in those months and years of waiting.. the child loses so much language learning.

If I can help in any way Auntie Lynn.. give a hollar, ok?

Sally

[1stwahine]

Re: what is the best lei greeting

Sally, I've never shed a tear ever since I found out my grand-daughter has a hearing problem. As I read your post ~ tears came down my eyes. Happy tears.

When I found out from my daughter about Kiana, I sent out an email to my network of friends and family. I wasn't sad nor mad. I told them my Kiana will grow into a beautiful bright and successful women because she is my grand-daughter!

Today's technologies are always changing for the better. Our Ohana will be there for Kiana every step of the way. I strongly believe in MIRACLES.

Mahalo

Auntie Lynn

[mr508ma]

Re: what is the best lei greeting

Sally, I've never shed a tear ever since I found out my grand-daughter has a hearing problem. As I read your post ~ tears came down my eyes. Happy tears.

Today's technologies are always changing for the better. Our Ohana will be there for Kiana every step of the way. I strongly believe in MIRACLES.

i can relate, i am losing my hearing over time.. 70+% loss in both ears, aids do help me still hear, but not in every situation.. Our thoughts & prayers are with your Kiana, and if she has just a portion of the love of her Ohana, she will do fine in life

[Cruisin Angel]

Re: what is the best lei greeting

Auntie Lynn you're awesome! And I know that there isn't anything in the world that could make you feel differently about your granddaughter.. I hope I didn't make you think anything differently.

The reason I said what I said about cochlear implants was because I have many deaf friends and I've talked with many others who did have the cochlear implants.. and they said it gave them noise. They could hear noise, slight intonations of speech... but that was it. Nothing audible to understand. And for most that had been deaf for some time, it was an annoyance, so they just took it out and never used it again. They will only do it if the person has virtually no hearing at all because by doing the procedure it destroys the inner ear completely. So if you do have some hearing they dont want to take that away. As far as the deaf community... they feel that if someone does this, they are trying to fix themselves like being deaf makes them broken. And The deaf community doesnt' feel broken at all. (And shouldn't).

Regardless of what anyone wants for each individual child... they WILL eventually become part of that community and they will use sign language. I went to a deaf school once that was all speech. They forbid signing. And I chuckled because behind every corner the kids were signing up a storm.

Every child is different... Hearing aides can help a child hear, and help them with speech. But for some kids they dont help at all. I guess your daughter just has to see how much they can benefit her daughter and watch it over time. Hearing aides can be very beneficial!!

WHen I was interpretting/teaching years ago, I had kids that were profoundly deaf and some had very understandable speech and others not. And I remember thinking about my husband (Mr508ma). Withhis aides he does phenominally great! But without he's more deaf than my students were! NOw when I see some of my students all grown... many have taken out the aides. Some use them for work so they cancommunicate better with any hearing people, and some work in a deaf school and dont need them at all. Some are stay at home moms.

One of my students became very special to me. Her family never tried to sign (Except her brother) and she had an awful time with them. They blamed her for everything wrong in the house.. it was very sad. (Heck, they still do) and she used to talk in school.. mostly sign but would speak too and you couldn't understand her speech as she had virtually no hearing at all, and never had, but I loved hearing her voice. It was the sweetest sound and she was such a happy girl in school.

Your granddaughter already has a loving and supportive family and that is worth 200% more than any teachings. She's going to need all of you and she's going to teach you things about life that you never even dreamed. Enjoy her and I hope you'll keep in touch

Sally

[Leo Lakio]

Re: what is the best lei greeting

The child and family need to be immersed in sign language. And don't let them try to talk you into cochlear implants. That is the worst thing to do. The deaf community is very close knit and can help alot but they won't associate with anyone who has had one. They dont feel that they need to be "Fixed". They just speak a different language. I feel that way too. Deaf people are awesome and I love their language. American Sign Language. The school system will try to force speech and signed English but dont you let them. Deaf children that learn American sign language first always learn English later on much faster. Deaf kids that have been forced to concentrate on trying to speak and learn signed English (Which is NOT a language.. it's just a symbol system.) learn English so much slower and never completely. Kids need a language from day one. So grab your sign books and start giving her language

OK I guess I can go off on this subject.. I just dont care for how it's all hearing people running the deaf programs, when deaf teachers and management would do a much better job and the children would learn so much easier and faster.

