I am late-deafened, and at the time I lost my hearing I was making a substantial amount of money (self employed).

My hearing loss cost me 90% of my business, because I could no longer deal directly with clients (no, I don’t think it’s their RESPONSIBILITY to adapt to using relay services, it’s their right to use someone they can communicate with directly and easily.)

Over the last couple years, I’ve taught myself to do other things, and to work around my disability.

It really chaps me to see folks who’ve had their WHOLE LIVES to adapt to being deaf - access to all kinds of education, technological resources, etc - and yet they’re ‘unable’ to get a job?

What’s worse, they blame the people they do business with for their own inability to manage their finances and maintain a decent credit rating!

Here’s a hint -

If your SSI check is $1000 a month, your under-the-table job pays $500 a month, and your child support on your half-dozen kids is $500 a month - DON’T SPEND MORE THAN $2000 A MONTH!

DON’T buy $1500 computers on credit from Dell when they have decent ones that work at Wal-Mart for $500.

DON’T rent $1500 a month houses.

and

DON’T BUY T-MOBILE SIDEKICKS THAT YOU CAN’T AFFORD WHEN YOU HAVE A COMPUTER AT HOME THAT WILL LET YOU TALK TO ANYONE YOU CAN TALK TO WITH A T-MOBILE!

No one has a ‘RIGHT’ to talk to their boyfriend on a T-Mobile while their shopping at Wally-World, period.