Researching to get hearing back.

What if you were given the chance to regain your hearing back? Ya, you heard me, or rather read it right, what if you were told you were given the chance to hear again? Something would happen that you would literally get your hearing back. Would you be excited? Mad, or think nothing of it. I ask because there is new medical information coming out about doing stem cell on the hair cells inside your ears. Doing so if this worked would basically regrow the nerves damaged in your ear, and your hearing would be able to come back!

I understand this could be a huge controversy, but if you were given the chance to hear again, would you? I know I would. Yes, I wear hearing aids, yes I can communicate in the hearing community and all but there is SO much I am still missing out on. Understanding the radio, music, talking to people without having to read lips. Watching movies without subtitles or captions. I would like to be able to do that. Oh, also use a phone too! Even better, be able to work in jobs that I am able to hear/understand in.

Basically, Scientists are trying to learn how to restore hearing by inducing the growth of new hair cells. This works as I said through stem cell research and replacements and all.

“Traditionally, scientists have considered people's hair cells--and good hearing--to be irreplaceable. However, genetics research, work with stem cells, and studies of the delicate architecture of the inner ear now suggest that it may be possible to replace lost hair cells and thus restore hearing. And Steyger's research on how certain drugs damage hair cells may someday prevent others from facing a silent future.”

Sounds promising don’t it? To be able to regain hearing in a more permanent way. What a beauty! I would to hear and see what you guys think, and ask if this becomes official and approved, would you guys with hearing loss, and find out you are eligible for this would you go through with this?

Here is the link to the article-- Please note the article was written basically two years ago, so imagine what if any progress has come out since then.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1200/is_20_169/ai_n16533041/pg_3

Alex

Making a Difference

I think I’ll get to the point of this blog. I had mentioned before how I was rarely ever accepted in the deaf community because most deaf folks didn’t accept me for who I was. The choices I made and the things I do or don’t do. I mentioned the situation that happened with me at a restaurant between my parents and a group of deaf people. I never understood WHY I couldn’t be accepted for who I was.

They gave me reasons but they seemed pretty bleak. I could talk, I didn’t know Sign Language, and I was damaging myself by doing Cued Speech. Name it, I heard it all. I was being mainstreamed, I was not attending a deaf school, and I was wearing Hearing Aids. I was doing everything “Wrong”. *sighs* I don’t recall telling them what they were doing was wrong, disrespecting their lifestyle or choices or anything.

It was events like these I stayed away from deaf people. Deaf events, clubs organization. It was always the same story. I got really tired of it. However, I knew I had to eventually learn ASL at some point, so I ventured online to check some resources. We already know how I came across Geo’s site. Why did I stick around? I was sure I’d get bashed again and questioned for my choices; I mean it seemed everyone else did it!

I thought ok maybe for once these people will be different. I ventured to the chat room introduced myself. They asked me questions getting to know me. I said I didn’t know Sign Language. *screech*. I also said I called myself Hearing Impaired. *screech*. Wait, what was that? No one said anything to me…I just got oh cool, well welcome here! Wait, what did you say?! WELCOME HERE?!” Wow, that’s new to me! I thought something was wrong here, where are the questions or statement’s saying I am doing something wrong? There wasn’t any!

Holy mackerel! Amazing, people actually accepted me! What’s better is people like Geo went out to reach me and tried to learn more about me. Not ONCE, EVER questioning my choices, just nodded his head, understood why I did them and accepted it. He of course would voice his opinions and say I don’t agree with some thing’s you say about yourself but that’s fine. As long as you understand why. Holy, cow, someone taking the time to explain and teach me WHY some people didn’t agree with my life style.

He went on to explain why some deaf people don’t like it when I used Hearing-Impaired. By Gosh, I finally understood. Here was someone instead of going after me for calling myself Hearing-Impaired, he explained why, and made me understand. Then left it up to me to go on. I of course will still call myself H-I for awhile because it is just what I used for so long. I won’t easily forget. However because someone like him took the time to go on and explain, I became more open minded and was willing to change it a bit to more of Hard of Hearing, or even Deaf.

When I take a step back and look, to see the difference in this wonderful website with Geo. I look at Abbie who has a CI. I look at myself with Hearing Aids, and Geo who has neither. We are all so different but we still are part of the community of being Deaf. I really agree with the statement “we sleep in silence, too” It really is true, during the day, we use whatever resources we can use to make our day better, whether it is using ASL, a CI, Hearing Aids. However at the end of the day, we still join together in silence. We are truly a wonderful group and I look forward to every night getting on the computer and sharing the laughter and jokes with Geo and Abbie and others online. I really feel like I belong.

It is my hope that if you are one of those who don't accept people like me to maybe one day accept us into the deaf community, and to understand the choices I made. All it took was someone like Geo to change my outlook and make me understand and want to be a part of this wonderful deaf community. Teaching me ASL and continuing to educate me in the deaf culture and all. There truly is no better teacher then experience itself.

Alex

Loads of Music Videos!

