Anyone Deaf or hard of hearing

godsweet · Aug 16, 2007

Hi!
I have a hearing problem (unknown cause) but as hearing aids make all sounds way too loud i prefer to go without! Im being tested for some new ones soon so i hope they will work! I rely the whole time on lip reading and although the person talking needs to be looking at me, not everyone does. Ive been working as a healthcare support worker for 4years and has sometimes been a struggle! the university i will be going to is supposed to be aware of this but wether or not they are!! I tend to keep my hearing loss to myself as when i tell people they tend to shout at me like im a 90 yr old!!! But now im going to Uni i will need to tell the placement areas of my loss! Fingers crossed it wont hold me back in any way!

I always hate ppl that would say "Can you HEAR ME!" right at my face. Yes, please talk to me as like a other normal person and i will let you know if i dont understand or hear you clearly. While i am in school almost everyone knows me, they treat me normal like others. I feel like I am special;). Of course, I am normal and I just have hearing losses. So, all i have to do is to do my best!

Jess123, just do your best!! NOTHING will hold you back!! Being deaf or HOH is just hearing losses. If you fail, then you need to learn it and TRY AGAIN until you make successfuls.

God bless,

jessica

grv68 · Aug 16, 2007

jess

"I rely the whole time on lip reading and although the person talking needs to be looking at me, not everyone does."

The reality is most people do not look at you when talking because it is considered confrontational. I found in my experience most people mumble. It isn't intentional but frustrating nonetheless. Yes you will get the screaming loon when they are told you are HOH. Sigh. Ask someone to repeat themselves and you sometimes get impatience and aggression. Breathe and count to ten and most often they will calm down too. I had a few people along the course of life who saw both hearing aids assume I was also retarded or mentally slow. Why? I dont know.

Don't allow the hearing loss to be a handicap or others perceive it as such. Earn what you have by merit and not handout. I found schools do nothing to accomodate the HOH so let the prof know and sit in the front. You owe it yourself to have the hearing loss diagnosed and assessed so you can enable yourself best with the appropriate technology. Avoid anyone that suggests corrective surgery. If you made it this far you likely dont need it. Many people have undetected hearing loss. Don't deprive yourself of what you could be missing out. Of course turning down hearing aids is a nice feature for selective hearing.

Proper detection of the loss does help. If you let it go the loss might increase. It does happen. My loss stemmed from the auditoy nerve so my loss has not fluctuated much over my life. Hearing aids if properly fitted should not squelch or have feedback. Unfortunately our ears keep growing so the aids have to be replaced. Sadly insurance does not cover it. The over the ear models are not very attractive but last the longest. I know they make girls self conscious but if you have long hair it shouldn't be a problem. Analog aids are the most common and digital are still pricey. I don't know much about the invisible in the ear models but I was told they are moody and prone to breakage. Repairs are expensive. Research around for someone who does hearing aids wholesale and attached to a licensed audiologist. You will save tons of money.

Have a sense of humor. Kids will ask what they are and its a conversation opener with the peds crowd. I have had some great misunderstandings over the year. One time I was suffering bad calf pains and limping around, and my cat was also quite ill. While I was in a bar with classmates one asked me how my calf was feeling. I thought she said my cat so I said it was ok but it didnt like the fact it got shaved. I received a weird look and then I realized she said "calf" and not "cat". The words sounded alike to me and the background noise didnt help. A great laugh was had by all and I relaxed after I stopped blushing like an eggplant.