There is help available. Do you know about captioned phones? It depends on where you live, but in most states they are FREE. Check out http://www.captioncall.com and http://www.captel.com You are definitely too young to give up! There are several apps that can be downnloaded to your smartphone that transcribe speech to text so you can read what people are saying as they say it.

If hearing aids no longer help you, have you considered the possibility of a cochlear implant? Mine has been a miracle for me.

The Hearing Loss Assn. of America (HLAA) has chapters throughout the United States. The HLAA website is: http://www.hearingloss.org The mission of HLAA, which is a consumer organization, is to help people with hearing loss remain in the hearing mainstream through information sharing, education, peer support and advocacy. Chapters are listed on the website, along with a large amount of information. If you will share your location, we might be able to provide more information.

Technology that goes beyond hearing aids is extremely helpful, but so many people with hearing loss have no idea that it exists.

Dear smbritt.... just read your posting and have to say I really identify with what you are feeling right now. I too am at the point where the aids are not helping. I have a caption phone but often it does not print out what people are saying and I do a lot of guessing. Still it is better than nothing at all to help with phone conversations. I also tell people at the beginning of a conversation that I cannot hear and to speak slowly and clearly. They start out that way but soon forget. Now I am developing the habit of repeating back to them what they said so that I am sure I got it right. I explain why I am doing that and most people are very patient and helpful. The worse experiences for me are going out in public and trying to communicate. I just got back from having a PET scan. I could not hear the instructions given to me even with the aids. I think the tech had some experience with non-hearing people because when I told him he immediately began using a lot of hand signals and did very well. Then I repeated my understanding of the instructions back to him. It went very well.

Yesterday going out to pick out a new vanity top did not go as well. Could not hear the salesperson at all so he took off his mask and got about 3 inches from my good ear. Still could barely hear him and then started worrying about virus exposure. Finally I could not wait to get out of there and came home exhausted and with several questions unanswered, I will call the company back to ask those questions and I expect it will
go much better.

Going to the bank I write out the transaction expectation and give the note to the teller. Better than trying to speak with someone who is six feet away and has a mask. I guess my point of all this is that I have learned to be more assertive, figure out what will help and let people know. Most people will try to help. It's a big adjustment but don't give up. My hearing loss began 4 years ago. I never expected to be in this position and it is difficult, frustrating, exhausting and brings me to tears occasionally. But really there is no good alternative but to keep on participating in life and trying things that may help. Good luck to you! Judy