Deaf with a capital "D"

The sign above signifies me as a person. It lets people around me know that I am not being rude when I don't turn around when someone is calling me, alerts people to the reason why I am looking so intently at their lips in a dark environment and explains why my grammar might be a little odd.

I am Michelle and I am Deaf. Not deaf. But Deaf. It might not seem like a big difference but the capitalised D reminds me I am not simply part of a sub group, but a community of people. The Deaf community is one which is tightly bound and I am glad to be surrounded by such inspiring and strong people.

I have two hearing parents, which is common. Most of my Deaf friends come from hearing parents and hearing families. I was diagnosed at 18 months being profoundly deaf and received my cochlear implant when I was 2. The cochlear implant (for those who don't know) is a two part device, where one the external speech processor, and the other is the surgically implanted receiver stimulator. A lot of people do ask me what it's like to hear with my cochlear implant. But in all honestly, I don't know what sound is meant to sound like! To me, it sounds normal, but those who get their cochlear implant after being able to hear, they say it sounds robotic.

It is a very controversial topic to this day whether or not the cochlear implant is beneficial or hindering. I know, still! It was a big issue when I was 2, and 18 years later, it is still a big deal. I think the main arguments come from the older generation of the Deaf community who have the motto - and excuse my bogan accent - "if it ain't broke, why fix it?". I think a cochlear implant starts to bring forward the idea that there is something wrong with deafness and that it should be 'fixed' with this magical implant.

Despite all this though, I do love having my cochlear implant. I can hear my parents, I can talk to my friends and I can do the things anyone else would.

Deafness is a part of me though, and it always will be despite my implant. On the plus side too, I fall into a famous set of people who were also deaf like Ludwig van Beethoven and Helen Keller!

I'll be posting in the next few days, but thanks to all who have read this far! This blog is my way of reaching out to the world - for anyone who has a cochlear implant, for those considering it and those who are just curious!

Until next time,

Michelle