Your Stories

Nicole is in many respects a normal teenager. She spends hours on her lap-top messaging her friends, she likes clothes and goes horse-riding once a week.

Through all this, Nicole began to write her story, culminating in the publication of 'The Way I See It' in January 2008. It's an inspirational story, devoid of self-pity, moving and unforgettable.

"I wrote the book mainly for other people in a similar situation to me - to give them hope that you can go through something traumatic yet you can still come out the other side," says Nicole.

'The Way I See it' by Nicole Dryburgh

"I also wanted to make people appreciate what they've got and it seems to be having the impact I want - I've been getting emails from teenage girls that have read it and they've said I've made them understand things I didn't before."

Braille

Nicole is now learning braille and sign language so that, in the event she loses her hearing entirely, she'll still be able to communicate with friends and her mum Jackie.

Until recently, Nicole has used voice recognition software on her computer to read out her emails and key strokes, but even amplified speaker sounds are now fading into the background.

Nicole hopes to write more books - perhaps fiction next time: "I've started to write a book based on my dogs, but I'm not going to give any more away at the moment..."

Watch our interview with Nicole and her mum, or visit Nicole's website to read her diary.