# Hearing Loss    A Personal Story



## Lon (Jan 22, 2016)

I wear hearing aids.  have a hearing loss diagnosis classified as Profound. I would give my right foot in exchange for normal hearing for no other medical condition in my life has had such a frustrating or major impact on my life and that includes Prostate Cancer, Lymphoma & Atrial Fibrillation.  Hearing loss has not only had a major impact on a marriage but on Social Intercourse.  I no longer can enjoy any kind of music since all I hear is noise. Close Captioning for films helps because the dialouge is unintelligble. I write this not seeking sympathy, but rather as a attempt to educate those of you with normal hearing as to my particular kind of hearing loss.  It's not the easily correctable volume which can be adjusted and   controlled, it's the more difficult low & high frequencies & speech distinction, which unfortunately, at this point in time can't be corrected.
On a positive note I am gratefull that I can have phone calls streamed directly from my I Phone to my hearing aids and have almost normal conversation. Sitting face to face with someone three to eight feet in front of me results in normal conversation, but group conversation is out of the question and for a single 81 year old extroverted male all these things present a continual challenge.


Life is good.


Lon


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## fureverywhere (Jan 22, 2016)

Oh Lon, I'm sorry I've got the beginning of this. Fortunately my family are all screamers so that's not a big problem. In public voices become like the grownups on Charlie Brown Wawawah wah wahwahwaahwa. So frustrating, I've become adept at lip reading and really concentrating...if they have an accent oy, then we have a problem. Maybe in ten years I'll bow to hearing aids. Meanwhile I'll tell people my hearing is on the fritz " Sorry there a bit hard of hearing what the **** did you just say???". And yes closed captioning is a blessing.


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 22, 2016)

Sorry to hear that Lon, I know you're not alone with your suffering.  I'm glad some new technology is helping you a bit.  My hearing isn't too bad yet, just some intermittent Tinnitis in one ear that I can live with, not too often.

Lol Fur, your family are all screamers!


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## Debby (Jan 23, 2016)

When we were in the church there was a deaf lady in our congregation and I used to write the gist of the sermons for her as we didn't have anyone who signed.  I quickly became aware of how isolating deafness can be so I'm sorry that you're dealing with this Lon and the beginning stages fureverywhere.


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## hollydolly (Jan 23, 2016)

Having had normal hearing all your life *Lon*, this must be as you say worse for you than any other medical problem you've suffered thus far.

I was born into a profoundly deaf family...My father, one of my sisters , 2 aunts and an uncle ...so I was raised from a very young age able to communicate with them using BSL , probably before I could speak!! 

I know all the problems associated with deafness, and also _increasing _deafness..another sister having been deaf in one ear since birth is now losing her hearing in her right ear...highly frustrating and she's only in her 50's !!

Thank God..I was lucky to have been born into the family with excellent hearing..and may it always continue!!


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## Bluecheese50 (Jan 23, 2016)

I have some hearing loss in my left ear, this is caused by scarring from undiagnosed ear infections as a child. I think I could cope with deafness quite well as I like peace and quiet.


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## jujube (Jan 23, 2016)

Sorry to hear that, Lon.  Both of my parents had hearing loss in their later years and I can tell I'm headed down that path.  

Holly.... I've always wondered:  How does BSL differ from ASL?  Greatly or just slightly?


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## Falcon (Jan 23, 2016)

MY hearing isn't what it used to be and I blame it on the fact that I was piloting an airplane that was powered
by TWO  Pratt& Whitney 18 cylinder R-2800 UNmuffled  engines, within a couple of feet on either side of me.

However, I'm holding off on getting hearing aids because it isn't quite that bad..................YET.


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## fureverywhere (Jan 23, 2016)

You remind me Falcon...my grandfather was a blacksmith. In those days, turn of the century, there wasn't any job safety standards, just don't get yourself killed or you're out of a job. I saw a modern day blacksmith on TV one day, hearing protection, fire protection, eye guards. My grandfather probably was lucky to have a leather apron. He lost his hearing around thirty. He didn't bow to hearing aids until his seventies. Quite the raconteur so he must have been able to hear somewhat.


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## Yaya (Jan 23, 2016)

From reading many of your posts here in SF, you seem like a survivor, you will be fine. Just turn up the hearing aid volume (if it's the type that can do that) as loud as you need it and enjoy as many sounds as you can! Constantly look for new items that will help improve your hearing. I'm glad you can communicate with us here. Its "listening" to someone talk.


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## hollydolly (Jan 23, 2016)

jujube said:


> Sorry to hear that, Lon.  Both of my parents had hearing loss in their later years and I can tell I'm headed down that path.
> 
> Holly.... I've always wondered:  How does BSL differ from ASL?  Greatly or just slightly?



Huge difference between the 2 Jujube...One of the biggest differences is that with BSL..UK, Australia, NZ etc.. we use 2 hands to finger spell whereas with ASL which is used in America and Ireland  only one. Within the Deaf sign language community it's still possible to have an ..albet stilted' conversation between to signers from the 2 different cultures using expressions rather than finger spelling, but it wouldn't be an easy thing..

I found this and it  explains fairly briefly the differences..(to save me having to type out a long winded reply.).

https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110709092657AA93oEz


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## jujube (Jan 23, 2016)

Thanks, Holly.  Good info.


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## Debby (Jan 23, 2016)

hollydolly said:


> Having had normal hearing all your life *Lon*, this must be as you say worse for you than any other medical problem you've suffered thus far.
> 
> I was born into a profoundly deaf family...My father, one of my sisters , 2 aunts and an uncle ...so I was raised from a very young age able to communicate with them using BSL , probably before I could speak!!
> 
> ...




Would your family be offended if I were to say you were lucky?  I have heard that the deaf community often have very strong ties and equally strong philosophies about their 'state' if you know what I mean.  When I have heard that I've always found it a little confusing.  As a mother, I would always hope that substantive hurdles don't make my kids (or my own) struggle in an already tough world, to be even tougher for them because it's primarily a hearing world.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Jan 25, 2016)

Lon, I wear hearing aids also. I am not classified as profound as of yet. I was eligible for a CaptionCall phone. CaptionCall is the brand name. It has a screen so I can read what is being said and the conversation can also  be recorded. It works well for me but I am having a problem with the person I am talking to hearing me correctly. I will call the company on that situation soon. I am also looking into cochlear implants. I am still researching the pros and cons of having it done. At least insurance pays for it. Insurance will not pay for the hearing aids which I need to replace every 4 years. Cost is thousands. I understand about the frequencies. That is a big problem for me. I get so tired of people asking me why I don't turn up the volume if I can't hear. Worse yet, is when I ask people to repeat what they have said because I only got half of it and they use different wording when repeating it. As if I were to stupid to understand it in the first place. Just to let you know, I understand your problem and you are not alone.


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## Babsinbloom65 (Jan 31, 2016)

I hear your frustration Lon. Although I'm just beginning this journey of hearing loss, I am already frustrated with it. My children started noticing almost two years ago but it has only become clear to me for about the last eight months as I have to keep turning the TV louder and asking my children to repeat themselves often. I will be 65 on February 25th and lately I have been research on hearing loss and what can be done about it...and it just doesn't sound that encouraging. I'm not one who deals very well with change, especially change that is not for the best...but I am learning to adapt, improvise, and overcome the things life sends my way, even if I'm screaming against the injustice of it all the while.


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