4/15/ 2010
ASL
Research Paper
Deaf Like Me
By Thomas S. Spradley
James P. Spradly
Epilogue By Lynn Spradley
Deaf Like Me is a story compiled together by Thomas and James Spradley. It is a compelling story about two hearing+ parents struggling to cope with their daughters overwhelming deafness. This powerful story expresses with simplicity the love, hope, and anxieties of all hearing parents of deaf children. In the epilogue, Lynn Spradley, herself, now a teenager thinks back about different times in her life growing up deaf. She reflects upon her education, her struggle to communicate, and the discovery that she was the inspiration and the main focus of her father's and uncle's book collaboration. Deaf Like Me is a moving and inspiring, must read for every parent, relative, and friend of deaf children everywhere.
Lynn is her name, the child that was hoped to be the most perfect baby for the most perfect family. Lynn’s mothers Louise was struck with the German measles when she had just became pregnant with Lynn but wasn't sure wether or not Lynn would have the disease as well.
When Lynn was born Louise was hoping for her baby to be healthy. As time went by Louise was thrilled watching as her healthy beautiful baby girl was growing. It was not until Lynn was about 3 months old that Louise began to question that maybe something was wrong with Lynn. As Thomas Spradley tells the story from his accounts he Says, it wasn’t until 3 months later on the 4th of july had he noticed a possible problem with his daughter. Louise, their son Bruce, the grandparents and baby Lynn had gone to the 4th of July celebration parade. This parade was exciting and filled with noise. Yet in the midst of all the Fire engines sounding, crowds yelling and cheering loudly and loud booms and bangs from all the fireworks going off when Louise noticed baby Lynn never flinched and the noise didn't appear to bother her any. After Louise’s discovery, for months
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