Who she is..
On facebook, I have been making more connections to other parents of children with CI. In the process, I also came across a group "No Cochlear Implant" where there are fans that oppose to CI. I became a member as well, because I feel that it's easy to be in groups and agree on CI, but more interesting and important to "mingle" with people that have a different view.
It's not that I want to convince these people that they should say "yes" to CI, it's to make sure that the information they base their opinion on is good information. Not misinformation.
Also, as a parent it's good to reply to opposite posts and make yourself think.. explain in a clear matter. Not always easy..
One of the people posting there was talking about how choosing for CI means "not accepting who the child is."
Her post was: "i don't believe in cochlear implants whatsoever. i think parents who do this 2 their child can't accept their child 4 who he/she is."
Ah... yes... "Who he/she is"...
The statement you don't believe in it says enough. How could your child ever be successful with CI if you don't believe in it.
We believed in it. And with hard work from our side and her side, we have seen the success we believed in.. and some more.
And "who she is..." Like any child, she's shaped by our decisions... like your child "who he/she is" is defined by the decisions of us.. the parents...
We saw the child that longed to hear, listen and speak, and that's what she is now.
You might see the child that wants to be deaf... and I hope that is the child you have...
If you live in an area where signlanguage is the norn, he/she will have lots to talk about...
Lotte lives in an area where speech is the norm, and she can't stop talking... :-)
So... "who he/she is.."...
She's exactly what she wants to be...
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Another thing that is mentioned is that the child remains deaf...
Well...
I myself have a problem looking at Lotte and seeing a deaf child. Everything about her is about speaking, singing... The questions never stop.
And I tried to think about it.... When someone can hear.... Is that person deaf?
I can only say, "She's born deaf. Now she can hear." and I can make her journey more spectacular by focusing of the deafness she had, and the hearing she has now... but I cannot see her as deaf.. I think she has no idea how life would be without sound. Even when the CI is off, she remembers how it is to hear....
Actually.... She hears sound without her CI as well.. LOL.. (Will have to find the link ..)
