Can You Hear What I Hear?

Coming to terms with the idea of writing this blog about my very own personal journey dealing with hearing loss was not easy; just as admitting to myself and others that I have hearing loss has not been easy and in fact, continues to be a challenge for me. The image of people with hearing loss was not one I wanted to be associated with: that of the deaf community using sign language or that of the older generation far removed and ignored because of their deafness.

If any of this sounds familiar, then you and I have something in common and if you are like me, you too were probably not very enthused with the idea of admitting to others that you had hearing loss.  "Why, should I have to admit this to others" you might ask.  Or perhaps like me, you too were sensitive to the fact that people react strongly when asked to repeat themselves, perhaps thinking they were not being listened to, or in some cases when aware that a person has hearing loss, may tend to shout, or slow down their enunciation - as if the person was not only hard of hearing but "slow witted";  or as is more often the case, people may dismiss your request to repeat something because as they put it "it wasn't important".  Boy talk about adding insult to injury!!!

Bearing in mind that people seem less patient with hearing loss - which is somewhat of an invisible impairment - as opposed to vision loss, which is much more obvious and also factoring in that at one time we too may have been guilty of impatience when confronted with hearing loss, only serves to make it that much harder to admit the condition to people.  Likewise, the issue of  image, what would people think of me at work or in social circles?? Better not to admit it. 

By commiting to writing this blog I became empowered to be more open and honest about it with people beyond my immediate circle of friends and family and by so doing realized that there are many others out there like me.  Whether it be that they themselves have personal concerns with hearing loss or a loved one that refuses to get help and not knowing how to support them.  In addition, by finally allowing myself to be honest about my condition, I discovered that hearing loss is more common in today's world; not surprising, given the constant noise we expose our ears to - whether it be ipods, noisy work settings, traffic or just today's city life.  The fact is we live in a noisy world where more and more people experience hearing deficits, yet are not always inclined to address it.

The hope then, is that thru this blog I will be able to share with like minded adults what it means to experience hearing loss in the mid-adult years, especially while handling demanding jobs, families and lifestyles.  My hope as well, is that thru this venue, other folks dealing with this condition will find support, information, resources and a sense of community. I plan on sharing my experiences, insights, and things that have made a difference.  I have also spoken to my audiologist: Dr. Hal Freed, a patient, sensitive and  experienced specialist, who has graciously agreed to answer any questions that may arise as a result of this blog.  My hope is that others will feel comfortable asking questions, sharing experiences, thoughts, ideas, suggestions etc.  and thru it all create a resource as well as build a supportive community.  Are you game? I look forward to your comments, until next time.