Base

I’m an ex-software engineer who quit to support our daughter, Amy, who has Down syndrome.  (For example, I went to sign language classes and taught her signs because her speech was largely unintelligible.). We had secondary infertility, so we adopted 2 daughters from China.  While raising our children I studied special education so I could do it better. After that I decided to re-enter software and studied internet programming and web design, but by the time I earned my certificates, my dad had developed Parkinson’s, so between his needs and Amy’s I was too busy to work.  My dad passed away.  I took up dancing for the first time at age 54 with my daughter’s troupe of dancers with special needs.  Somehow I felt compelled to start signing mixed in with the dance moves.  To do that properly, I earned a degree in ASL & Deaf Studies and entered the Deaf Centered Interpreting Preparation Program at Ohlone in Fall 2022. At that time, I noticed I was unusually emotional, but thought it was because my step mom had just passed away and I had caught Covid the month before.  By November 2022 my speech sounded like I was wearing a retainer and I began to have other symptoms.  By now (January 2024) it is becoming difficult to speak and be understood. I pulled out of the interpreter program.  Fortunately, my husband is learning sign language from me and one of my best friends, who is Deaf and from Afghanistan.  I’d be more frustrated and a lot less happy without ASL due to the ease of using my hands to talk.  I feel like a cosmic joke is being played on me.  ASL / ALS,  Amy/ Amyotrophic.  Oh, and my dance name is Lemonade.  That is a tall order, but here we all are, so I will do my best to bring my best. Thank you to all those who have come before me.  Wishing you all Hope Health and Happiness.