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[Cherifields at aol.com]

Hey Shadow Wolf,
I was saddened to hear of your accident.  It is almost  like a miracle that 
you can hear again out of that ear.  I hope that you  didn't suffer any 
long term brain disorders as a result of this accident.  
It sounds like you are doing much better since the CI  surgery.  
Blessings,
Cheri
 
 
In a message dated 3/20/2014 7:37:42 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
soulalibi at gmail.com writes:

Hi  Darlene,
Nice to meet you. I was at HKNC for 11 months. I took full  advantage of 
the training they offered there. I took up whatever classes  they offered 
besides just learning Braille, Technology, ASL-TSL-Haptic  Signs and 
Independent Living. I even took Sr. Bernie's presentation class  last 
fall prior to her retirement last Dec. after 34 or 35 years she  worked 
there. It was a great learning experience.

I first started  wearing hearing aids in both ears at 6 years old. I lost 
my hearing as a  toddler. I was told I had RP during my early teens once 
I was diagnosed.  But I was still driving up until I was 24. Then later 
on, around in 2010.  I was told I had Usher's type-2. I was confused 
about that, because  Usher's also affects balance. Whereas I do not have 
balance issues.   In fact, I think most people with Usher's type-2 do not 
have balance  issues.
On New Year's eve 2000, I was involved in a really bad car  accident. 
Although I was not a driver but a passenger. I suffered head  trauma 
where I also suffered an ear fracture in left side. I lost my  hearing in 
that ear 2 days later. For 9 and half years I was hearing with  only 1 
ear, a hearing aid. My left ear was my better ear then. If you are  a 
right hand person, writing with a right hand, it was like losing your  
right hand and trying to write with your left hand. Same with my hearing  
after that accident. I had communication issues and kept to myself  
during most of that time. Until one day in fall 2009, I got lucky and  
became a candidate in my state to receive a Cochlear Implant. After all  
is said and done. After 3 months of my brain trying to adjust to my CI  
and hearing in my left ear again. My left ear where my CI is, became the  
better ear once again. I now understand people best with my CI. It is  
loud and clear. The CI boosted my communication skills and gave me a  
great deal of confidence. I am now happy that I received the CI and I  
hold no regrets about it. It is medically amazing that the CI can  
restore your hearing if someone suffered dramatic hearing loss from an  
ear fracture. I admit I was skeptical at first when I first sat down  
with CI specialists prior to my surgery. I didn't think it was gonna  
work. But I was wrong. The CI did work for me.

--S.W.

On  3/20/2014 4:49 AM, Darlene Laibl-Crowe wrote:
> Good morning,  Shadow!
>
> Welcome to the NFB DB Division.  I, too, have RP  and am HOH.  I wear
> bi-lateral hearing haids.  But I did not  grow up knowing that I had RP.  
I
> found out as an adult at the  age of 28 and had to give up driving.  I was
> able to see to read  print and see people's faces to read lips to 
accommodate
> for what I  could hear for about 22 years after I was diagnosed with RP.
> That  means when I turned 50 almost 6 years ago, I struggled with what to 
do
>  as I could not longer see to do things that I kept doing as a sighted
>  person.
>
> Since I grew up wearing hearing aids, I never  considered myself a 'deaf'
> person and can remember someone telling me  'oh, you're deaf' when I told
> them I wore hearing aids.  I  quickly responded and told them 'oh, no, I 
can
> hear  something'.
>
> So six years ago when I began to struggle with  vision loss, I finally met
> many who were dealing with similar issues  and I recognized that I was
> Deaf-Blind.  Once I was able to  define this, I soon went to Helen Keller
> National Center (January 2011  -- September 2011) where I learned much 
about
> my specific needs.   HKNC is a great place to learn all you can about
> resources and gives a  great sense of confidence.
>
> Since returning home, I have  continued to learn and made great progress.
> How long were you at  HKNC?  Also, if you are home, are you learning 
Braille
> through  Hadley's?
>
> That was how I completed my Braille...through Hadley  School for the 
Blind.
> The Braille teacher at HKNC was very good and so  glad I got the 
beginnings
> of it there and the teacher at Hadley was  also very good.  I use Braille 
in
> my everyday life but I am not  that fluent because I have not made myself 
sit
> and read as I  should.  Need to get myself back on track there.  I use
>  Braille in business meetings, identifying things in my home and I also  
use
> it often when playing cards.  My family loves to play canasta  and I 
missed
> playing it.  Now I can play it again!   (smile)  My sister (who is 
sighted)
> and I always play partners  against our spouses and we win the majority of
> the  time!
>
> Take your time learning Braille.  It can be  daunting as times but very
> rewarding when it is  completed.
>
> Anyway, This list is a good source for information  and sharing.  I do 
have a
> question...you state that you have been  Deaf-Blind all your life.  When 
did
> you find out about your  RP?
>
> Have a Thrilling Thursday!!
>
>  (smile)
> Darlene
>
>
>
>
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> nfb-db at nfbnet.org
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-- 
*~Shadow  Wolf~*


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