I have listened to my pastor about doctors, Surgeries, and etc.   He shows what is wonderful, God with people who sicks or etc. 

Excuse my English and not teaching or pastoring here.   I just wrote what I see and hear (read by eyes). 

I asked my pastor about the chaplain at the hospital, and he paused for a while.  The point is why all people who are religious accepted the chaplain instead of their pastor.   No one has SAME religious as us.  They keep having chaplain and chapels at all hospitals.  My pastor tried to say people have different cultures of religion and believe in God.   What about chaplain?

I met the hospital as Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, and Baptist.   They have chaplain and chapel alike.   That was very common for everyone who believes whatever in religion.   There is only one God. 

They are the same.

Yours?

DW ~

Blamed? At birthing me? Well, you know rare babies born with yellow skin and special attention on the baby.

In the 1970s, no one knew about easy way in the world to understand what technology is or medical, etc. My granny is in about late 40s, she does not know much about anything. Her life is on farm-to-farm working. She would blame on heart or disability. No idea what she done in those years.

My mother had me and no one know what to expected. I am small and her pregnancy is not big enough to notice. Let me tell you some story which is fact. My mother loved banana split ice cream and always ate on the weekends. One weekend, she was required to eat ice cream before that day I born. Then Sunday, my parents went to the church until mother asked father to took her to hospital after the preached. They did arrive and asked the doctor or nurse to take her to delivery baby. Nurse saw her size and told her it is not ready because so small. Doctor says to mother, “there is no baby in there.” Mother got angry and told them, “Get this baby out of me!” They were doubting about it, so they took her to delivery room and true business me BORN! I was so frozen and my skin yellow. They were shocked and felt dumb because I come out! DUH!

They took me to special light for skin turned normal color. No one know I was deaf whole time. They think I was normal baby, no mistakes. I stayed there for few days and without name! LOL Finally, find me name! Whew! I was followed by song from Barbra Streisand.

At about 18 months later, found out I was deaf completely. My granny started to blame my parents for giving me yellow skin and being deaf! It was so innocent event happens.

My mother wrote that story, but she lost somewhere, guessed throw in trash. I cannot say anymore.

Blessed granny’s heart, she passed away when I was 16 years old. I missed her a lot. She loved me so much like her kids and grandkids. No one know about heart issues after her passed and most of us attention to our heart history. Heart issues come up often now.

Want to know about yellow skin on baby: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22263-jaundice-in-newborns

Want to know about heart: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/index.htm

Love ya! DW

Are you deaf or Deaf? Why?

I am deaf and I been in hearing world as natural for me. I have some of Deaf culture in my life, too. I would put myself as ‘lowercase d’ in deaf. You know hearing impaired is business word for everything but Deaf against it. I can understand that, but it is business way to say. Science words or medical words alike as Business words. Anyway, here is next.

Deaf is completely Deaf as strong ASL, deaf culture.

The ‘uppercase D’ Deaf is used to describe people who identify as culturally Deaf. They might be actively engaged with the Deaf community. Deaf with a capital D indicates a culture identify for people with hearing loss who share a common culture and who often have a shared sign language.

Big D deaf people are those who are born deaf or experience hearing loss before spoken language is acquired and regard their deafness as part of their identity and culture rather than as a disability.

Better way to say or write “d/Deaf” I know it is hardest thing to write or asking. Both are the same but identify differently.

“Deaf” with capital ‘D’ tends to match most of the following:

Culture Deaf and part of the Deaf community.

Haven’t “lost” anything nor do they like to be labelled “hearing impaired” because it is not medical condition or disability. Deaf is their identify.

Common use of sign language and on most occasions. Their primary language.

Sign language is primary language. English spoken or Foreign spoken is second language.

Fully immersed themselves in the Deaf community.

Attended Deaf school.

Great pride in their Deaf identity.

“deaf” with small ‘d’ tends to match most of the following:

Chooses not or does not associate themselves as part of the Deaf community.

Also had little to no exposure to the Deaf community.

