How Do You Keep Deaf Culture Alive?

I search for ways to keep the Deaf culture prevalent and in front of my family. Rebecca is Deaf. She will never be hearing and I don't want her to be confused about where she fits in or feel like she is less of a person or alone. We go to events with other Deaf people, I have Deaf people over to our house, we attend a church with other Deaf people, we have signs around our house with ILY, we have pictures of the family signing, etc. Everyone is our family signs and I make sure that she has an interpreter when she needs it or I interpret, when we go to someone's house I make sure that they turn on their CC'ing and we always have our CC'ing on in our house. How do you keep the Deaf culture alive in your house?

We are looking into getting a video phone so that Rebecca can talk to her friends who cannot use the phone & Rebecca is still not clear on a phone and she cannot understand what the other person is saying. When she uses my phone, she usually texts or I put in on speaker and I interpret. I'm really excited about getting a video phone for her, but also so that I can talk to my Deaf friends!

Something else wonderful happened this week that I will post about later. I will keep you hanging for a day or two.

It's All About The Friends

The other day Rebecca's rechargable battery died and the school couldn't just pop in new batteries so she was without sound. This is when I am truly grateful that we sign. I do not know what families do that do not sign when this happens. This has not been the first time that this has happened to us where she had to go a few hours without her implant. We sign and she does great.

The other day I asked her, "Do you like it better when you can't hear or when you can hear?" She said, "I like it better when I can hear". I asked her why and she said, "I can have hearing friends and Deaf friends".

Audiologist Lesson For Me

Another lesson learned in my house today. Rebecca has been asking for a hearing aid for the last week in her non-implanted ear. I called her audiologist last week and she was at a CI conference so I couldn't get a hold of her. I left a message yesterday, but she was probably busy catching up from the week off. So, I called again today as I promised Rebecca that I would and I found out that her audiologist for her CI is not the same audiologist that she sees for hearing aids. Who knew, not me!

Anyway, I made the appointment for her to be tested to see if she could benefit from a hearing aid. It's in May. We'll see how it goes.

Texting

Oh my gosh!! Where have I been?? I have never texted before and now I am hooked! It's also been fun watching Rebecca text - she thinks it is one of God's greatest gifts! I got a Pantech Duo which I am loving! It has been very user friendly and Rebecca has no problems seeing the screen and getting around on it which was my goal.

Now I can talk to my Deaf friends more than just one or two times a week! I can call them anytime just like my hearing friends. Maybe that sounds stupid, but it's true! I don't know why I haven't texted before.