Deaf and Isolated at Xmas? Bring Your Pager ~

Join LaRonda as she shares her experience of being the lone Deafie at a family Christmas gathering, and how she coped. ( Transcript at www.earofmyheart(dot)com )

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Deaf
• ASL
• Xmas
• LaRonda
• family
• pagers
• chat

[LZupp]

Hi respect2deaf.

My husband signs and my son is learning. My sister can fingerspell and one of her daughter is learning sign language at school. But non of my husband's family sign. I spent the holidays with them this year. Thus it was pretty quiet. My larger family sometimes will tell me they feel bad for not learning. I usually brush it off. But I secretly wish they did.

~ L

[timjimconnolly7sda]

Hi Same things to me, My wife and I went to my sister's home almost every year for Christmas, Almost no one could talk with me and even my son too. One time, I told them, I use the voice for you. where is your sign for me or my wife. I practiced my speech and read lip for hearing. and so where is your practice of sign language for me or deaf people who need to communication They felt so bad on Christmas day. And still they don't practice yet since.

[razzydoolpi]

yes- similar for me- I am hard of hearing w/ aids- raised oral, speak orally- used sign only when at Gallaudet for 1 year.. believe me- oral or not- asl or not- deaf or hard of hearing...h.aid or no aids.. makes no difference.. hearing people simply see us as "those" when "they" are dealing with us. "They" versus "Them"...that is what it is all about. Same thing when a Jewish person is socializing at Christmas or Easter...ends up isolated,,, or when a Jew marries a non-Jew.. I see it alot.

[respect2deaf]

Hello LaRhonda,

I wish you and your family a happy & healthy 2009! I'm a hearing woman with Deaf friends and and wish I could chat with you. I am curious, do any of your hearing family sign or want to learn sign? Thank you for expressing how you feel so clearly. I am sure it is not easy.

Best wishes to you.

[DefBlonde2]

Hiii LaRonda! Very good vlog and very true! Happens to most of us with hearing families. When I was abt 7 yrs old, I prayed for a deaf sister n end up got hard of hearing sister, unfortunately, she never learned ASL except the alphabets. I thank God for the Deaf community...where would we be if no Deaf community, I shudder to think about it. Thank God for videos, too! I brought my best friend with me to my sister's for Christmas, a true blessing! Hugs for you! Happy New Year n the best ever!

[cdbicdb]

I was with a deaf friend and her family, they know very little sign if any, certainly not enough to converse with. As I was getting ready to leave I could tell her facial features were downturned, her aunt told me she will be so isolated when I leave. Fortunately her family is coming to my free sign language classes at my church in February...so hopefully this family can now communicate in full!

[darkkrang2007]

hey lz great vblog loved all yours in 2008 i hope 2009 will be a great year for you dorm x

[VeryWarpedHalo]

Part two: Hearing people - most of the time they do not realise what it was like for us deafies - which is in a way hard for them to remember at all times because well, they do not live in our shoes...

Your comment: They do not even ask how you are (et cetera) ... Have you asked THEM how they are? :)

But yeah... with me - its all "how are you's" ... then that's it. :D

Ag well - Merry Christmas to you and your family and I hope 2009 will be a blast to you guys!

[VeryWarpedHalo]

Yes yes ... it can be quite "sensitive" when it comes to family ... we cannot really be "rude" ... especially on special days such as Christmas ... its hard. I'm deaf - I married to a hearie guy ... and I've moved to Australia - away from my deaf Family so I usually find it hard year after year along with Christmas, birthdays, special events. I am still finding it hard to deal with unfortunately. So I do understand what it is like for you. ...

Part two coming...

[jalanhay]

yes, I do same thing with you. I am boring with my hearing family.I sometimes get upset with my family. I feel like isolates. My hubby is deaf.I do love my family.