ASL SuzyQ

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My Story

I became Hard Of Hearing due to many chronic ear infections as I was growing up. I was found to be mild HOH around age 7 yrs because teachers at school asked for me to be tested for Hearing loss. I was always put in the seat at the front of the class so I could see the teacher. But I lived in an abusive home and my parents allowed me to live with untreated chronic ear infections and multiple ruptured eardrums as a child. Starting about age 7yrs. I endured multiple surgeries to “fix” my hearing loss and chronic ear infections. These surgeries continued from age 7yrs. through age 12 yrs. I ended up with a lot of scar tissue inside of my ears.

When I was 11 yrs old, I met my first Deaf family. They had 6 children all in Residential Deaf school and they taught me about Deaf Culture and gave me my first ASL lessons. They included me with their family and invited me along to Deaf events and a new world was opened up to me. I babysat for their children and they taught me numbers, colors and games in ASL. It was a wonderful experience for me and I was with them as much as possible until I went away to college. I later became an Interpreter for the Deaf (*and Blind) back in 1980's, 1990's. I went to and graduated with honors from Madonna Univ. in 1985. I was in the SLS/Interpreting Program. They had the only 4 yr. program in the USA (back then). I was an Interpreter for the University, my Alma Mater. In 1982-83, I went to AZ and worked with Deaf preschool age children. In evenings, I taught ASL to them and their parents. I also taught ASL at several churches and schools as a volunteer. I was in 2 Sign Language Drama groups: "Silent Impressions Productions" and "Silent Praise". Later on, I also was an Interpreter for LESA or Livingston County Schools in 1990’s and 2000’s. When I had my own children and we had made friends with a Deaf mother at their school and her daughters, I started an ASL club at the school. I exposed many kids to Deaf culture and ASL so that my friend and her kids would not feel left out of experiences and field trips. I taught the elementary kids Sign Language and we put on shows for the parents and rest of the school at end of year. Also I performed ASL Drama/choreographed numbers, with two different groups at ASU and ASU Neumann Ctr, back in the 1980's. The name of these groups were “Silent Impressions Productions” and “Silent Praise”.

In 2002, after a MVA (a man ran through a red light). My vision and my hearing were diminished more, due to nerve damage, Cerebellar damage & a TBI. I was diagnosed and received 2 BTE Hearing Aids at that time (and have had them ever since). At first, my hearing loss was Sensory Neural. I was later diagnosed with Tympanosclerosis, scar tissue and then Cholesteatoma (auditory/brain tumor that can be reoccurring). I had a Tympanomastoidectomy with Oscillar chain reconstruction and prosthetic Anvil in July 2019. That is when I changed my identity from HOH to Deaf. This page expresses my love of ASL; along with the Art, Culture & the community. Deafness is a cultural identity not a handicap. The art of Song/music combined with ASL is beautiful and I enjoy sharing it. I use Apple Music which helps me to sign ASL song covers. The words show in real time and it works for me.

Thank you for being and and please follow me and my journey. Just FYI, I do live with several high impact painful illnesses, including full body RSD/CRPS, EDS-4, Dysautonomia/POTS, Gastroparesis/SIBO and an immune deficiency disease called “Combined Variable Immune Deficiency”. I am a Health/Pain/Chronic Illness/Rare Disease Advocate and also an advocate for Deaf/HOH community. You can find me on YouTube and Instagram at ASLSuzyQ and on TikTok at asl_suzyq. On Snapchat I am “Jewelrymkr” and I do have a VP (Convo) and Marco Polo etc. I’m on Twitter but do not use it much. My page is here at ASLSuzyQ and I also run a group called “ASL Express”. Thank you again and feel free to message me. But please do not Video chat unless I know you. Sending peace, Love and positivity.