February and March for me has brought so many different things such as emotions, mental, and the unexpected.

The month of February was filled with promoting awareness to the hearing streamers that Deaf people do stream their games on Twitch. I also encouraged many streamers to turn on closed captioning. There was many hearing streamers who had no idea there was closed captioning feature after streaming for several years. I could see the excitement that they were able to give accessibility to Deaf and Hard of hearing community as well as people with different medical reasons who heavily rely on closed captioning as well. I ended the month with one amazing streamer’s help getting myself, and 3 other Deaf streamers to become affiliated with Twitch. Thank you, Sojah.

I aim to create a space in the cyber world where deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing people can connect and share experiences. I also hope that by coming together, we can learn from one another and grow as a community. This is no easy task, as many deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals have encountered negative experiences with hearing people. It’s not just a single event that shapes their perspective—it’s repeated instances of frustration, anger, and the gradual loss of hope. I have experienced this myself as a Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing person.

In a different setting, I came across a group of hearing people who showed interest and wanted to learn, which inspired me to seek out a welcoming community on Twitch. I have since connected with an amazing group of hearing individuals and have been introducing both hearing and Deaf people to shared spaces. Slowly, I am seeing relationships bloom, which makes me very happy. I know this will take time, and I am fully aware of that. I hope that anyone reading this will be patient with Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals, understanding that trust takes time to build. For hearing people, please know that it is not directed at you personally, but rather, you are part of a larger journey of understanding and inclusion.

During the month of working hard to raise awareness, we came across to a whole week of Polar Vortex during the week of 16th to 19th which was a interesting experience. We had to do certain things to make sure we don’t have burst pipes and keeping ourselves warm. We made it through without a issue, thankfully.

Toward the end of the month, I had my first appointment with a primary doctor here in Illinois. We discussed both my physical and mental health, and I was finally able to get back on the medication I needed to help manage my depression and anxiety.

March was a month filled with day-to-day struggles of sciatica pain and the weight of depression, taking me to a very dark place as my body adjusted to new medication. February 28th marked the birthday of my best friend, who is no longer here. In her memory, I had a Kraft mac and cheese box with a side of chicken nuggets for dinner that night, a small tribute to our relationship.

March 6th was both the birth and death anniversary of my third baby. I spent the day in bed, overwhelmed and drowsy from my medication. During the first two weeks of the month, I made phone calls to schedule the appointments my doctor had advised me to make. Each call felt like an uphill battle, but I pushed through.

On March 14th, I heard the tornado sirens blare, followed by my phone urgently warning me to find shelter. A few days later, I learned that a tornado had touched down in the next town over—where I used to live. Depending on the reports, it was classified as either an F2 or F3. I remember the terror of that night, huddling in one room with my children and two cats, hoping we would all be safe.

We celebrated my 2nd child’s birthday to a Wendy’s dinner for 20th birthday. Out of respect, I won’t detail anything. Just wanted to say, “I love you, kid. “

As March was getting closer to the end, I knew I needed something to look forward to, I pick up the call to a local haircut place and made appt that happen to be on April 1st.

In February and March, I watched a TV show called The Haven, which has a supernatural theme combined with a touch of Chicago Police vibes. I thought the show was really good, though a bit predictable at times. The Haven has five seasons and is set in Maine, USA.

Out of curiosity, I looked up whether Haven, Maine, was a real place, but I couldn’t find it. However, I did come across North Haven, Maine, in Knox County, which I found interesting. Based on the Google images, it looks like a beautiful place.

As The Haven wrapped up its final season, I found the ending quite intriguing. It could have gone in many different directions, but they chose a specific conclusion—which I won’t spoil here. It’s definitely worth watching.

Thank you for taking few minutes to read about my 2 months journey.

To the next time,