I am fascinated by people who are faced with physical challenges in life and supersede what most people believe they wouldn’t be capable of. These people push me to do more and help keep me in the mindset that anything really is possible. However, the deaf and hearing impaired are most dear to my heart. As a child, I had to get tubes surgically placed into my ears due to constant ear infections I was getting. As a result of the infections, I was nearly deaf as a child and my parents at first couldn’t figure out why I talked so loud. I remember things sounding like I was underwater. If I was not blessed with that procedure, I most likely would be deaf today. Though, even today I still have trouble with my left ear, it is a blessing. However, I often wonder how my life would be, presently, if I was deaf– like if I would still have accomplished what I have today or maybe even more like the people highlighted in this article.
Growing up I always thought Marlee was a joy to watch on TV and Film. She has only progressed as the years have passed. Considering that she hasn’t had but 20 percent hearing in her left ear and none in her right since the age of 18 months she has made amazing strides. What Marlee wants Marlee will learn, even starting at a very young age. In her youth, she fervidly wanted to have a Bat Mitzvah, so she learned Hebrew phonetically. The Oscar winning actress’s ambition led her to receive a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award along with 6 nominations. She later danced on the show Dancing with the Stars and appeared on The Celebrity Apprentice making it to 2nd place by raising $1,050,000 for The Starkey Hearing Foundation . And Marlee is still “dancing” with her latest project on ABC Family the tv series called Switched at Birth starring as Melody Bledsoe.
Melissa proves with every beat that she is going to “keep dancing” while she cheers for the San Diego Chargers. Though she only has about 15 percent of hearing left, she does also wear a hearing aid in her left, however; she still can’t really hear the music. But that definitely did not stop her from becoming a Charger Girl now in her second season. I watched her story on E! in awe. Melissa was upbeat and positive when she explained how though she can’t hear the music she has brilliantly come up with a system to stay on beat with the other cheerleaders during routines. I was so excited about her that I went further to research her and found that she also owns a marketing and web development company with her husband. As I watched her on E!, all I can remember her saying is that “Even if the music stopped, I would keep dancing.” There is so much in that statement for even those of us that can hear.
Shawn Jackson has also been dancing through life touching people’s lives and making strides. Since the 5th grade he has always had trouble with hearing on and off throughout his life. Later in life around the age of 15 he was diagnosed with a form of Tinnitus where he then started experiencing ringing in his ears. That, of course, made his hearing worse to the point that he pretty much went deaf. By the age of 22, Shawn was profoundly deaf with 5% hearing in his right ear and 0% in his left ear at which he was diagnosed with PD (Profound Deafness). That is when he then started learning ASL (American Sign Language) with the help of loved ones and specialists. Once Shawn was around 30 years old, he had become fluent in ASL enough to teach it, but between that time he candidly told me that he didn’t have the confidence to work certain types of jobs so he worked a lot of service jobs. It wasn’t until he got his Cochlear Implant on Sept. 26, 2006 (by believe it or not Dr. House) that he started gaining the confidence to work the jobs he is currently working today. The procedure worked but he now cannot hear because his sound processor is, at present, broken. However, he is scheduled to get it fixed but in the meantime he uses this as an opportunity to connect more with his fellow hearing impaired individuals. Shawn is very active with the deaf community and also gives private classes to the deaf and hearing impaired and others that are interested in learning. In addition, with this experience he has discovered his passion in writing and is currently a writer for J’Adore Magazine. He also finds his “handicap” as a handy blessing because it has given him a platform to educate others about deafness, the hearing impaired, and what ASL really as it is real language.
This article is also dedicated to my altruistic friend, Valerie Bynum, who has been wearing hearing aids since she was two years of age due to nerve loss because her parents two different blood types called RH Factor. Today she is a brilliant Ophthalmic Technologist helping people with their eyes.
“Just because the music stopped, it doesn’t mean you have to stop dancing.” ~Marika Dye
Thank you Marika!! I really liked this article! I never knew about Ms. Adams and I loved what you wrote about Marlee Matlin. I'm also VERY flattered you included me in such great company.
