I am a writer with moderate hearing loss, which I have had since I was in my early 30's. Now in my mid 50's I want to create a blog where we can have open discussion about what it is like in the world of the hard of hearing. This may be humorous stories or poignant ones and hopefully there will be some useful advice on how to avoid the isolation which occurs when communication becomes difficult. Please interact with the site. It's for you and me to talk.

 I was just looking on Twitter and found this interesting article. 

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/252063.php

The Wave

I am a writer with moderate hearing loss, which I have had since I was in my early 30's. Now in my mid 50's I want to create a blog where we can have open discussion about what it is like in the world of the hard of hearing. This may be humorous stories or poignant ones and hopefully there will be some useful advice on how to avoid the isolation which occurs when communication becomes difficult. Please interact with the site. It's for you and me to talk.

Have you experienced the wave? It can make a person feel quite small.
It's that movement of someone's hand telling me that I am talking too loud and need to lower my voice. Sometimes people don't wave but just come right out and say something along the lines of 'shush' or 'you're really loud'.

I have developed a thick skin to help me deal with these types of gestures and comments however, if others wonder why people with hearing loss can become isolated and shun society, then maybe they should consider how they help someone to recognise that his or her voice is too loud. My hearing clinic would be recognised as excellent however the treatment plan is centred around equipment to improve the hearing rather than helping the adjustment to the change hearing loss can bring to one's social and working life.

Most of us mortals with hearing loss do not hear our own voice particularly well. So it is very difficult to judge how loud we need to speak, in particular when there is a lot of background noise. I find myself compensating for anything which makes it more difficult to hear by raising my own voice. I am fortunate in having a huge circle of friends who understand and love me in spite of my bellowing voice however others are not so lucky.

The workplace can be a really difficult setting for individuals with hearing loss. I would love to hear about the ways my readers deal with the daily issues that arise. Please feel free to comment, whether you are suffering from hearing loss, have a relative with hearing loss or are a care giver in the field. 

 

Dancing to the Beat

I am a writer with moderate hearing loss, which I have had since I was in my early 30's. Now in my mid 50's I want to create a blog where we can have open discussion about what it is like in the world of the hard of hearing. This may be humorous stories or poignant ones and hopefully there will be some useful advice on how to avoid the isolation which occurs when communication becomes difficult. Please interact with the site. It's for you and me to talk.


One of my fears when I was told that my hearing would probably deteriorate was that I would lose the ability to hear music. For a person who likes to dance and exercise to music, I anticipated that it would be one of the the most isolating aspects of my condition. Instead, to my great relief, I have found that I can hear the beat of most music and most of the melody. So that means that I can dance to my heart's content, if just a little off time occasionally. The biggest problem is that my hearing aids get very damp and that can affect their efficiency. Has anyone found a decent aid which doesn't suffer from the build up of damp in the ears?

Strawberries and Tea?

Being hard of hearing does have its funny moments.

Once upon a time, I attended a hearing loss clinic in a nearby cottage hospital. It had a typical health clinic waiting room with lots of uncomfortable chairs facing a wall, out of date magazines covering such intriguing subjects as 'Carpentry for the Person with Two Tools', and health information for everything except hearing loss.

Like the majority of new patients I was a bit nervous about what I would be told about my future. I tried reading a book but could not help notice when anyone entered the room. Soon my attention was rewarded.

A couple of women staggered in, arm-in-arm, knocking everything they passed. One was middle aged and one was a tiny, more ancient woman who clutched onto her companion's arm for security. The younger woman carefully ushered the other to the nearest chair, which happened to be in front of me. As the elderly woman sat down, the younger one said, 'Now mother, you sit there while I go to the counter and see the receptionist.'

'Yes I would love tea and biscuits, thank you,' came the gravelly loud reply.

'No mother, I am going to see the receptionist,' the younger woman raised her voice even louder.

'Yes, strawberries would be lovely,' was the enthusiastic retort.

'Mother, for heaven's sake, turn on your hearing aids!' Clearly this was a common problem as the daughter's voice revealed her exasperation.

'Heh?'

'Hearing aids. Turn them on!'

'I don't want to waste the batteries. Anyway, they don't help.'

I could go on to reveal all of the delightful conversation of these two. I left the clinic with a smile on my face but with sympathy for them both. Communication depends on both parties understanding each other. Without that understanding there can be conflict, confusion and isolation.

My mission is to use this site to make you laugh, maybe cry and perhaps encourage you to share useful tips on how to live in the real world with hearing loss. Help me by posting up your stories in my comments page. I look forward to hearing from you!!!

Welcome

I am a writer and have lived with reduced hearing since my mid 30's. In those days I was working in an environment where I needed to fully utilize my oral and aural communications skills and therefore I started to wear hearing aids. I am now in my mid 50's and am passionate that hearing loss should not ever isolate anyone in their community. Through this blog I hope to highlight some of the difficulties, humour and maybe some strategies for dealing with any hearing loss. Please join me in my crusade to create open communication for all.