Arranging for my first interpreter

Wow, who knew it would be so easy? Not me. I’m apparently sort of clueless about these things. Then again, I’m just entering the world of the folks who need CART and terps, so I’m feeling my way slowly.

I’m a 12 stepper. To me a meeting is a meeting and the steps are the steps, but I tend to relax into either the Al-anon family groups modality or the Adult Children of Alcoholics (and dysfunctional families) modality, however I’m also good with open Alcoholics Anonymous meetings since they’re the granddaddy of them all and there’s so much wisdom to be found there! In fact, the first ASL interpreted meeting I found was an open AA meeting. It has been the only one I’ve been able to cope in since I “un-graduated” myself from the program.

After awhile I started poking around to find out how I could finagle a terp (ASL Interpreter) for other meetings and just today I got my wish ala the Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. I am so excited! While a lot of a 12×12 meeting (12 steps/12 traditions) is reading I rarely know what others are actually reading when it comes time for me to start up and I have to ask where we’re at .  Since I voice well reading a paragraph isn’t a problem. But after the reading comes they sharing and that is when it gets really exciting. Since I hear from only one ear I have no idea how to make everyone be straight across from me or directly to the right. And when reflective speakers put their fingers or hands over their mouths then I can’t lip read. (what is with that?).

So starting next week we’ll have a terp at one of my meetings and I’m so excited I can hardly stand it. And I found out there’s a meeting in the state with CART. Wow! Equal access!