Goodbye to all.

Today I have nothing new to present to readers. I plan to end this journey. I want to focus my learning on face to face life experiences and plan to close this blog. Over the past few months I have taken on a journey to explore the deaf culture and different views on the cochlear implant. This journey has been beneficial to me in my line of work, and I plan to continue to learn just no longer through this blog.

Going into this blog I wanted to learn more about the deaf culture so that I could serve the deaf community. After attending deaf meetings, communicating online and reading articles I now have a better understanding of any interactions I may have with the deaf community. There is still plenty to learn but this is a start. I plan to take up another class to strengthen my signing skills in hope of being able to fully communicate with a person who is deaf. With this skill I will be able to help the deaf community and lessen misinterpretation of information. The deaf community will not only have someone to advocate for them but also to understand them and the culture. This is a major part of being a social worker. A social worker should understand and be sensitive of one's culture and beliefs, and the deaf community draws my interest.

With my recent poll I am glad to say I believe it was successful. I did not expect as many responses that I received, and am happy with the results. Though there are many different views on the cochlear implant I hope and believe that most people will be respectful towards each other and their decisions. Receiving the cochlear implant is a controversial issue, but with the results posted on previous posts I believe that society is adapting to the new technology available just as they have to IPODS and computers.
With all that I have learned I will now continue to a new journey and end this one. I have enjoyed this experience and am looking forward to the next. Let life continue.

Kristina

Poll Closure

There has been some updates on the poll I posted. For those of you just now tuning in I created a poll to see what people within the deaf community have to say. I wanted to explore opinions about the cochlear implant.

The question I posted was, "Does receiving the CI make a person less part of the deaf community?" The new results are: 20 people Strongly Disagree (68.97%), 6 people Disagree (20.69%), 1 person is Undecided (3.45%), 1 person Agrees (3.45%), and 2 people Strongly Agrees (6.90%). The results have changed since I last posted but tonight I want to touch on what voters actually had to say. In some questions in life what people have to say may not matter, but I think the voice of who is voting is most important.

I had many posts to my question. Posts that I agree with reflect on how evolved a person is within the deaf community and their culture. A comment that created a thread that I agreed with states:

you're still deaf with the cochlear implant. it shouldn't change your presence in the deaf community if you do get a CI. i have one and i'm still active in the deaf community.. even though i don't wear it anymore - i only use it when i want to listen to music and/or when i'm home alone without the dogs.

So any hearing aid or CI user isn't really Deaf?

I marked "strongly disagree". I think it is about language, culture, beliefs, and perspective, not about what you wear on your ear.
agreed. a lot of senior citizens have some degree of hearing loss due to old age, but are they automatically in the deaf community? i don't think so. it's totally a cultural thing. -Anakin

I feel this quote reflects my own feelings. Rather a person is part of the deaf community or not has nothing to do with receiving the cochlear implant; it has to do with rather or not the person is active in the deaf community. I believe a person is defined within the deaf community by their involvement, though some people may disagree and say it only has to do with being deaf and having no assistance in hearing.

One of the members of the deaf community named Rockdrummer made a comment that I really appreciated. As mentioned in previous posts there are many different views within the community and how those views are changing.Rockdrummer states:

As with many things in life it depends. From my experience I see the d/Deaf culture as a diverse one. Really not much different in that regard than other cultures. With that said you will have some very hard core people that may outcast a CI users and you will have many that really don't care one way or another. As time goes on it does appear that the CI is more acceptable. It is when you are talking about implanting babies where there is still a lot of controversy. At least that is my opinion based on what I have experienced.

Rockdrummer brought up an important controversy regarding the cochlear implant. As I believe the person should make the decision to receive the implant. However, the major topic is, should a parent make the decision for a child to have the surgery to receive the implant? I personally believe the parent should be able to make the decision for the child, but should also make sure the child is active and embraces the deaf culture/community.

