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From: Fran.O'gorman@f94.n272.z1.fidonet.org (Fran O'gorman)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: GOOD TEACHERS VS. BAD ONES
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Date: 12 Mar 91 05:26:44 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

Hi Vixen,

 V> I just wish forgetting was as easy
 V> as forgiving. It is'nt always, is it!

So true, no it isn't easy, the hardest part actually!

 V> As to whether or not I am getting any support or emotional help,
 V> the answer is no, none whatsoever. I see no counselors, I am often
 V> told that I must face my hearing loss and learn to deal with it on
 V> my own and some just don't seem to have the time for me. So, as you
 V> can imagine, I do have a lot of "pent up" emotion to carry around.
 V> So far, SilentTalk and ABLED are the only place I have to turn to.

While I'm glad that this medium has provided some support it
clearly can't possibly be enough!  It seems like there must be
some kind of support group or something where people who've
experienced sudden sensory loss and are having to
cope...especially in this era of the 'support group'.  If they can
have support groups for such trivial things one reads about.  It
seems to me like the people who are saying 'no' are just not doing
their job in referring you.  Even when my Mary developed diabetes
and siezure disorders when she reached puberty, a social worker
came to see us to see what kind of networking I had (family,
church etc to see me through--and her new 'disabilities' were
really not that bad compared to major sensory loss) Sometimes it's
in the form of a religious group that might provide that kind of
thing.  I'm Catholic and they have weekends and retreats and
meetings for people who are dealing with the sudden loss of a
spouse (both from death or divorce) and I don't think you have to
be Catholic to partake.  Even the cost is not a deterrent probably
if it's like marriage encounter--they just take up a collection in
the end, and if you can you do, if you can't that's OK and if you
can give extra to make up for the ones who can't you do that also.
Maybe you could give one of the churches a call and inquire what
was available?

Jay here on the echo is an Epicopalian priest--maybe he knows
something --Jay are ya reading?  :-)  The Episcopalian Church was
better than the Catholic in youth ministry (I thought) when I was
a teenager--maybe they have something going...

 V> In truth, it is not being "disABLED" that is the problem so
 V> much as it seem a problem that abled persons "misunderstand"
 V> disability.

You said a mouthful there!

 V> Although, I do enjoy a good dabate over
 V> termininologies and labels. (re: My preference for being referred
 V> to as Hearing Impaired rather than Hard of hearing.)
 V> It is funny what Images we all hold when we hear certain names and
 V> termininologies!

Yea, I knew just what you meant --that 'hard of hearing' did
conjur up similar images for me (while in fact Ann is right --it's
probably more accurate in some cases) but I probably saw the same
movies of the little old man with the ear-horn too!  {Being 41
too--I probably was exposed to the same stuff :-) }

Anyway, I'd explore that possibility of a support group if you
can.  It may mean some traveling even, but I think it would
definitely be worth it.

Take care!
--Fran

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