This morning, I woke up and realized Micah was born hearing. While this is a conclusion my husband came to months ago, the truth of it settled with me only today as I was packing school lunches and making coffee. All this time, prior to this morning, I had told myself and everyone I knew, … More When Nothing Adds Up
I heard from a good source that while Micah was away at camp last summer, he relished in dirt. I heard he even went to bed one night with dirt caked on his teeth. Maybe that’s what summer is all about. Small rebellions, wonder, and freedom. In the summers of ’86 and ’87, I packed … More The Glory Days of Summer
Recently, I attended a drum circle with my local Deaf community, and the experience solidified my belief that being part of the Deaf community is a lot like being part of an indigenous tribe. When we first learned that Micah was profoundly Deaf, we accepted the traditional medical perspective on deafness; the script that says … More Beating Drums of Resistance
When Micah was about six, he toted around a stuffed monkey named Monroe. Across Monroe’s face, he had duct taped the monkey’s mouth, sealing his lips. At the time, Micah’s lips too seemed sealed shut. He benefited little from his bilateral cochlear implants, and I found the duct tape gesture darkly poetic. In parts of … More What No One’s Saying About Deaf Kids
90% of of deaf children have hearing parents, and only 10% of hearing parents learn to sign. Read one mom’s story about the barriers of communication between hearing parents and their deaf children.
… More A Loss for Words
On Deafness 