The implantation of the cochlear implant will remain part of the deaf community rather liked or not. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and these are just my views. I enjoy learning about other peoples views and wish to hear any readers thoughts. With these poll results I am happy to say I believe this poll was successful.

poll results

Hello all,
I thought I would mix it up a bit and connect with the deaf community online so that I could share this with followers. I created a poll along with a post where people could write comments and vote. I was able to hear from a few members of the deaf community and get a new insight on the cochlear implant. I wanted to hear from deaf people to see if they truly cared about receiving the cochlear implant as I was taught in class and read online. With this post and poll I was able to have a new insight on the deaf community; I enjoyed learning from these people that were not in my zip code.

The question I posted for people to poll was:
“Does receiving the CI make a person less part of the deaf community?”

I received a response from 17 people. Out of this group of people 13 of them ( 75%) said that they strongly agree that a person is still part of the deaf community despite receiving the cochlear implant. 4 out of the 17 (25%) said they agree, while 1 person (6.25%) said they strongly disagree. To make it more interesting I kept the polls public, so that I could research each person’s account to see if they are deaf (deafie), hard of hearing (HOH), or able to hear (hearie). After reviewing the accounts out of the strongly agree section, 5 people have not listed rather or not they are deaf, 7 people say they have some sort of hearing problem, and one person is hearing. For the agree section only one person states they are deaf, while three people do not say rather or not they have hearing problems. For the strongly disagree section the person does have a hearing problem. This information seems to contradict everything that I have read on website and learned in class. I am going to keep the poll up and see if more people answer the question.

This information tells me there are different views on receiving the cochlear implant as there is with any other issue. To some people receiving the implant is a problem, but compared with this poll the majority is not bothered by it. I do realize the problem with this poll is that only 17 people answered and in addition I am unsure who is deaf. The poll may change if more people responded or if they were all verified as deaf/ HOH. Being that my post has had 270 views I am going to assume that those who did not answer probably did not care about the cochlear implant and therefore refused to participate, or they thought I was ignorant. I guess opinions can go either way. :)
For now I will wrap this up, but I just wanted to share this with my readers. Next week I will touch on what some of the people posted as comments after they voted, but if anticipation is eating at you here is the website.


Cochlear Implant Poll

my view on cochlear implant

Many of you are wondering where on the spectrum I am when it comes to the cochlear implant. I strongly believe that receiving the cochlear implant should be the choice of the recipient. I do not believe receiving the implant separates a person from the deaf culture or community they may have been a part of before the surgery. In my sign language class, I was taught a deaf person who receives the implant is a traitor of the deaf community, yet I do not agree with this view.

Even though there are many risks that go along with receiving the implant I believe the decision should be up to the person who is debating the surgery. An argument that was presented in a recent peer setting was, when does it become necessary for society to make decisions for people when risks are ignored? I am not fully convinced that society should be able to make decisions for people as long as they do not make a conscious decision to harm them self or others. However I am open to learning if anyone has any examples I should consider.

For those of you who read my last blog you are probably wondering how I can ignore the risks that are presented to the deaf culture/hard of hearing who is considering the implant. For me it is simple, as stated before there are many risks in life; if in the place of a deaf person I personally would desire to hear my child's voice, water splashing on the beach, or even as simple as a lawn mower.

From the people I met at deaf events I have not come across anyone who is strongly opposed to the cochlear implant. Though, I have heard of stories from teachers and acquaintances of both negative and positive views. This past Monday I attended a deaf meeting and met up with one of my previous teachers whose first language was ASL (American Sign Language). She is very aware of the deaf culture and feelings on receiving an implant. One story she shared was a deaf child born to a hearing parent. The parent refused to let the child learn ASL, and made the decision for the child to receive the implant. The child had an easy time adjusting to the new experience and was very happy to have the implant; the child later embraced the deaf community/culture once old enough and even learned ASL. In return peers and others in the community embraced the person who received the surgery. The parent had a hard time accepting the deaf culture, but once the child adopted the culture the parent found a new appreciation. The teacher stays in contact with this person, and so far has had no problems with acceptance.

