My Best Friends, Hearing Aids.

Apologies again--I keep thinking I'll be better at maintaining this blog in an efficient manner, but it seems  I am not with other responsibilities this one sadly falls to the bottom of the list.

In my last post I wrote about getting new hearing aids--which has been both a blessing and a curse, I have now decided. I love them and have adjusted to the level of noise that accompanies them. I have had to visit the audiologist roughly 3 or 4 times to have them adjusted. They pop out of my ears easily because apparently I have "an expressive face with ears that wiggle too much"--this was the description my audiologist gave me that made me laugh. I should explain, when I say they pop out, I mean they're not quite all the way in or out of my ear. It's awkward for me and makes the hearing aids more visible, which I am still self-conscious about. The fact is I am in-between sizes as far as the "sound wire" goes-- I need a 1 1/2 and I am stuck with a 2. This is something I have to work with. Technology is not perfect, but it's better than nothing.

This is how loud this get in bars with my hearing aids. PRETTY LOUD. 

Also, due to the fact that these are lower technology hearing aids the sound quality (in certain scenarios) is not great. It can sound very electronic. I don't mind this as I enjoy pretending I am a cyborg. This is just the way I have to hear things to hear them more clearly. Okay, fine. I'm not as much a fan of huge bar scenes and the way I hear at them though--I will say that.

For the negatives which have come with the hearing aids I feel there are so many positives. I notice so many more things than I noticed before. I can hear every sweet nothing anyone says to me--I think. It's easier to understand someone who is talking behind me. Before I always liked to turn and look at them and now it's not necessary, although I still do that partly out of habit and partly because I feel it's a kinder way of approaching people--and okay, I'm still lipreading too, but that's okay too. I think I have had the opportunity, though wearing the hearing aids, to bring awareness to people I wouldn't have before and I now have the courage to do that (most days).

I have had some negative comments. I have experienced some really difficult and ignorant statements from people who do not know or understand being Hard of Hearing. I have been called "Disabled" now and that is a term I never, ever, ever labeled myself. These are things I dealt with in a responsible manner, I believe. I may write about them here, I may not. Honestly, they sometimes hit a little too close to home. My feelings were hurt and insecurities from childhood arose and I am coping as best I can--and I think I'm doing a fairly okay job.

ASL classes are going really well-- I'm so glad I'm learning this beautiful language.