10 THINGS I WISH YOU KNEW ABOUT MY HEARING LOSS
10 THINGS I WISH YOU KNEW ABOUT MY HEARING LOSS
I have had a minor hearing disability since I was born which has been made worse from my chemotherapy for cancer in 2008, working in a loud environment and my fibromyalgia. What is most frustrating is other people’s reactions to my disability.
Hurtful Things People Say For $200
What is most frustrating is other’s reactions to my disability. They get angry with me. They make hurtful remarks. This doesn’t just come from everyday people on the street. It comes from family, friends and coworkers.
Chin Hits Floor
I had a hearing professional tell me once that I was being lazy even though they had irrefutable proof that I had a medical issue!
And I was a child when that happened! Who tells that to a child?!
It was an Auditory Testing Center, and we were frequent visitors. We had a rapport with one doctor, but then that doctor left to start his own practice and we had someone new. This new person kept putting things inside my ears even though my mother told her “No”, She also kept telling me I was being lazy. After her rudeness and cruelty, we never returned to that facility again.
With some jobs, it is hard to hear what some people are saying, but it can be debilitating, none the less. It becomes a major problem when you have to ask someone to repeat themselves several times and you still can’t understand the words spoken.
That being said, there are ten things I want to share with you that I feel would be helpful if you knew.
I cannot hear you if there is a lot of background noise (gatherings)
Crowds are my nightmare! There were many times I left a gathering upset that I could not hear what was being said. I am usually fine with a few people. When the room gets full and I cannot hear what the person next to me is saying, I feel pretty alienated. Sometimes the loneliest place to be is in a room full of people.
Machinery makes things difficult.
Expecting me to hear you while working in a loud is unrealistic. I can hear nothing over the hum of the machine and expecting me to hear a conversation is improbable. The volume of the machine does not help my hearing either! It could be a mixer, washer, dryer, fan or even a microwave.
I cannot hear you over television or radio.
When the volume is up, it is just another thing that makes noise.
I cannot hear you if you are looking away from me.
The sound of your voice is garbled to me if you are not facing me. Remember the teacher on Charley Brown? That is what someone sounds like to me from someone who is turned away from me.
I am not ignoring you.
If I do not hear you, I cannot answer you. Plus, since I cannot hear correctly and I am introverted, I tend to live inside my head.
When I am trying to listen
If I am trying to listen to you and someone else close to me is talking, I cannot hear what you are saying. which often results in a panic attack.
Enunciate, please.
A lot of times I can hear sound from your voice but cannot make out what you are saying, especially if you talk quickly.
I often cannot hear certain high-frequency sounds.
A lot of times I cannot hear someone’s phone go off and do not know they have a call until they put the phone up to their ear.
It is hurtful when you tell me I am not listening.
I am trying to listen but differentiating between noises coming from you can be frustrating with other noises readily available.
You can help!
It would help in loud situations if you would come to my side to talk to me, talk louder and enunciate more. Face me so that I can see your lips because, even if I cannot read them well, I can often make out what you are saying by watching your lips.
It's embarrassing!
I don’t enjoy not being able to hear what is being said and find it to be extremely embarrassing and frustrating when I cannot. Taking the time to look at me and expressing yourself carefully will go a long way!