I am deaf you know, not stupid!

Im profoundly deaf in my left ear with only 50% hearing in the right one,I find it most embarrassing when in conversation with someone that isnt aware of my plight,sometimes I nod my head when in fact I should have shook it.However,I must admit it can come in handy at times especially when my wife is sitting in the passenger seat of the car.Absolute bliss..

Oh, how I know exactly what you say. I'm deaf too and for some reason my husband thinks I can hear his winded tales of work experiences while he's standing behind me. Hearing people just don't get it- unless they get sick with stopped up ears then they have great expectations. I love your article- it clearly is similar with what I experience.

I think all schools/workplaces should be knowledgable re: deaf awareness/community and culture to stop such ignorant behaviour from occuring. But flower, such is society today that most people are too rude and impatient to care or try to understand Deaf persons like yourself - it is a crying shame but such is life.

I used to work with a guy who was profoundly deaf and he was very very very rude.
We all used to carry paper and pens to help us all communicate but he would go ballistic if we didn't understand.
But then he was a complete muppet and you sound as if you would be more prepared to be patient with us!

Can we have a reality check please. Are we suggesting it be part of the national curriculum? Is this sensible, how often do we come across deaf people in day to day life. If we are taught and rarely use the skills, how frustrated are deaf people going to be getting their message across. Think how long you learnt french or german at school and how useful it is today. What happens when you come across a native german/french speaker - is your french/german useful - rarely.

I think deaf people are far better off learning to lip read, signing when they have a common signer, but everybody learning to sign? Not practical

I do agree with you abc2, I think atleast basic sign language should be taught to everyone.

Do people not feel that we as a community we should learn basic finger spelling/signing?

My hearing isn't as good as a lot of people and I find it irritating that sometimes people assume that everyone can hear as well as them. If I ask them to repeat what they said, sometimes for a brief second you'll see that look of annoyance cross their face, like my shortcomings have put them out so much because they have to repeat themselves. I know its not the same thing as being completely deaf. Its just one of those annoying things. I get annoyed with myself too because I only get half a conversation. It happens more in busy rooms with lots of background noise. Other people can cope with it fine but I cannot for some reason.

Hey you're deaf, That doesent make you special. Obnoxious people are obnoxious to everyone,regardless of if they're deaf or not. Get used to the fact that when people are rude to you, they're not singalling you out, they're rude to everyone.

I'm suprised you need 2 people to sit with you in a class? Why 2? And I'm dissapointed that the teacher couldnt atleast speak in your direction so you could read their lips.

You sound pretty cool. Someone i'd be proud to be friends with.

Got to say I think you are being harsh. I would certainly try and speak more slowly to a deaf person and mouth my words more clearly, out of poilteness, not rudeness. However if it was pointed out to me that this causes difficulty I would obviously return to speaking normally.

I am glad to have read your gripe because it has taught me a lot. But I think you are being harsh in thinking that everybody should understand your deafness. Do we all have a duty to learn about all disabilities/special needs, I think that is a heavy burden to place on the general population. Imagine the list of ailments we would need to get through!
My mother has been in a wheelchair since her mid thirties (she is now mid sixties), she has a speach impediment, great difficulty seeing in detail and various ticks and spasms. She doesn't expect people to understand her difficulties. Where she finds ignorance, she attempts to educate, where she finds rudeness, she has humour.
As for the doctors surgery/education/audiology department, think you are experiencing equality. You get rubbish service the same as everybody else!!!
Good luck with the education.