Hearing loss is referred to as a medical condition.

Refer it as a disability.

Gradually lost their hearing and have not yet integrated to the community.

Primary choices of communication are not a sign language.

Integrates with the hearing world and potentially feels more comfortable there.

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Does that help? I know I am deaf but not Deaf. I am going to study deaf education at University of Montevallo.

~ DW

My mom and I were chatting about my history of being deaf and independent when I was a kid. She first told me that my first time was on stage when I was 3 years old in Dothan, Alabama. That was my modeling show about my hearing aids. I told her how I felt when walking into the stage with all strangers out there. Remember I only 3 years old! She said, “No, you were so happy and smile when come out of store (where catwalk comes from the store to stage).” I said “No I was so confused by those people, but I only I can see my dad who waves at me. ” I just stand and smile. Many flashes from cameras. People backgrounds were so dark, and I couldn’t see anyone but only see my dad who kneeled and waved. I was modeling as toddler for two years, then stopped after I had a golf accident on my forehead. My modeling career was for displaying pictures.  My stage career is ended.

Then she dropped me to swim lesson and like nothing happened. She told people at swim lesson that “Jen will learn from you by copying other people.” Yes, it is true I learned from other people and followed them as always.

Then, in Birmingham, Alabama, at Girl Scout camping, she dropped me like nothing happened. Hehe. I have to face those kinds of issues with hearing campers, but lucky I have found someone who knows sign language to talk with me. The counselor is about 18 or 20 while I was about 10! I depend on her all the time, I felt bad for her, but it is worth it for me to be there to face among people like that.   At Dance Studio, She took me to dance lessons and left me there with all the girls.  The teachers were so freaked out because I was deaf!  Poor teacher.  I have followed the girls and am kind of a little behind the route, but I did. 

Both paragraphs are from Alabama.

Dallas, Texas, here is it. I been along with hearing kids and deaf kids in same public schools. I don’t see any independent yet until 20s. Oh yes, mother told me to go to store by myself and was so nervous! I still young and pre-teen! I been depending on parents since I am only child. Yes, I did been independent when I had relationship with boyfriend and we are kind of teenager thing, not listen to parents or whatever I could remember. Hehe. My mother is overprotective when I was teenager, be good girl…. NOT!

When I became 20, started to be noticed more I got independent. I thought I would win by on my own like live in apartment and having a job. Ended up, wrong decision. I been brat for while like immature and think independent enough but NO. I learned lot those years within right and wrong about being independent. I had girls who been in and out of my life that involved crazy situations and I survived through those years. I learned that, too.

Wonderful years in St Louis, MO and in 30s and 40s. I learned by own decision and being independent. Yes, I had parents near me and can reach with them when I needed them. Live in apartment and handle the finances. Won the lawsuit from UPS, bought home and handles well. Then moved into condo after the issues with job laid off. Lucky, finances enough covered from house and truck. Yeah, I had BIG RAM Truck exchanged to car fit enough in condo garage.

Moved back to Alabama, my home state and family NEED me! I stayed over parents’ house and being independent as always. Hearing world or Deaf world?

What about deaf family members being independent? I meant whole deaf family, not like mine because my family are HEARING, no one is deaf in family, just me. Do you?

Smiles ~ DW

Let’s say here. I watched one of movie called First Female Director (2023) by Chelsea Peretti who also director/actor. It was so funny and corny same time. It catches me thinking about who was the first female director? Yeah, ready? Here is it…

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Alice Guy-Blache (1873-1968) was a French pioneer film director. She was one of the first filmmakers to make a narrative fiction film, as well as the first woman to direct a film.

Her quote: There is nothing connected with the staging of a motion picture that a woman cannot do as easily as a man, and there is no reason she cannot master every technicality of the art…In the arts of acting, painting, music, and literature women have long held their place among the most successful workers, and when it is considered how vitally these arts enter into the production of motion pictures one wonders why the names of scores of women are not found among the most successful creators of photodrama offerings – Alice Guy-Blanche in The Moving Picture World, July 11, 1914.

