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Pet Name: Sadiyah
Owner: buttercup730
Breed: Kyrii

"Dear Neopians,

My name is Sadiyah. I am a kyrii, but I'm not like any other kyrii out there. You see, I'm Deaf. I became Deaf after catching Neomonia from the Wheel of Excitement and my fever got very high. First my hearing was muffled, and then it was gone completely. I've discovered that a lot of Neopians feel sorry for me. I just wanted to write this letter to everyone to let you know that there is no reason to be sad for me. I live a fairly normal life; my family loves me, as do my friends. When you have such things, whether you can hear or not doesn't matter.

When I became Deaf, it was obvious that I'd need someone to interpret for me. So my owner got me the most wonderful petpet named Mu'awin. He's a faerie cadro and his name means "Helper". When I meet someone who doesn't use sign language like I do, they speak out loud and Mu'awin translates for me using sign language. He's the best faerie cadro I could have ever asked for. (And his two sets of hands mean he never gets tired!) I don't know where I'd be without him.

If anything, losing my hearing has shown me to appreciate the smaller things in life. We all have our imperfections, but it's how we use them to better ourselves...*that* is what is important. Through my loss of hearing I have met a great many other disabled neopets and they have become my closest friends. Ironically, I've even gotten better at belly-dancing, my favorite hobby. How? Because now I can *feel* the beat more, and not just be limited to hearing it. It's really true that when you lose one of your senses, the others are heightened. I also get to teach others how to use sign language! It's one of the most rewarding feelings to see someone learn your language. I've had a few students in the past, and I hope to educate others about the Deaf and our language in the future.

So you see...I'm truly happy. My Deafness does not bother me at all. Sure, I miss hearing ChibiLoyali's singing, and Dark_Little_Firefly's ranting, and even the soft sound of Ygritte's feet as she sneaks around in the basement trying to steal something from us...but the things I've learned and discovered as a result of that fateful day the Wheel spun cannot be replaced. I'm glad to be an example to other disabled ones in Neopia. The next time you see someone with an ailment or disability, don't feel sorry for them. Make friends with them. Chances are, they can teach you a whole lot!

My love to all,
Sadiyah"

(Disclaimer from buttercup730: Sadiyah uses American Sign Language. Why not check with the Deaf people in your community to see what they speak? The image above is by teera_misu. Used with permission.)

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