Little Past Little Rock-LeAnn Womack



She's Somebody's Hero- Jamie O Neal



What Do you Say?- Reba McEntire



Who'd you be today.-Kenny Chesney



I'll Take that as a Yes!-Phil Vasser



She Didn't have Time-Terri Clark



Take My Breath Away- Jessica Simpson



Dirrty-Christina Aguilera



Check Up On it- Beyonce



I Love Rock N Roll- Britney Spears



Born to Fly- Sara Evans



I Love You- Faith Evans



Upgrade Ya- Beyonce

Deaf Pride

Deaf Pride has always interested me in so many ways. The way the culture is formed, the stance on things they believe in, pride itself, what they wish and inform others of. Deaf Pride is very strong and not one to really be messed with. People of Deaf Pride have been very stringent on who belongs to the community. They have been known to reject even deaf people who were not born deaf! By this standard, I would not be able to be part of the deaf pride community because I lost my hearing at the age of 2 and a half or so, I was born hearing and became deaf.

What’s more…you must be fully ASL user (not me), Must not wear hearing aids or CI, (I wear HA in both ears) among other things. Here is my question. Why do you guys go so far to even reject your OWN people that don’t fit that “mold”?! I feel like I am an outsider looking into your community, because I don’t use ASL. Simply I wear Hearing aids. Why is it so wrong for me to want to hear? Why, can I not be allowed to want to hear my parent’s voice? Maybe if I had a child, I would love to hear their voice.

I could never, ever wish a disability like being deaf on my own child. Yet I have seen some deaf parents who have this deaf pride, celebrate when their child is born deaf! Maybe I really, just don’t understand it, maybe I am not supposed to. However, wishing your child to be deaf, to not be able to hear, is supposed to be about pride? Pride that your child cannot hear?

We have other prides, Gay Pride, Black Pride. Those are fine. They show support, equality, make sure that everyone is treated with respect and equally as well. While they do show pride of being who they are, this is fine. Gay Pride goes on to make sure laws are equal for themselves, in gay marriages, it was all about equality. Black pride did the same, showed support for black people. Made sure racism was non existent and slavery was abolished and again on equality. That black people got the same rights and equality as white people in everything else.

Basically, I am trying to understand why with Deaf Pride it harbors things and sometimes can be negative, whereas Gay Pride shows respect and equality, and black pride shows equality as well as making sure racism doesn’t exist in this world.

Alex

Visiting Geo of seekgeo.com!

Hello All! Before I even start, this blog is about meeting Geo of seekgeo.com. So if you have not heard or seen the video of us meeting I encourage you guys to do so now.

Someone is Visiting

But first I want to go backwards here. How and why did Geo and I decide to meet up? It all started back in January when I was bored one night and watching one of my other deaf friend’s videos on youtube.com That video finished, and this guy popped up as next result of Video. It was about this guy meeting his boyfriend online. I saw that he was doing ASL, which always interests me, but then I almost did not even watch it because I didn’t know ASL. However I noticed that he used subtitles!!! Wow! This guy really reaches out to all of us. So I watched him do the video, and started watching the others each video grabbing me with more interest, discussing the CI, Sign, Closed Caption, I started to realize how much in common we had through the topics he discussed.

I went to his website, and noticed a “Seekgeo” was in the chat room. I messaged him and asked “Are you the same Seekgeo doing the videos on you tube?” He said “I sure am”. So we got to chatting through his chat room and occasionally on AIM when we were not busy. In time we quickly found out how much we were alike, I was so surprised. It was to the point we were finishing each other’s sentences because we knew exactly what we were discussing. Then he would teach me ASL online web cam as I was very interested in learning. It was to the point we decided we had to meet up. We were having a great time chatting online; we decided to take it further and meet up and hang out. Of course we kept this a secret for awhile to surprise the rest of the seekies!

So May 10^th was the decided date and when it rolled around I of course was very nervous. I headed to the airport parked the car and went inside to pick up my tickets as I was flying for free. Since I used to work for a major airline I still had connections to fly for free or at a cheap discount, so that’s also why I was able to allow this trip. So I met up with my former co workers and hung out for a bit. Soon it was time to board *deep breath* the trip begins!

I landed into Denver where I had to switch airlines and connect to united express, one of the few airlines that actually fly into Pasco, Washington. We got on board and I texted Geo to let him know I was finally on my way! We took off and I saw gorgeous beautiful sceneries.

Anyway, we got near landing into Pasco. We were running about 30 minutes behind due to air traffic in Denver. Landed into Pasco at about 7:30pm. I texted Geo to let him know I had arrived so they could come to the airport to come get me since they were only a few minutes away.

They texted me to let me know they had arrived. The moment of truth! I walked out and of course saw Geo waving his hands and Jes video taping, typical seekgeo style! I don't need to explain what's next the video did that for us!

Went to his apartment and caught up a bit talked about my long day of traveling, watched a movie then headed to bed. I was so tired from traveling.

Next day we went hiking as you saw from the pictures, went to lunch and then headed to an ASL movie thing being held by Sprint Geo was at. I thought it was very cool and interesting to see.

Two hiking Videos

Headed back and more movies! You can never go wrong with movies!!!

Monday we watched the movie "Sweet Nothing in my Ear" by Marlee. Very good movie raised some valid points on both sides. Then we played a game which I lost at, miserably ha-ha.

Back to bed as I had to be up early to go catch my flight home! Woke up Tues, and went to the airport said good bye to both of them and began my long day of traveling home.

I wanted to say I truly, absolutely had an amazing time hanging out with them. Geo is everything in person as he is online. Funny, great sense of humor, and so much fun to be around with. I definitely encourage for those who haven't met him to do so!

I am now off to unpack and all! Have a great day!

Alex