Grow Your Own Magazine

Right everyone I have to tell you something I have kept from you. When your ready....
OK here I go. I am Deaf. I have been implanted since I was 2 and a half. I am sorry I kept it from you.
Please don't tease me like some people do and any questions and/or swpathys please IM or reply to this thead and BirdieWife sorry I didn't tell you I was a bit embarassed. Beth

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Hi! Please look at my 'brilliant' site about dolls houses and miniatures! I can always use new members, not matter how much you visit or not! Also, the more members I get the more things I can put on, so go on, do me a favor and at least look!
http://dollshousebeginner.page.tl/

Beth, it makes no difference to me. You have absolutely no need to be embarrassed. If there's anything we can do to help, I'm sure we all will. On the vine I hope we are all equal - we all have an interest in common, but we are all different. I hope we are all friends

Soobeth why would we tease you?? You are a member of the grapevine - one of us. Everyone here are friends so just enjoy your time on the grapevine with all your new friends!!

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None of us are going to tease you Soobeth, nor do you need to worry about having kept anything from us, you dont need to hear to grow fruit and veg, nor to participate in the banter and fun on this forum!

It must have taken some guts to have decided to tell us all, as you didnt need to as none of us would ever have known, so well done you for having the bravery to do so!

I wont write with sympathy, as I feel that would be far too easily misconstrued as being insincere, but I will say well done you in coping with your challenges and taking part in this forum, long may you continue to do so!

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Blessings
Suzanne (aka Mrs Dobby)

'Garden naked - get some colour in your cheeks'!

The Dobby's Pumpkin Patch - a blogspot work in progress!
Last updated 26th November2008 - more new piccies!

Thank you if you have any question I would be privileged to answer them. You can PM them to me or put them on the thread, and actually I would LOVE to help people understand more.
Thanks Beth

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Hi! Please look at my 'brilliant' site about dolls houses and miniatures! I can always use new members, not matter how much you visit or not! Also, the more members I get the more things I can put on, so go on, do me a favor and at least look!
http://dollshousebeginner.page.tl/

I think it's all been said but i'll second it. It makes no difference and you have no need to be embarrassed, but thank you for telling us now that you have. Enjoy your time on the vine. You know it is a friendly place.

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Bright Blessings
Earthbabe
If at first you don't succeed, open a bottle of wine.

Soobeth
Just wanna echo all the responses so far - makes not one bit of difference to any of us here on the Vine. So don't worry about it -you're among friends

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Rat

British by birth
Scottish by the Grace of God

Blog updated Wednesday November 13th

my dad is deaf, my mum can hear in only one ear and bob (my OH) only has one ear that works too. like everyone said, you dont need to hear to love gardening.
i'm glad you dont let it stop you doing the things you love, really no need to be embarassed, non of us are "perfect" whatever that is.

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Yo an' Bob
Walk lightly on the earth
take only what you need
give all you can
and your produce will be bountifull

The Vine is for everyone who loves gardening Soobeth - and the world is for everyone. Take your rightful place on the Vine and in the world. No need for any embarrasment. Glad to have you here among us.

Hi Beth, I don't think it makes a bit of difference that you are deaf, there are all sorts of people on the 'vine' & we are all different in many ways. As for questions, I'd just like to know how you feel about people who say that giving deaf children implants is wrong & that they should just get by with sign language. Personally I think I would have the implants but you are far more qualified to pass an opinion on that.I'm sure you enjoy life to the full & hope you enjoy chatting to us all on the 'vine' as we do to you.

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Into every life a little rain must fall.

It makes no odds to us that you're deaf Soobeth, but I have to say I felt very saddened reading your post, that you thought we might tease you; it suggests that you have come up against some very unkind people in your life, who unfortunately probably don't know any better. You are very courageous and a stark reminder to us all to be appreciative of everything we have and not take things for granted.
Everyone of us is unique in some way or other, but everyone should feel valued for who they are. Be proud!

Soobeth, methinks you are very brave telling total strangers of your deafness. Personally I dont mind if you have bionic hearing, two heads, one arm or are hirsuite. Keep the posts coming chuck and remember your just as an important part of the success of the vine as anybody else.

No sympathy, no teasing, just as it is.

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Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated - Sunday 19th at 2100hrs

Soobeth, makes no difference, there are a number of us on here with problems and we have all supported each other in the past. I don't see any problem as a negative, or as an embarrassment, I see it as an opportunity, to be unique, to think and solve problems in a way that only you can do. It is very life affirming and anyone who does make out that you have problem is an ass. Glad you told us, if we can do anything, help in anyway, just say so.

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Best wishes
Andrewo
Harbinger of Rhubarb tales

Hiya Soobeth, just echoing many of the comments made above that it doesn't matter here if your deaf, blind or even a little green man from mars (although that could be an unfair advantage as he would presumably also have green fingers............). Anyway, I have one question, excuse my total ignorance as everybody else seems to know, but what do you mean by "implanted", I presume it's something to do with helping you hear. Does it amplify vibrations and how much does it help you?

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Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

Hi Beth, hope you're feeling a bit better today. You were really brave telling us all about your deafness. As we've said it makes no difference to us, and you're on equal terms with the rest of us on the vine, you can ask questions and answer them with the rest of us - computers are great equalizers. You may even be able to teach us a few things!