I hope I have'nt offended anyone... I jsut feel strongly on this particular subject. Deaf children are very special, as are hearing children. And I want to see them get the best they can from the earliest start. Too many people wait and in those months and years of waiting.. the child loses so much language learning.

Sally, thank you for this post. I am not deaf, but when I studied ASL a few years ago (here in Seattle), I was quickly drawn in by the large, active deaf community, and I can support (from my limited experience) your comments regarding cochlear implants. This matches with the life stories I have been told by deaf people, both those with and without implants.

Yes, there are those who are glad to have them, and feel that their lives have been improved and that they have had opportunities that would not have existed for them without implants. At the same time, opportunities abound for the deaf as well.

As you noted, deaf people are not "flawed" or in need of "fixing" - that's a mindset that is hard for some of us with hearing to grasp, because we can only imagine being deaf as a "loss" of something we've always known.

ASL (much like pidgin, often discussed around these threads) is a beautiful, intricate, detailed, expressive and poetic way to communicate, one that links a community together. Deaf people are not "damaged goods," and the decision whether or not to get cochlear implants is not one that should be made too quickly, or without input from all sides of the issue. The family may decide to get them for Kiana, but that shouldn't be an automatic choice - it is not an obvious "duh" answer, and I trust Auntie Lynn and her `ohana will research further and give serious consideration to ALL options.

[1stwahine]

Re: what is the best lei greeting

The family may decide to get them for Kiana, but that shouldn't be an automatic choice - it is not an obvious "duh" answer, and I trust Auntie Lynn and her `ohana will research further and give serious consideration to ALL options.

Sally I thank you also for your post.

Leo and Sally, it is still much to early for any decision whether to have such a option be done on Kiana. The good news is MAMA swears Kiana turned her precious head when she called her name the odda day not once but twice. Miracles do happen...just gotta believe.

In any case ~ we will be learning American Sign Language.

Auntie Lynn

[Cruisin Angel]

Sally, thank you for this post. I am not deaf, but when I studied ASL a few years ago (here in Seattle), I was quickly drawn in by the large, active deaf community, and I can support (from my limited experience) your comments regarding cochlear implants. This matches with the life stories I have been told by deaf people, both those with and without implants.

Thisis awesome!! It's rare to find another hearing person who understands... And I know Kiana will do wonderful with such a loving ohana. I do so hope I can meet her when I'm in the islands... but I really need to brush up on my signing. I've lost my fluency after not signing for 10 yrs. I decided to stay home and raise my son after he was born and haven't gone back. But I do plan to brush up and get soem assemblance of my skill back as I have a large deaf team I work at home with that I'll be meeting next August

Leo and Sally, it is still much to early for any decision whether to have such a option be done on Kiana. The good news is MAMA swears Kiana turned her precious head when she called her name the odda day not once but twice. Miracles do happen...just gotta believe.

In any case ~ we will be learning American Sign Language.

You are so right.. she's only 3 months old. And I'm so happy to hear you will be learning ASL. But as you say... it appears that a miracle just might be happening in your ohana A good way to test her hearing is to be sure she can't see whoever is making the noise and that there is no breeze involved in the area. It's surprising how good they get at looking towards sound because of other clues. But I did watch a little boy that my older son was in early intervention with many years ago that was blind and deaf from spinal meningitis. He slowly got his sight back. Never the hearing though. So it's very possible your granddaughter may improve. I guess it depends on why her hearing is lost. Have the doctors said the cause yet or do they even know yet?

Either way I will keep her in my prayers... I so believe in miracles and angels.

[1stwahine]

Re: what is the best lei greeting

You are so right.. she's only 3 months old. And I'm so happy to hear you will be learning ASL. But as you say... it appears that a miracle just might be happening in your ohana A good way to test her hearing is to be sure she can't see whoever is making the noise and that there is no breeze involved in the area. It's surprising how good they get at looking towards sound because of other clues.