Even though there may be circumstances where people are not so welcoming to the cochlear implant, so far I have not met anyone with a story to tell. A major argument that I have been presented with is hearing parents deciding to have their deaf child implanted. One point of view that I found in an article by Kristin Shafer was that the cochlear implant is consider ok from the deaf view, as long as the person made that decision. Kristin states:

“Cochlear implants are often seen by the larger hearing population as a cure for deafness; many find it unfathomable that a person would choose to be deaf if an alternative existed. It may come as a surprise, then, that there is a controversy over the device within the Deaf community, especially in regards to the implantation of young children. Many Deaf people believe that implanting children before they are old enough to make the decision themselves could, and likely will, result in the end of Deaf culture. However, it is believed that the earlier it is implanted, the better a device will work; from the hearing perspective, the more likely it is that a child will learn to speak.”

This statement gives an idea to those of you who are unaware of why there is a controversy. I do agree that the person should make the decisions for them self, but when it comes to the young child I believe the parent should make the choice. I want to hear other people’s opinions on this topic and hope readers will join in on posts.

risks vs benefits

The debate of receiving a cochlear implant is a big controversy within the deaf community. There are many important issues that need to be considered when thinking about getting a cochlear implant. FDA discusses benefits and risks of the cochlear implant. FDA tells that some benefits are: hearing can become close to normal, sometimes able to make phone calls, may be able to hear speech without lip reading, watch TV, or listen to music. The risks may seem to out way the benefits; however it depends on who you are asking. A person who wants to hear more than anything in the world would probably tell you that the risks are a minute part of the decision process. Some risks that FDA lists are: nerve damage, meningitis, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, perilympth fluid leak, infection, and tinnitus, and taste disturbance. There are a lot of risks that go with the decision to receive a cochlear implant, but there are many risks a person may decide to take in life. For instance, it is said that having children over the age of 30 years old increases the risks of problems.

My mother decided to have my baby sister when she was 40 years old. Doctors tried to persuade her not to have children because of the risks they could face. My mother and her husband were determined to have children and they were willing to take their chances.

The main concern you face as you age is that your risk of conceiving a baby with a chromosomal problem goes up every year. For example, the risk of having a baby with Down syndrome rises from about 1 in 759 at age 30 to 1 in 302 at age 35, 1 in 82 at age 40. -George Mussalli

There are risks such as this that come when making decisions in life. The options should be thought out, but a person should make choices that will make them happy in life. It is obvious that to some people the benefits of receiving the implant out weighted the risks.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, about 188,000 people worldwide have received implants as of April 2009. -Jennifer Davis

The cochlear implant may not be for everyone. I was reading an article about a lady who does not know American Sign Language, and does not have a cochlear implant. She relies strictly on reading lips and talking; I could imagine that to be difficult. From the article it seems to be the best decision for her even though she realizes that technology has improved a lot of the differences between people. For more information on this article click here.

I am excited to learning about the cochlear implant and how someones life may be impacted. It is important to me is to accept people for who they are, be kind, and learn as much as you can.

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
Mark Twain

bitter ending

I apologize in advance if I sound bitter.

I attended another deaf meeting. Which I have to say my signing is improving (well at least my vocabulary... not necessarily my sentence structure). I cant wait to pick up an extra class to develop this skill.

I met a guy named Nick; I had been warned about him before I met him. Nick was a major flirt and loves woman. He also has a cochlear implant which is what drew me to meet him. Despite that I knew his story might be exaggerated for attention.

When I first arrived I went to sit with a few people I had met previously. It did not take long before Nick headed my way (it is said he loves to meet all new woman who come to the meetings). This was a new location that people meet, but many go to all the local meetings. He is physically handicapped and uses it to his advantage. Nick seemed to like every thing I did, which is fine. I have learned to master signing: Oh really, cool, and me too. Which carries a person far in a chat onversation when first meeting people.