You are welcome Shawn! Marlee Matlin is awesome isn't she. I read her whole bio but had to keep it simple but she is quite interesting. Glad I taught you something new about Melissa Adams too. She is adorable. And I grouped you in the article because you truly are an inspiration too! Thank you for teaching me some ASL and making those videos. I am glad it inspired you to start teaching.
Quite the inspiration. I wasn't aware of any of the individuals that u mentioned but it's still a moving story. Thanks for sharing!
Glad I was able post about people you didn't know. Maybe it made it that more interesting! Thanks for reading and enjoying it!
Thanks Marika!! That's so sweet of you to dedicate an article to me!
. My hearing impairment is some nerve loss.. At least that's all it is. And not worse! 
it amazes me of others how they cope with worse conditions! 
thanks girl ! Love ya!!
Love you more….. and yeah I can't imagine being deaf. But I think both of us are strong women and would cope with it just the same. You do good things for people Val! <3
Oh, and my parents didnt find out about my hearing till about age two! My brother has hearing aides also, they watched for his sooner because of the chances..
Oh so is this going to happen with all their children? Will you pass it down. I am googling RH Factor now…. it's interesting.
Well the RH factor happens when the Mother has Negative blood type and the Father has Positive blood type. When the mother has Negative blood type, all the babies mostly come out with the Fathers type being postive blood. (like A postive, or A negative) So when that happens, during pregnancy the baby can build up antibodies which can cause other defects or even a miscarriage.
Usually the first born, the RH factor does not happen. But then the 2nd and on down the list, it can happen..the antibodies build up. Which can make the baby jaundice (which I was for like the first day or so..they said…) My brother was not jaundice..but his hearing is not as good as mine. He can hear with hearing aides, but not as much as I do.
It just all depends.
*NOW, with me having a Positive blood type, my kids (when ever that happens), it will not be passed on to them. But ya never know, any pregnancy or development is just all in Gods hands.
So thats the majority of what RH factor is about. Just the difference in blood types. Mother being negative blood, baby being positive blood. Of course 30 yrs ago, Doctors did not give that Rogam shot to the mother during pregnancy, like they do today. My mom got the rogam shot after she had my older sister. I guess Doctors have found that doing the Rogam shot during pregnancy helps the 2nd, and 3rd kids.
I have looked it up also, for my sake of having kids one day.. so far it tells me and Doctors say It wont be passed down.
My mother didn't breast feed me which I think led me to very severe and frequent ear infections. So hopefully if I am blessed to have a child I will be breast feeding. Maybe use a pump. Thanks for sharing that. Now I have learned something new. I have +O I think.
So that shot will not help the first child?
That's really interesting, Valerie. Makes me wonder about whether or not my own hearing loss may be genetic or not and whether I can pass it on to my future kids.
Tinnitus, I don't think is genetic. But I will look it up too. I actually from time to time … which I think came from the tubes or my hearing loss would have ringing in my ears… but not long periods of time. I couldn't imagine. For the most part I remember feeling like I was under water a lot.
Thank You Melissa!! I was really touched by what I read of your story. To me, that just shows the resilience of people who take a "handicap" and make it a STRENGTH!! I am humbled by your words and story which I would never have known if not for Marika.
Hi Marika! I just came across your article and wanted to say THANK YOU for writing such sweet things about me. I am so honored to even be grouped together in an article with the amazing Marlee Matlin! I love reading Shawn's story too, and it's so inspirational to learn there are others out there who achieve their dreams regardless of the obstacles. Thank you again for your kind words!
Wow! I don't know how you found this but this was a great surprise to say the least. I work auto shows so I had been gone when you wrote this to me so sorry it took me so long to write you back. I am so behind on this project. I added you on facebook, I hope you don't mind. I love to have positive people like you in my circle. It's such a blessing to have had the chance to write this because you are the reason I wrote this in the first place. Then, I thought I need to honor my friends that are also so gifted no matter what life has dealt them. So with that said you are welcome. Your story inspired me!
For many, the use of paid childcare is a matter of choice with arguments on both sides about whether this is beneficial or harmful to children.
The first few years of a child's life are important to form a basis for good education, morality, self-discipline and social integration. Consistency of approach, skills and qualifications of careers have been shown in many studies to improve the chances of a child reaching his or her full potential.
How does this have to do with people who cannot hear but achieve goals anyway?