I was diagnosed when I was 9 months old, I remember my mother telling me that when I was a baby she used to clap her hands and I didnt react to her clapping. I was taken to the doctors and she was worried after they did some hearing tests and discovered that I was deaf.
My mum had German measles when pregnant with me and that's what triggered my deafness.
It was hard going for my parents at the time because I used to have a lot of ear infections and in all I had four operations.
I didn't wear anything in my ears till I was four. So in those four years it was frustrating for my family as we couldn't communicate! I used to cry a lot from my ear infections and had a lot of pain.
My parents raised a lot of money through a lot of charities for me. They did this so they could buy me a phonic aid and microphone. A phonic aid is what I had to wear on my chest and who ever wanted to speak to me had to wear the microphone so they could speak to me. I hated wearing it. My mum used to tell me that I kept taking it off. Without the help of the phonic aid, I would not have been able to speak as I do now....
During that time I had a speech therapist to help me learn to lip read and talk... I was behind with the talking. When I was about six or seven I stopped wearing the phonic aid and started wearing a hearing aid. Wow! It was really good! A lot better than the phonic aid! It took me a while to get used to it and my speech improved really well.
I went to a normal hearing school which was very hard but it improved my speech a lot. I had a helper teacher at school to help me with my school work. I used to hate that because I was sent in another room to do my work and couldn't sit with my friends. I loved it at Primary school and wanted to be with my friends.
I think I was seven when I first properly spoke a sentence, you find that hard to believe wouldn't you? I will never forget my parents face when I first talked! They cried with tears.
My mum told me that the Doctor thought I would never be able to speak normally and wouldn't be able to hear. We proved them wrong.
When I was at secondary school I was bullied a lot because of my hearing problems. I remember how I used to skive of school a bit because I didn't want to know what would happen the next day! It was horrible at school but I did quite well with my school work and some exams, but I did have some help with my school work. I can remember I had a science exam and I was the only girl in the class that passed all the levels of that test! I was so shocked and so pleased with myself.
I went to Cannock College after and did a course there which lasted a year. I didn't pass for personal reasons so I retook it again and passed! I was so pleased. I loved it at college as people are more accepting and people didn't judge me. I miss those days.
Now I work in a Nursing home and have done for the last ten years and I love it. I am so proud of myself to get this far with the help of my family and husband Ian and Cody.
Sometimes I do think what its like to be a hearing person, but then again I wouldn't be who I am today right? I wish people wouldn't judge other people on their disability. Why do they judge people on their disability? Do you know why? I can understand why some people with disabilities have some sort of low self esteem. Since I left school and College my confidence went really high and I learnt the hard way, I mean if people don't like me because of my hearing then tough ! I'm so glad to have friends that accept for me for who I am.
I hope people who have disabilities who read this will go and do something about it. I did and still do now and nothing will stop me. I'm only 29 and hoping to do more in my life and I intend to do it but I want to concentrate on my daughter first till she's older. I would love to learn sign language and help other deaf people, that is my goal for the future.
You wouldn't believe that I'm deaf now as I have very good hearing and speech. Some people admire me for they way I speak and hear. I'm very good at lip reading. I'm a right chatterbox so I've caught up on the years that I've missed out on when I was younger. I hope I inspire other deaf people on this and those who have disabilities.
I thank my parents for what they did for me as I couldn't have done it with out them. Thanks Mum and Dad! Xx