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The First America Woman Film Director is Lois Weber (1879-1939), was an American silent film director, screenwriter, produce and actress. “the most important and prolific film directors in the era of silent films”

Film historian Anthony Slide (1944) has also asserted, “Along with D.W. Griffith (1875-1948), Weber was the American cinema’s first genuine auteur, a filmmaker involved in all aspects of production and one who utilized the motion picture to put across her own ideas and philosophies”.

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Just wanted to be said, “HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY”

~ DW

#1 is when did you learn how to sign language?  Any ASL or SEE?   Any sign language?

My answer to students from my own.  I had home sign language with family/friends who like to make communication with me.  You know, eat, drink, play, and sleep.  No real communication, but I did some point they wanted to tell. 

My parents were seeking some deaf accessories possible and not aware lot of my deafness.   They are very loyal to me and try to get me better educated in the future.   Like I told you, past blog that I have speech teacher from Colorado.  She has suggestions for us and has few sign books like ASL basic and English sign language. 

My mother and I started to learn sign language when I was 5 at the class in Dothan.  I have no idea.  Maybe some community or rehabilitation center.  I am pretty sure Mother did teach Father sign language because he has been working at night and studying at Troy University in the day.  I do not see him much. 

Had telecommunications and learned to speak.   Everyone told me I can’t sit and not pay attention to them, so I guess I do not have a perfect speaker.  Lol. 

When I went to public school with deaf program and used sign language often as SEE.   Then, I moved to Dallas and learned ASL.   My parents still use SEE and have been interpreting for them sometimes. 

They started slow to learn ASL through me and not easy because there is accent sign language in states.   Alabama and Texas or Missouri has different types of sign language but same under as ASL.  

How did you learn the sign language?

~DW

Let’s say here.  You might not believe me about going to UM when I was a kid.   I was the student to classroom with all student teachers who work with me.  There were disabilities kids attended there and had difficulty learning because there was no accessibility for us.   You might find this program best for deaf study in Alabama, which I meant all of citywide in Alabama.

There was an early program called Speech and Hearing Center Resources, but there is residence for the kids to stay and have classrooms there with all speech therapy and audiologist.  Also, there are teachers who teach for the kids.  It started in 1974, and it has been up and down like rollercoaster in all years.  Now they have 50th anniversary this year and now called Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing programs for those who study in deaf study.

Okay, let’s go back to my time in 1976 to 1978 experience with UM.  I was about 6 years old and started attending to residence center and learning from classrooms.   I can remember all moments with a lot of kids and teachers I have been among them.  

How did I attend UM?  I am originally from Dothan, Alabama, and went to one classroom with 3 years old to 12 years old in one room! We have deaf education teacher, but a secret, she was my first speech therapy from Colorado!   I started at 3 years old and continued schooling with hearing class and transferring to my deaf class.   I have been swinging a lot in my school years.  Just in note.   My parents are looking for some places to put me in dorms with classrooms that have disabilities in it.  There is UM, and they send me to there as 6 years old.   My favorite teacher had moved and a new job in Florida that was the last time I remembered.  My parents drove all the way to drop me off on Sundays and picked me up on Fridays every week during live in Dothan.   Dothan to Montevallo travels about 3 to 4 hours!  Sometimes, they left me there over the weekend, and a few teachers or home mother took me to their home for the weekend.

I lived there for three years until my dad found the job in Birmingham in 1978.  I stopped attending to UM and started attending a regular deaf program classroom at Lakeview School and put me in 3rd grade.  Bad experience for me is sitting in the classroom with all deaf kids.  I know one girl who went to UM with me.  She is in my classroom.  Anyway, the teacher asked us to do the task.  I sat there and actually LOST.   I have no idea what is going on.  I used oral and had some telecommunications in my life.  The teacher noticed me and asked me why I didn’t do the task.   I looked at her, I only knew my name….that is it.   The teacher and parents discussed me moving to K to start over again. 

