Five-Star Disability

Hi there readers,

I have been thinking about this word: Mimicry, the act of mimicking someone.

Why, you may ask?  As you probably know, children mimic their parents extensively, especially when younger.

There are countless examples and analogies, I won’t get into those.

From my family, I have CAPOS, and especially my son who has CAPOS, it is more marked.

The most obvious mimic is not obvious unless happen to live on my street during the 1970s.  I had friends, and was popular (I tend to think), yet I still missed a great deal.  My CAPOS son is also popular, and is well liked at school.  I am sure, or not sure, if he misses a great deal.

His recently tested vision and hearing are show as stable, unchanging.

Yet. at that age, I was denying my hearing loss.  My vision loss did not bother me as much.

My CAPOS son is also denying his hearing and vision loss.  Probably because it is very minor.

Because I use ASL, it is used at home.  Yet, CAPOS son does not always use it when Mom is at home.

When I was about 14 or so, my psychologist suggested that I learn and use ASL.  I didn’t put any stock into it, because I was very loquacious and didn’t want to lose that.  My parents sent me to a Deaf summer camp for two summers (called Kiwasa House in East Vancouver, close to Hastings and Commercial, not a really safe area).  Yet, I learned just enough to get by and that was it.

The mimic is that, right now, my wife and I are trying to infuse as much ASL as possible to CAPOS son, yet he is only using what is needed.  That saddens me.

Moving to the present:

I usually speak less than 4 words on the phone, either “Happy Birthday!” or “Merry Christmas”.  Ignoring ringing phones has been ingrained in my psyche for over 25 years.  Because I cannot hear the person who is calling, I don’t bother to answer.  Now, I can’t even hear the thing ring.

My point being, I don’t talk on the phone. My sons have never seen daddy talk on the phone.  So, they are both awkward at phone etiquette.  I could be wrong on this matter, and my wife will probably correct me.  Yet, I have witnessed them saying few words then zooming away.  This being my main style of phone communication.  So, its a true mimic!

Another mimic that CAPOS son has picked up on, and I have broken the habit myself, is hugging my wife when she is talking strictly about something important!

It has been said that mimicry is the highest form of flattery, but I’m hoping that my CAPOS son can accept his vision and hearing loss in time and start to really use ASL!  The world would open up for him!