[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by EPutnam1863

I have been profoundly deaf since birth so I can speak with credibility.

This is one misconception most common ...all deafies are the same which is most certainly not true at all.

Some can speak, some cannot. Some can lip-read, some cannot. Some are educated, some are not. Some can benefit from hearing aids or cochlear implants, some cannot. Some are nice, some are not. Some have excellent coping skills, some do not. We come in all kinds, shapes, forms, and degrees just as you do.

Because I had interpreting services, I was able to obtain a paralegal certificate with all As and was a tax producer for years until I retired. Better this than be a tax consumer, uh?

I myself do not need an interpreter when I have routine medical appointments because I know what to expect. However if I have a medical situation with which I am totally unfamiliar, then I do need interpreting services so there won't be any misunderstandings. Medical service personnel appreciate this because they certainly do not want to be sued if something goes wrong.

I can hardly wait for the day when technology has improved to the point that we won't need to be so dependent on interpreting services anymore. But until then, we are crippled by this need.

I so agree with this post, but I also wish that there wasn't a subset of "deafies" (if that is the PC term) that weren't militant crusaders and more open to compromise and less open to legal action. The only winners tend to be the lawyers.