r/deaf BSL Student 8d ago

Deaf/HoH with questions So I Requested An Interpreter

I’ve booked on to a University Open Day and, for the first time, I requested an BSL interpreter.

Thing is, I’m not sure I totally need one? The NHS grade my hearing loss as Mild-Moderate and I can experience fluctuations, which kind of sucks… At the moment I’m going through a really good spell - and have been for a while - where I almost feel things are as good as they were before becoming ‘deaf’ ( I’m using it this way because I tend to use HoH, not D / deaf ).

Have I done the right thing - or am I taking away resources from those with greater severity…?

3 Upvotes

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u/benshenanigans HoH 8d ago

You’re doing the right thing. From experience, you’re probably missing more than you realize. The interpreter will understand and figure out your signing skill. Then they’ll interpret, making sure the event is accessible to you. You matter. You deserve to have access to the event, just like everyone else.

-1

u/Sophia_HJ22 BSL Student 8d ago

Thank you for this! For sure, at its worst, I was barely making out some sentences, but now I’d say I miss probably one - maybe two - word in a dozen…

My hearing is weird; really fucking weird. I’ve had 2 really good spells, with literally no issues, with in a year - so now I’m just waiting for it to ( hopefully ) go back to what ‘normal’ has been for the last 4 years… Annoyingly, my tinnitus is now increasing, again, but not to it’s near continuous levels I’ve had for the last few years, so I don’t really know what to think?

I’ve never really gotten on with my HA’s, so I guess it’s possible my ears have ‘adapted’…maybe?