Hope to hear from you soon,

I may well tease you Beth .... but there again I tease everyone!! The beauty of places like the Vine is that know one knows you or what you look like or anything so you just get treated like the rest.

You would never guess I'm 6ft 6" rippling muscles & a real heart throb would you ...... good cos I ain't

stick at it & enjoy yourself thats the main thing.

Lifes too short to be serious

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Howdy SooBeth,

I've been partially deaf for 8 years. About 3 months ago I got my first hearing aid...the device! Its not much fun is it, being deaf? I'm not in the same position as you but I've got an idea. I get untold amount of grief for having a satalite dish strapped to my head, but WE ARE better than that (You'd think that Grown-ups would know better would'nt you?). Being able to hear has changed my life (and Yo's!!) for the better and at the end of the day you have to ask yourself one or two simple questions:

1: Does not being able to hear stop you doing anything?
2: Does it stop you enjoying the simple pleasures of Gardening?
3: Does it stop you savouring the taste of a home brewed glass of Cider (I know you're 9, but beleive me - in a few years You'll love it! For now, Yo suggests a spiced apple cordial)?

You're a brave Gal and thats for sure. We have the hand that we are dealt and we do what we can. Thats all that any of us can hope for. Its a joy to see someone so young taking an interest in something like gardening. Believe me I know how tempting the Playstation can be, but there is something so undeniably satisfying about putting hand to earth, is'nt there? And when you can let that work (with a few simple steps) convert that loving touch to a fine Ale, Cider, Wine, Sunday Lunch AND a sense of hope and wellbeing for yourself & the Human Race, then you have to proud of yourself. These are skills that have almost gone. You are helping to safeguard the knowledge and for that I thank You.

Yours, Bob.

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Yo an' Bob
Walk lightly on the earth
take only what you need
give all you can
and your produce will be bountifull

alison,
i'm sure soobeth will correct me, but as i understand it the implant is an electronic device connected to the nerves in the ear to bypass the "defunct" ear, is usually only implanted in the very young as people who have been living with total deafness wouldnt cope so well with a whole new sense. it is a smallish pad that sits under the skin behind the ear and is embedded in the skull. It improves their hearing abillity but as with all technology is not the same as being a hearing person, but it does aid speech and communication.

suea
I dont have personal experience of being implanted and none of the deaf people i know have, but technology has come a long way, i know if the technology had been available all the deaf people i know would have said yes!
my sign language is very poor, my dad lip reads, and was never taught sign.-
nor we're we, living as a hearing person in a household of an almost totally deaf father and a partially deaf mother i know how much frustration and angst can be caused by simply not taking the time or having the patience to "listen" properly to the other family members. ( and it was usually the deaf people who lost patience with each other because of the effort involved!)
in my opinion the people who want to "safeguard" the totally deaf community from help is like the luddites, its like saying if your partially sighted you should'nt wear glasses just to be able to fit in.
my father now has hearing aids! I had my fist conversation with him at the age of 21. my mother can't wear a hearing aid, she has had alomst a 3rd of her skull removed from behind her ear because of infection. but she has hearing in one ear.
the differance bobs hearing aid made to our relationship is immence, i no longer have to bite my tongue, and he no longer has to put up with me asking him to repeat what i've said to make sure he heard me. (its easier to say yes than have somthing repeated to you over and over.)
our neighbours two year old now has two hearing aids, before any of us realised he was deaf we thought he was being abused, he cried constantly,
we now know it was just his frustration at being unable to communicate.
he has had his hearing aids for two months, he now comes up to the lottie with me and makes very convinsing chuck and duck noises as well as being able to communicate to us humans.

we havn't heard him cry for the last 6 weeks.

we commend you soobeth for wanting to help the hearing umougst us understand the deaf, contrary to popular belief shouting at a deaf person wont help. just like shouting in english wont help a french person understand you.

soobeth youre an inspiration to all of us, your hobby is helping to protect the future of our planet and your willingness to help people understand your positon is very forsighted in one so young, i think if you wanted to you could be primeminister or a famous rainbow warrior or anthing you put your mind too.

go soobeth.
dont let anything stand in your way!
(not that you would for a second)

also good on your folks for making the difficult decision to give you the implant and good on your dad for supporting your hobby.

you will go a long way girl!

Yolanda.

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Yo an' Bob
Walk lightly on the earth
take only what you need
give all you can
and your produce will be bountifull

Beth, I'm just pleased that you have decided to join us. no problems! DDL

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

My late sister was profoundly deaf and had a Hearing Dog, the dog and his liveried jacket explained to people why she did not react to their voices, saving explanations or being thought rude.

However she always reckoned she took longer to do things with the dog, because of all the attention he attracted and through having to give explanations of how a Hearing Dog worked.



Funniest thing she ever told us about deafness and the dog was shortly after getting him and having to go to the loo with the door open.

So the dog could find her if the doorbell or phone rang and tell her.



Great things computers though aren't they Beth, the world is opened up for all. Stephen Hawking can talk, you can talk to so many people here.

My professional body the British Computer Society has a specialist group dedicated to adapting computers to aid people with all sorts of disabilities.

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Always thank people who have helped you immediately, as they may not be around to thank later.
Visit my blog at http://podsplot.blogspot.com/
I support http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/

Hey! Just a thought, but they say if you lose a sense - e.g. hearing - that the other senses are heightened. That must mean the veg you grow tastes better than any of ours!!!