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Hearing Loss: Come introduce yourself and connect with others

Posted by Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung, Feb 5, 2019

Welcome to the Hearing Loss group on Mayo Clinic Connect.
This is a welcoming, safe place where you can meet people living with hearing loss, and friends and family supporters. Whether you were born deaf or hard of hearing, experienced hearing loss after birth or with aging, it helps to connect with others. Together we can learn from each other, support one another and share stories about living with hearing loss, coping with challenges and celebrating milestones.

Let’s chat. Why not start by introducing yourself? What is your hearing loss experience? Got a question, tip or story to share?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Hearing Loss Support Group.

asklar02492 | @asklar02492 | Mar 10, 2019
In reply to @frozsquash "I've had a hearing loss all my life and with a sibling with a more severe..." + (show)
@frozsquash

I've had a hearing loss all my life and with a sibling with a more severe hearing loss than mine, we owe the lives we have now to our parents. My mother was a teacher and recognized our hearing loss long before the doctors would confirm it. My sister went to an oral deaf school to learn to speak after she got her first hearing aid at 3 1/2 years old (I was 5 when we each got a hearing aid) and I was mainstreamed, and she joined me in being mainstreamed when she reached second grade. We never experienced the kind of bullying I've heard others have experienced, and our parents never made us feel there was anything we couldn't do. We are both retired now, so that gives you the perspective that all this was set in the 1950s which was even more a credit to our parents. Thank you James and Rita Miskimen.

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It sounds like your parents did a wonderful job with you. But I'm sure it took some courage and determination on your part tool
Ann

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JK | @contentandwell | Mar 10, 2019
In reply to @asklar02492 "It's unfortunate that Northborough is so far but it sounds as if you could be working..." + (show)
@asklar02492

It's unfortunate that Northborough is so far but it sounds as if you could be working on something closer! Should I be doing something different in my email replies? - I've just been hitting the reply button

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@asklar02492 It is unfortunate that there are no HLAA chapters closer to me. Could I benefit from their website, as in do they have blogs they send out to people like CHC does? CHC's emails are generally notifications of special events but sometimes they do have very interesting and helpful ones also.

Regarding replies, if on your reply you include the @ sign followed by the person's connect name -- for me contentandwell -- that person will be notified in their email that there is a response to them. That can help when time is limited and the emails are voluminous.
JK

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1 reply
mmyatt01757 | @mmyatt01757 | Mar 10, 2019
In reply to @asklar02492 "I'm glad I mentioned the Northborough chapter! It was the first HLAA meeting I visited and..." + (show)
@asklar02492

I'm glad I mentioned the Northborough chapter! It was the first HLAA meeting I visited and it was very inspiring. You've been doing a lot of good work. I've been travelling to Connecticut lately because the drive is a bit easier for me, but I'll probably show up again in the late Spring. Ann

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Thank you Ann! I know the Connecticut chapter is doing great things!

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davekoh | @davekoh | Mar 10, 2019
In reply to @judymartin "@davekoh You sound like you're ready for a cochlear implant. My loss was severe to profound..." + (show)
@judymartin

@davekoh You sound like you're ready for a cochlear implant. My loss was severe to profound (in other words, off the chart). My speech discrimination went from 40% to 90-95%. Such a miracle. I use a hearing aid in my other ear. Medicare pays for most of it and if you have a supplement, you're all in. You will find it to be one of the best things you've done in your life.

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Considering my age, it is something I am hesitant to do.

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asklar02492 | @asklar02492 | Mar 11, 2019

@daveoh Since my family seemed to totally lose their hearing around age 80, I've always anticipated that at some point I'd just withdraw from the world and rely on the written word. We're lucky the internet came along when it did. I'm not sure if older people adapt well to CIs - maybe after years of not hearing well my brain won't have the capacity. But after learning that other people have benefitted, perhaps it will be an option when the time comes that I only have 40% of my hearing left. At least it's heartening to think I'll have options.
I don't know how old you are - and I understand your hesitancy - but I think I'm seeing more CI success stories here that I expected. . .

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edschickel | @edschickel | Mar 11, 2019

My name is Ed Schickel. I have had some degree of un-diagnosed hearing loss since childhood. I started wearing hearing aids in 1991 and had a cochlear implant about 10 years ago. I have been active in HLAA since 2001 and I am the current editor of our HLAA chapter website . I have attended many HLAA conventions and currently do presentations on hearing loss issues.

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1 reply
mikepa | @mikepa | Mar 11, 2019

@edschickel Hio Ed. My name is Mike Miles. I am a member of the Chester County, PA chapter and also sit on the HLAA-PA Stay Advisory Council. What chapter do you belong to?

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edschickel | @edschickel | Mar 11, 2019

I belong to HLAA Kentucky Home chapter, Bardstown, Ky. I am editor of http://www.hearinglosskentucky.org.

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JK | @contentandwell | Mar 11, 2019
In reply to @edschickel "My name is Ed Schickel. I have had some degree of un-diagnosed hearing loss since childhood...." + (show)
@edschickel

My name is Ed Schickel. I have had some degree of un-diagnosed hearing loss since childhood. I started wearing hearing aids in 1991 and had a cochlear implant about 10 years ago. I have been active in HLAA since 2001 and I am the current editor of our HLAA chapter website . I have attended many HLAA conventions and currently do presentations on hearing loss issues.

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Hi @edschickel and welcome to Connect.
I am hearing so many positive things about HLAA, I wish there was one closer to me. The closest is over an hour away and has meetings at nighttime. I live in southern NH. I started wearing hearing aids in 2004 and since then my hearing has gotten progressively worse. It's pretty severe now.
I should probably sign up for updates from HLAA. Are the conventions worth going to if you are not part of a chapter?
JK

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3 replies
mmyatt01757 | @mmyatt01757 | Mar 11, 2019

In five or six years of knowing about the conventions, I went to two events: The banquet when it was in Rhode Island and the full convention when it was in Austin. I loved both experiences. If you can afford the $$ and the time (a lot of week day days....) I highly recommend it. I will be driving from eastern Massachusetts to Rochester and I have registered. I am looking forward to Judy Martin doing her roommate match magic and would even welcome having more than 'two-to-a-room' to save money. Judy I have seen you in this group. Hope you do you magic!!

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