<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 11.00.9600.16521"></HEAD>
<BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #000000"
bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 rightMargin=7 topMargin=7><FONT id=role_document
color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Hey Shadow Wolf,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>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.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>It sounds like you are doing much better since the CI
surgery. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Blessings,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Cheri</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 3/20/2014 7:37:42 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
soulalibi@gmail.com writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>Hi
Darlene,<BR>Nice to meet you. I was at HKNC for 11 months. I took full
advantage of <BR>the training they offered there. I took up whatever classes
they offered <BR>besides just learning Braille, Technology, ASL-TSL-Haptic
Signs and <BR>Independent Living. I even took Sr. Bernie's presentation class
last <BR>fall prior to her retirement last Dec. after 34 or 35 years she
worked <BR>there. It was a great learning experience.<BR><BR>I first started
wearing hearing aids in both ears at 6 years old. I lost <BR>my hearing as a
toddler. I was told I had RP during my early teens once <BR>I was diagnosed.
But I was still driving up until I was 24. Then later <BR>on, around in 2010.
I was told I had Usher's type-2. I was confused <BR>about that, because
Usher's also affects balance. Whereas I do not have <BR>balance issues.
In fact, I think most people with Usher's type-2 do not <BR>have balance
issues.<BR>On New Year's eve 2000, I was involved in a really bad car
accident. <BR>Although I was not a driver but a passenger. I suffered head
trauma <BR>where I also suffered an ear fracture in left side. I lost my
hearing in <BR>that ear 2 days later. For 9 and half years I was hearing with
only 1 <BR>ear, a hearing aid. My left ear was my better ear then. If you are
a <BR>right hand person, writing with a right hand, it was like losing your
<BR>right hand and trying to write with your left hand. Same with my hearing
<BR>after that accident. I had communication issues and kept to myself
<BR>during most of that time. Until one day in fall 2009, I got lucky and
<BR>became a candidate in my state to receive a Cochlear Implant. After all
<BR>is said and done. After 3 months of my brain trying to adjust to my CI
<BR>and hearing in my left ear again. My left ear where my CI is, became the
<BR>better ear once again. I now understand people best with my CI. It is
<BR>loud and clear. The CI boosted my communication skills and gave me a
<BR>great deal of confidence. I am now happy that I received the CI and I
<BR>hold no regrets about it. It is medically amazing that the CI can
<BR>restore your hearing if someone suffered dramatic hearing loss from an
<BR>ear fracture. I admit I was skeptical at first when I first sat down
<BR>with CI specialists prior to my surgery. I didn't think it was gonna
<BR>work. But I was wrong. The CI did work for me.<BR><BR>--S.W.<BR><BR>On
3/20/2014 4:49 AM, Darlene Laibl-Crowe wrote:<BR>> Good morning,
Shadow!<BR>><BR>> Welcome to the NFB DB Division. I, too, have RP
and am HOH. I wear<BR>> bi-lateral hearing haids. But I did not
grow up knowing that I had RP. I<BR>> found out as an adult at the
age of 28 and had to give up driving. I was<BR>> able to see to read
print and see people's faces to read lips to accommodate<BR>> for what I
could hear for about 22 years after I was diagnosed with RP.<BR>> That
means when I turned 50 almost 6 years ago, I struggled with what to do<BR>>
as I could not longer see to do things that I kept doing as a sighted<BR>>
person.<BR>><BR>> Since I grew up wearing hearing aids, I never
considered myself a 'deaf'<BR>> person and can remember someone telling me
'oh, you're deaf' when I told<BR>> them I wore hearing aids. I
quickly responded and told them 'oh, no, I can<BR>> hear
something'.<BR>><BR>> So six years ago when I began to struggle with
vision loss, I finally met<BR>> many who were dealing with similar issues
and I recognized that I was<BR>> Deaf-Blind. Once I was able to
define this, I soon went to Helen Keller<BR>> National Center (January 2011
-- September 2011) where I learned much about<BR>> my specific needs.
HKNC is a great place to learn all you can about<BR>> resources and gives a
great sense of confidence.<BR>><BR>> Since returning home, I have
continued to learn and made great progress.<BR>> How long were you at
HKNC? Also, if you are home, are you learning Braille<BR>> through
Hadley's?<BR>><BR>> That was how I completed my Braille...through Hadley
School for the Blind.<BR>> The Braille teacher at HKNC was very good and so
glad I got the beginnings<BR>> of it there and the teacher at Hadley was
also very good. I use Braille in<BR>> my everyday life but I am not
that fluent because I have not made myself sit<BR>> and read as I
should. Need to get myself back on track there. I use<BR>>
Braille in business meetings, identifying things in my home and I also
use<BR>> it often when playing cards. My family loves to play canasta
and I missed<BR>> playing it. Now I can play it again!
(smile) My sister (who is sighted)<BR>> and I always play partners
against our spouses and we win the majority of<BR>> the
time!<BR>><BR>> Take your time learning Braille. It can be
daunting as times but very<BR>> rewarding when it is
completed.<BR>><BR>> Anyway, This list is a good source for information
and sharing. I do have a<BR>> question...you state that you have been
Deaf-Blind all your life. When did<BR>> you find out about your
RP?<BR>><BR>> Have a Thrilling Thursday!!<BR>><BR>>
(smile)<BR>> Darlene<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>>
_______________________________________________<BR>> nfb-db mailing
list<BR>> nfb-db@nfbnet.org<BR>>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org<BR><BR>-- <BR>*~Shadow
Wolf~*<BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>nfb-db
mailing
list<BR>nfb-db@nfbnet.org<BR>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org<BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>