Either way I will keep her in my prayers... I so believe in miracles and angels

Sally, I'll tell my daughter what you have suggested. As far as what the doctors have said...I leave that to my daughter cause I'm too emotional.

Mahalo

Auntie Lynn

Btw: I see you've reading my Blog.

[blueyecicle]

Re: what is the best lei greeting

As you noted, deaf people are not "flawed" or in need of "fixing" - that's a mindset that is hard for some of us with hearing to grasp, because we can only imagine being deaf as a "loss" of something we've always known.

Another way to force other people into a "normal" mold.

ASL (much like pidgin, often discussed around these threads) is a beautiful, intricate, detailed, expressive and poetic way to communicate, one that links a community together.

Quoting my ASL teacher....Painting a picture with your hands.


I was amazed to find that the deaf community is not really heard or listened to. The governement does what they want with little regards to how the community feels about it. It is very disappointing to me.

But growing up with a deaf uncle and brother, I never understood until I became and adult just how much is forced on them to be part of one or the other community.

[Cruisin Angel]

Re: what is the best lei greeting

Sally, I'll tell my daughter what you have suggested. As far as what the doctors have said...I leave that to my daughter cause I'm too emotional.

Mahalo

Auntie Lynn

Btw: I see you've reading my Blog.

Of course

Another way to force other people into a "normal" mold.

Quoting my ASL teacher....Painting a picture with your hands.

I was amazed to find that the deaf community is not really heard or listened to. The governement does what they want with little regards to how the community feels about it. It is very disappointing to me.

But growing up with a deaf uncle and brother, I never understood until I became and adult just how much is forced on them to be part of one or the other community.

It really is sad... I learned so much at the Boston University Deaf program and immersing myself in the deaf community. I guess it's the same no matter where you go, huh?

[blueyecicle]

Re: what is the best lei greeting

It really is sad... I learned so much at the Boston University Deaf program and immersing myself in the deaf community. I guess it's the same no matter where you go, huh?

It really is true here in Oregon, anyways. I think every other group has some sort of voice and funding but I don't see much funding for the voice in the deaf community. It's sad. But when you have to survive you can't really spend all your time and money on a "cause". It is shameful, downright shameful.

[Cruisin Angel]

Re: what is the best lei greeting

It really is true here in Oregon, anyways. I think every other group has some sort of voice and funding but I don't see much funding for the voice in the deaf community. It's sad. But when you have to survive you can't really spend all your time and money on a "cause". It is shameful, downright shameful.

I agree wholeheartedly!! Have you ever wondered why hearing people run all the deaf programs? Deaf people may teach... but even that is lacking. It's mainly hearing teachers. I know if my child were deaf.. or even myself, I'd want to learn the language from someone who is deaf themselves and understands my life. Don't get me wrong.. not all deaf teachers are perfect.. jsut as not all hearing ones are. But for the most part... deaf teachers should teach deaf kids.. (And highly dedicated hearing teachers of the deaf) and deaf administrators should run the deaf programs because they understand on a deeply personal level what is necessary to teach and what to learn. I dont see it happening anytime soon though. It's come a long way but not nearly far enough.

[blueyecicle]

Re: Hearing, Listening & Loving

Or they force children into a hearing school or force them into a deaf school. No in between. Nothing else! Plus all the red tape to get into a deaf school is ridiculous. There are such limited services. It's funny I never saw that side when i was young and we just signed regular english to my uncle and brother, we were poor and sheltered. But as I got older I realized, he was forced into a mold as well. No option for a special school, the onyl option he had was home or public school.
I was suprised at the depression and homeless rate and now I understand why.
Mind you I am not saying everyone is that way. I just understand the people who are. That's all. I knwo there is a flourishing wonderful supportive deaf community.

[Miulang]

Re: Hearing, Listening & Loving

The deaf as a segment of the US population may appear to be powerless, but there is a lot of activism going on at Gallaudet University, the only liberal arts school of higher education in the country for the deaf.

The students recently staged some pretty intense protests against the incoming President (who was previously the school's provost) and the Board of Trustees listened to the concerns of the students and elected to remove her from her new position.

Miulang