This is Sarah Churman, 29 years old, hearing for the first time in her life. My grandparents were deaf and my Grandfather's doctor put a device on him that would make it possible for him to hear. This was in 1970s. Well, he didn't like it. He couldn't describe what he heard but it was too much. He listened to the doctor talk and he took it off. He couldn't talk, he was mute also, but sounds were not pretty to him. He liked the silence.
When I was growing up (my Grandfather Lloyd died when he was 94) we would go to his farm. He grew watermelons. He had a huge farm. Did all the work himself. When you rang the doorbell, lights would blink in all the rooms of his house, letting him (and Grandma) know someone was there.
My mom learned how to spell at 2 years old since no one talked. Well, her sister did, but they had Swedish accents since everyone (all their relatives) were Swedish.
When a deaf person is angry at someone, they look away so they are ignoring what you are saying on your hands. I learned that from a young age. I still do it to this day. When I am upset with someone (like my husband) I can't look at him. It's uncomfortable to be this way but I actually cannot look at the person. I will put my hands over my eyes or turn around or look at the floor. My sister was just like this also.