Deaf Like Me

Tom and Louise continue to take the advice of the audiologists and treat Lynn like a hearing child. In many ways, Lynn develops similarly to Bruce. She is expressive and curious, she plays with Bruce and other children, and she manages to communicate non-verbally with her parents. Tom and Louise downplay Lynn’s deafness to their friends, not wanting any pity. They do not want Lynn to be treated as if she has a disability, which they worry will isolate her. Their neighbors, Bob and Mary Hughes, both have cerebral palsy. Before they knew that Lynn was deaf, both Tom and Louise were uncomfortable around Bob and Mary because of their disability. Now, they confide in them about Lynn and learn about Bob and Mary’s experiences.

Bob and Mary are friends with many other people who also have cerebral palsy, which gives them a community and helps them feel less alone in an ableist society. Tom and Louise are grateful to have had friends like Bob and Mary to teach them “how to encourage Lynn’s independence in the face of deafness” (66). A few days before Christmas, Lynn’s auditory trainer arrives in the mail. To Tom and Louise’s disappointment, it does not appear to help Lynn hear anything, even with the volume turned all the way up.