I started K and learned everything that I had been MISSED in the classroom at UM.  I know I had learned in Dothan, but I was a young kid with all varied ages between 3 and 12 years old in one room.   When I became 10 in 1980, I asked my mom to come to visit the University of Montevallo, where I used resident.   We went and saw the sort changed.  I asked one of the teachers about friends.  One thing, I have noticed that they knew me and spoke to me like I can understand or whatever.  I was so shocked, but I couldn’t believe I had been born as an oral kid with telecommunications in my young years.   I doubt I would talk to my friends anymore.  Later on, I learned he went to ASD (Alabama School for the Deaf) and graduated in 1989.

I learned sign language as SEE (Signing Exact English) more often when I started Lakeview school and Epic School in Birmingham,  Alabama.  

When I was in 1st grade, and they learned I have the highest IQ, the teacher decided me to go to an older deaf kids’ class for reading and writing.   Also, I was about 9 that time and the rest of the year, and I walked forth and backward from class to class in Epic School.  At the end of 2nd grade, I learned that my dad has a job transferring to Dallas and moving to Texas.

In 1981, when I started in Stonewall Jackson (now Mockingbird) elementary school as deaf program with 4th grade but the teacher decided me to move back to 3rd grade in a hearing class instead of deaf class due to my highest IQ.   While I was in grade school, my English became bad because I didn’t use SEE anymore and used ASL (American Sign Language) more.  That is my opinion. 

Yeah, I have sign language accessible as telecommunications,  SEE, and ASL, so I am using PSE. 

The rest of the year, I still attended hearing classes til Alex W. Spence middle school.   I asked my counselor about credits for half deaf classes and half hearing classes for two years.  They approved.  I went to hearing classes for science, math, and English.  I went deaf classes for current events, reading, and history.    In the next 4 years at high school, I kept taking half deaf classes and hearing classes in varied courses.  

I’m not about the same as the middle school classes I took.   There is a requirement to have Texas history, so have it in the hearing class.   RME.   You know there are electives.  I took business, accounting, social, drafting, typing, and computer math classes with sign language interpreters.

Before graduating high school, I took SAT and was on the least in the top of 20s.  I chose the University of Montevallo and put it as a general decision.   Texas Women’s University was my second choice.   I wrote a letter to the University of Montevallo and accepted me for Fall 91.  I did write a letter to Texas Women’s University and not accepted me.   I learned my friends planned to go to TWU, and I begged Vocation Rehabilitation to pay for which TWU not accepted, so they accepted a second chance.  I went to TWU in Fall 91.

THAT IS HISTORY. 

~DW

Am I looking bad?  Am I looking beautiful?  Etc..  No, actually, everyone looks at me because of my looking like healthy or young something like that.

Why?  Okay, I have heart issues, and the doctor wanted to be sure it was okay because of my age.   That day, I needed to make an appointment with the heart doctor, and I was waiting for the next window to talk.  Anyway, the lady stands before me looking at me like “why you come in for heart, or do you look so young and not need the doctor, or why are you coming here?”  Many things in mind, I would guess.    She not know my age because impossible for them to believe me, and yeah, I am healthy looking.   No one knows what is inside me.  That’s right.

Another one.  I went to the gym to put pause on my personal trainer for a couple of months because my leg had been painful.    The worker laughed at me by telling him about pause and the reason my leg was in pain!   I sighed.  He does not know what is inside me.  I can tell it is painful when I twisted or walked normal.  I was kind of limping on one side.  That was terrible, but I went to the gym.    Today I went to the gym and swims.   I know it is better for legs and good therapy, too.  Yeah, that is right.

Hope you have a good week!

~DW

I had a list to say in blogs or vlogs and kept forgetting what I was trying to say.

In the car, I have to drive and can’t stop to give notes for reminding me when I get back to write.   Remember, I am deaf and can’t talk well.  My phone would think I was a foreign person!  Lol.

At work, I can’t stop and give notes to remind for the blogs or vlogs.   I have walk and do the duties in any minutes so not think I would stop to do it. 

~DW