Grateful for hearing aids...
I've had hearing aids since I was 5 years old. I remember the first time I tried it on. All of sudden, I could hear these sounds that I had never heard before. I was so excited! Everything was multiplied. It was like opening a door to brand new world; the ‘hearing world.’
However, there were still times where I found myself struggling. I couldn't hear as well as my friends and I always had trouble following conversations in a restaurant or at a party. I often got tired of asking people to speak up or repeat what they said. It made me realize that even with hearing aids, I would still have challenges. I would never completely fit in with the ‘hearing world’ no matter how much I tried.
This past year was tough and unpredictable. In November, the ear mold in my right ear gave me a skin infection. It got so painful that I had to stop my wearing my hearing aid for a while. Then in January, my hearing aids kept squealing (feedback noise) and eventually, they broke. The temporary hearing aids that I was given were horrible. I couldn't hear my own voice when I talked! And everyone else around me sounded like they were underwater. A few weeks later, I had to give a presentation in class. Since I am terrified of oral presentations; not being able to hear myself, made it even scarier! I had to learn to adjust my voice at the right level, which took a lot of practice. I had to ask my friends “am I speaking too loud? Too low? How do I sound?” It was tough relying on others, but luckily I had close friends who supported me and helped me through it. Despite the tough circumstances, I was still able to give a great presentation! My professor and classmates told me that I spoke very well; professional and articulate!
It can be exhausting to re-adapt to new hearing aids over and over again. I am now on my 3rd pair of hearing aids this year. They are not perfect, but then again... there is no such thing as a perfect hearing aid. What I realized this past year is that I should be grateful for hearing aids, no matter what. Even though they might cause a lot of trouble, I am still grateful for this device that helps me to hear and communicate verbally with others. I am also especially grateful that I can listen to music! Whenever my hearing aids are giving me a hard time, I try to calm down, take a deep breath and tell myself “at least you CAN hear, even if it’s just a little. No matter what the situation is, it could always be worse. So be grateful for the sounds that you can hear and take it one day at a time.”
--Sabrina
So much of life is about how you choose to react when something is frustrating or challenging. Your choice to be grateful for what you can hear and not what you can't is a testament to your amazing strength and inspirational personality. Thanks for sharing Sabrina!
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In my opinion hearing aid is like a boon for those, who are not able to hear sound or voice clearly. Eyes and ears both are very important and sensitive organs of our body. Use of hearing aid will allow you to feel better about yourself and this is most important.
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Great post indeed! Your story somehow relates to my life as I am also suffering from hearing loss. I was diagnosed with hearing loss when I was of five years old. I often find difficulties in communication and I have to depend on lip reading while communicating with my friend and parents. I have to wear hearing aids in both of my ears. Though, it becomes difficult for me to hear the outer world, but my Hidden Hearing aids have supported me a lot in each and every step of my life. These hearing aids are not only stylish, but they are comfortable as well.
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