Encore: Jessica’s life as a GODA - the grandchild of deaf adults

Jessica Kirkness with the story of her grandparents, who both grew up profoundly deaf in a hearing world. (R)

Jessica grew up in the outer suburbs with a big extended family, with her grandparents living right next door.

Her grandparents, Melvyn and Phyllis, were affectionate, kind and wise and Jessica often spent more time after school in their house than her own.

But their house was distinctly different.

The doorbell never rang, the alarm clock never sounded, and the television was on but the audio was off.

Melvyn and Phyllis were profoundly deaf, and they lived in two worlds - among the hearing, and within the deaf community which had its own language and way of doing things.

Jessica grew up in that space between two worlds.

She felt that her grandparents' lives were both extraordinary and ordinary, and that their deafness was so exquisitely misunderstood that every part of her felt summoned to translate.

Jessica has recently written down the story of her life growing up between the two worlds of the hearing and the deaf, as a GODA, or a grandchild of deaf adults.

The House with All the Lights On is published by Allen and Unwin.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison, Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.

It explores deafness, living with a disability, profound deafness, hearing loss, AUSLAN, language, sign language, CODA, grandparents, love, family, relationships, granddaughter, grandchildren, intergenerational families, mixed families, technology, deaf accent, lip reading, migrants, hearing world, accessibility, head injuries, meningitis, hospital, acquired disability, deaf gain, communication, music, translation.