I can't believe it but he has done it. Douglas is now a high school graduate. This photo is of him and his interpreter. I am so proud of him. He has decided to go to UNL. He was all set up to go to RIT but found out two months ago that he has Type 1 diabetes. He was accepted into a study through Creighton Medical center in Omaha Ne. He will have to go once a week for two years to get injections. They are hoping that this medicine will make it so you don't have to inject yourself anymore. They are trying to restore his beta cells. I hope it works. We are getting everything ready now for UNL.
One thing that really bother me. Cochlear implant users and deafhood is no difference, they both are the same in shoe however, they cannot work for police, security guard, firefighter, army, navy, lawyer, justice, politician, doctors, and you name it, coz they do not hire who ci users same as deafhood. Cochlear implant labelled to be a deafness as well as deafhood. Cochlear implants is a must for thier hearing parents's sake for the communication, such speak (talk) and hear a thing like the music, nothing more. I do researched and wondered but cochlear implant is nothing to find more important, otherwise, the only for a speak (talk) and hear a thing... I not against ci, but I do have friends who's ci users, which I respect them as well, therefore, they told me ci is not worth it beacuse there is too many issues same as deafhood problems such frustration to find the jobs, too many negative such like the people will notice ci on the skull to identity them a deafness, unlike deafhood to hard identity coz look so normal due none ci machine on the skull... so anyway, my point cochlear implants is completely failure... But just for hositpal and doctors profits... no hard feeling... :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats! you must be one proud momma! Best of luck to him.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous- Thanks for making me realize getting a CI for my child was the BEST decision.
Anonymous at 4:55, Rubbish.
ReplyDeleteWe know many deaf lawyers, doctors and firefighters.
Unfortunately you are looking at wrong information.
*D*eaf here leaving this comment.
I agree with Anonymous at 4:55.
ReplyDeleteYou know many deaf lawyers? doctors? firefighterss?
I bet you cannot count more than ten fingers on your two hands.
It is not wrong information. It is mistated.
CI?? Recommended?? no... Cochlear implants have a bad side effects which can occured to death. Implanting on the child is a great risky due to Neurology and Psychosocial. The childhood migraine variants as sickness lead to death from the Infectious Diseases and bad environmental because, for example, Something happen to ci users, go emergency hositpal and the doctors cannot do the MRI, Cardiac Arrest, Shock Cardiogenic, Radiation Emergencies, Electronic Machines, so you let your child to die beacuse of cochlear implant in the skull could a greater of damage in the nerve damage or brain damage. That's the facts. I am sorry, if you feel offened. The matter of fact, the CI doctors and Audiologists hyocrited and manipulations because just for hositpal and doctors profits! Consider yourself and think twice!
ReplyDeleteCochlear Implants Failure... Lawsuits...Call Lawyer...
Cochlear Implant Lawyer for Advanced Bionics and Clarion Devices
Get a free lawsuit review for Advanced Bionics cochlear implants and earlier Clarion models by completing the form on this page. A Deaf attorney is available to review your information and can discuss it by videophone (VP). The lawyers of Weitz and, Luxenberg P.C. have expanded litigation against Advanced Bionics related to defective Advanced bionics cochlear implants implanted in young children and adults. http://www.cochlear-implant-lawyer.com/ Have a nice day! :)
Oh my. Does this person even know what deafhood is about? Take a course on it please. This person must think deafhood is a culturally deaf group. Big difference. It's a journey...like motherhood. People mentioned in deafhood study DO/DID wear hearing aids, cochlear implants, can speak, etc. Tell me, if deafhood can't get jobs and CI folks can't either, which type of deaf who can?
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, there's plenty of deaf with those jobs. They just won't tell you who they are.
First of all, Congratulation for Douglas to graduate from high school. Hurrah! Hope he will do very well at UNL. Do not let Diabetes Type 1 get in the way. Just do the best as you can.
ReplyDeleteSecond of all, I am a bilateral CIer and work in the medical field for over 12 years. I have done a lot of researches on CI including reading Otolarynology & Neck Surgery, Academy of Pediatric, JAMA, Biomedical Engineering, and other technical journals about cochlear implants. Those journals are very reliable and very well written with lots of technical jargons. I do know that many Deaf people can not understand nor read at that level to comphrend what exactly CI is and how they function.
To Anonymous at 4:55 (1655), 7:48 (1948), and 9:33 (2133), I am pondering if you guy(s) read those journals as I mentioned above. They are definitely are complicated reading materials for anybody including for hearing layman. Have to understand medical and engineering jargons to understand the full structure and function of the CI and Neurotology as well as the interaction between electrodes and auditory nerves (8th Cranial Nerve) at neuromolecular level. There are lots of learning and understanding how both interact within each other as well as how the biochemical and electrical stimulation works within the neurons including the pre-synpatic and post-synpatic along with gap synpatic regions. Ultimately, those implulses would end up in the auditory cortex for interpretation; however, the Wernicke's regions is the final destination and makes the actual interpretation of the sound.
For a long time, I have been waiting for a Deaf person to talk about this specific issue. So far, not one ever brings this up. I wondered how many Deaf people study neurology/molecular area. I think of none of the Deaf people work at this level at all to my knowledge unless someone can prove me wrong. I would be happy to know that there is/are Deaf person working at that level.
Lastly, the incident of hard and soft failures with the implant/devices are very rare. It only represent less than 2 percent. When you see the graph including Cochlear Americas. Back in 1980's when the patients were implanted with CI, the incident would be about close to 7 percent. However, that specific 7 percent failure is related to the implant over 20 years old. Meanwhile, the 93 percent is still going strong. When looking at the benefits versus harm, the benefits had outweighed the harm. In other words, many people do benefit well from the CI, not only because they hear better, rather they were able to participate more in terms of socializing, psychological, and other issues. Therefore, they become happier than when they lost their hearing at a certain age. Many of those people with CI fits in those category.
As for being born Deaf, I can understand why younger kids such as 12 months or a little older can benefits from CI because their brain is neuroplasticity and can adapt within the environment very quickly than the older kids. We do know that CI is not for everyone depending on the condition of the child.
I guess I have to go to work now, but I have said pretty much of my piece of my knowledge and mind about CI. Again, congratulation Douglas and hope your career will be great and awesome when you graduate from college. I hope I will look forward to it. :)
WisDeaf
I know ONE 100% profound Deaf who was a teacher in Medical School in Manhattan - yes, "WAS" because he is deceased. I met several doctors who were taught by him told me that they loved him.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't believe this too, you are truly a loser and doesn't belong in this earth.
Hi Douglas
ReplyDeleteMy name is Jenna and I came across your site. U are a handsome young man, with full potential, and an Inspirational hero to all.
I was born with a rare life threatening disease.
www.miraclechamp.webs.com
God Bless You!
ReplyDeleteI too am profoundly deaf. I am 60 and disabled as a result of that and others things. weare now contemplating CI by advice of my audiologist.
Scary step...
Congratulations on your graduation. Continue doing great things and you can expect a bright future ahead of you. My invisalign arizona dentist was so happy to see you graduated. Congratulations again.
ReplyDelete