[shasta0398]

Hi there. I was excited to see this post as I was wondering the same thing. I'm not deaf or hh but I teach ASL as a foreign language at a high school. I also want to go back to school for nursing. I've thought about moving to a large deaf community down the road so that I could use my signing and nursing. I wondered if there were deaf nurses out there...espcecially in the deaf communities where they're needed. I strongly believe that the deaf can do anything they put their mind to.....your daughter can be a great nurse if she wants to be or she can be any great thing she dreams.

NEVER let people and their opinions or ideas hold you or her back. I think deaf children and their parents need to be exposed to or educated about ever option available (deaf culture, ASL, signing, lip reading, hearing aids, cholclear implants) and when they are old enough to decide what works for them then support their wants and needs.

Shasta

[ange26s]

First I would like to say thankyou to everyone who responded to my posting and all of the words of encouragement! To answer TazziRN,my daughter has severe to profound loss which means,even with hearing aids she cannot hear much.She is a canidate for cochlear implants.As of now she cannot hear speech.We have to teach her how to listen to sounds she can hear.Even though we have chosen oral communication as her main mode of communication,we are still going to teach her ASL.I feel not only is she apart of the hearing community,she is also apart of the deaf community.I would not take that away from her.I realize she may feel isolated at times,and I hope that her knowing ASL will help expose her to friends that have the same feelings.After reading nurseklw72 posting,I was so excited!I am glad there are people who have overcome their obstacles of hearing loss.I know i am looking far in the future,but I cant help but to wonder.I am very excited that I am learning ASL for my daughter and for my future patients that are deaf or hard of hearing.

[pegbord]

Angie26s, you sound like such a good and attentive mom. Having an open mind with a deaf child whose needs differ from that of hearing children regarding communication is incredibly important. Thank you for understanding the need to expose her to the deaf community and providing her a language that is "heard" via sight. This will allow her to communicate without struggle - she will thank you too!

[allantiques4me]

I believe everyone can compensate in some way when they have a disability.