After finding common interest Nick began to play the games I had been warned of; sorry if I sound a little bitter of the situation. He asked me if I cared if he had a cochlear implant, I told him it didn't bother me. Nick started to tell me that most people wont be his friend and talk to him because of the implant. He described when He first got the implant and how nervous he was going into the doctors office. He said his family was very support and did not force the surgery on him, they let him make his own decisions.

After questioning other people at the meeting I was informed that it was not because of the implant that people don't talk to him but because of his actions.I have concluded, which is an obvious conclusion, that it is truly based on the persons opinion. Many people told me that evening that his manipulation is why people don't interact with him. It was a very valuable experience. At the end of the night Nick was begging multiple girls for their phone numbers, email address, and a ride to a bar. All the rumors seemed to unfold by the end of the night.

On the bright side, I met another social worker. She discussed why she is interested in sign language, and we seem to have common thoughts. We discussed how it would be beneficial to learn of the culture to understand and relate to our clients. Another great reason is that information would not be misinterpreted when in an interview possibly discussing drugs, abuse, or relationships. I was very excited to meet someone who was on the same path as me, she was more advanced than myself and I felt very good about my decisions so far.

There is a website www.cochlearwar.com which gives many different opinions. People are able to go onto the website and debate over the cochlear implant. They first have to make sure you are a real person then you can offer your opinion. I did register and I will give you updates of the discussions. I am excited to get involved. Here is a man that was upset about the website being called a ‘War'

I just want to say that the title Chochlear WAR seems very unfortunate. Surely Cochlear Implant Controversey or Cochlear Implant Discussion would be less divisive. - Pete

As I was registering I realized that this website may seem a very small part of real life, yet it still has many interesting points and I believe it will be very useful. To call the debate a war, does seem to be over exaggerated. People should accept others for who they are and their decisions in life instead of judging.

two men, similar struggle

Michael said his life has become easier and his parents have released him into the world and no longer worry. This is the beginning of a new friendship.
Tuesday I was visited a college and noticed a young man with a cochlear implant. I introduced myself and asked to sit with him. He seemed shy and politely agreed to my company. His name was Michael and I explained my curiosity and why I asked to sit with him. Michael said he was fine with me asking him questions about his cochlear implant. He told me that people are so ignorant to the cochlear implant that he is sometimes asked if it is a new device for an MP3 player. Michael laughed it off, and began to tell me his story. He was the only deaf person in his family and at age 11 decided to get a cochlear implant. He also informed me that he never really learned American Sign Language, and the little sign language he knew he signed as exact English.

For those unaware of the difference between American Sign Language and Sign Exact English I will explain. American Sign Language is a language that the deaf culture has made their own and is different from English, (SEE) Sign Exact English is English signed word for word.

Michael informed me that he is going to start taking classes to learn sign language over the summer. He did tell me he has not been associated with the deaf community; however he is trying to meet people now. Michael was recently engaged... which probably explains his nervousness for me asking to sit with him.

This gave me a new outlook on how people with the cochlear implant feel about it. Michael explained he was very happy with his implant, and that it has allowed him the ability to play the drums.

Saturday Night:
As I was surfing the web to entertain my interest I stumbled upon Graham’s post at http://www.thedeafblog.co.uk/2010/01/sudden_sensorineural_hearing_l.html. This family man lost his hearing in his right ear for no reason one day, and eventually became used to it as life went on. Except one day Graham became ill and lost his hearing in his left ear. He went through struggles trying to adapt to his hearing loss with two small children and his wife. Graham was tested to receive a cochlear implant and was denied the first time. His hearing became worse over time and was retested to find that he was to move onto the next steps to receive his implant. That was as of January 12th, 2010. Graham’s website is http://www.thedeafblog.co.uk/2010/01/sudden_sensorineural_hearing_l.html discusses the tests he went through to determine the final decision of the cochlear implant. Graham has no decision as of yet.
Hearing different people’s experience is rather interesting and I feel I am growing as an individual. Learning to accept people for who they are and not judging them is something everyone needs to learn.

I believe these two men have something in common; they are both entering the deaf community and seem to be unsure of what is next. I believe this is a growing experience and appreciate the opportunity to hear their stories.