“What’s life without goals? Would it not be weird to wake up one day, and have absolutely nothing to do? That’s not the kind of life my soul intends to live” says 25-year-old Chhavi Sharma, one of the most renowned artists of Jaipur.
Chhavi was pronounced deaf when she was 1 year old. Her elder sister suffers from hearing impairment. Our dad never let us feel that we have something lacking in us. We’ve always been told that we are far more able than those who can hear, and we’re meant to achieve great heights. In fact, I’ll let you in on a little secret, sometimes it’s a blessing in disguise. We don’t get distracted easily. You need your mind and heart at one place to bring out all the intricacies on a canvas.
Before I was born, my parents consulted various doctors to ensure that their new baby doesn’t suffer from the same problem which their elder daughter does. Her pediatrician and gynecologist suspected that it was a case of medication gone wrong. So my mom made sure that she doesn’t consume any of those same medicines again. But well, here we are...
At the age of one, I didn’t pass the hearing test. It was an upsetting discovery for my parents. They never talk about it, but I can imagine how shattering it would have been for them.
Their trust was already invested in Rita Piplani ma’am, the director of Asha Kiran Speech and Language Habilitation Center. Even after all these years, her skill stands unmatched.
Even though I was stuck with it for about 17 years, my hearing aid and I never got along well. Every thud, every bang used to be so loud...almost painful. Every day was a sobfest. Papa understood how uncomfortable I felt while using that now-thankfully-forsaken piece of machinery, still, he forced me to wear it because according to him, that was the only way to make our ears work. I don’t blame him. He only had our best interest in his mind.
We both were promised a bi-lateral Cochlear Implant System, the same day Asha Kiran Language and Habilitation Center introduced them in Jaipur. When I scored well in my board exams, the first Cochlear Implant from Advanced Bionics was given to me as a congratulatory gift. I swear it has been my most favorite gift ever since. I can’t go a single day without it.
I’ve always been taught that it is very important to be a learned person. I have read about hundreds of people who don’t provide their disabled kids with opportunities to educate themselves and it is so wrong! We are no less, and every single soul on earth needs to understand that. In my opinion, people who think otherwise are the ones who actually deserve this tag. It is your flaw that you cannot see how able we are.
I was a commerce student until grade 12. My sister used to be the only art crazy person in our family. It caught my interest during the days when I was waiting for my board result. I joined a painting class, just to do something productive with my time. One fine day, my art teacher invited my father to the class, to show him my paintings. He asked me if I’d like to specialize in art. It took me one second to say yes! Literally, it was the fastest decision I had ever made.
Maa and Dad were in agreement. I joined the same college my sister had studied in and applied for the same course- ‘Bachelors in Visual Arts’.
Initially, I was frightened by the thought of going to an English medium college because till 12th, we had studied in a Hindi medium school. It took a while for me to learn it. It wasn’t as difficult as I had anticipated. I stood second in the university and was awarded the silver medal at our farewell. In a few months, I’ll be done with a Masters in Visual Arts. One of my paintings was displayed in the Netherlands recently. I’ve also been contacted by the art galleries of London and Singapore. Other than that, I put up art an exhibition at Jawahar Kala Kendra in 2016, all by myself.
My sister and I presented Mr. Kalyan Singh, the governor of Rajasthan with a portrait of himself. He was delighted to receive it.
Dad took his retirement 6 years early to fulfill the promise he had made to us. He withdrew his entire Voluntary Provident Fund and used it to get our implants. Since last year, I have been enjoying bilateral hearing. I’m really happy with the outcome of my all-new Advanced Bionics’ Cochlear Implant. I am using Naida CI Q90 by Advanced Bionics, which is the most advanced sound processor in the world.
With hearing aids, it was nearly impossible to maintain conversations. I couldn’t understand what was being said to me. It was either too loud or overpowered by some other noise. Sometimes, even the sound of a running fan caused a disturbance. Thankfully, that time is gone for good.
I don’t consider myself a hearing-impaired person anymore. This scientific miracle allows me to hear perfectly well. The only challenge I face is while speaking. It wouldn’t have been a problem if I was implanted at a young age. Hearing aids were the only way to listen back when I was kid and I’ve already expressed how I feel about them. I wish cochlear implant systems were invented when I was 1 or 2. I envy the lucky newborns.
Till now, my entire focus was on my studies. Now I’m gonna work on enhancing my communication skills as well. Post my bilateral surgery, I have been attending speech therapy sessions at Asha Kiran Speech and Language Habilitation Center, regularly.
My father has done so much to bring us where we are today. He means the world to me and someday, I’ll make all his dreams come true.
Courtesy:-https://apoorvavirmani.wixsite.com/theconversationalist/single-post/2018/07/02/Making-a-Mark-in-the-World-with-Advanced-Bionics-Cochlear-Implant
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