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.

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”.

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