This is more common than people realize. I've had local audiologists call me to ask if I would talk to a patient with this issue. Stigmas run deep. Hearing Loss is associated with aging in many minds. No one wants to be 'old'. There are also stigmas relating to intellect. You know the old saying....deaf and dumb? The industry's focus on 'invisibility' adds to this stigma problem. I've even been criticized recently for letting my hair grow long. No one can see my hearing aid or my cochlear processor now. I had very short hair for years and it all showed. In fact, I had blue hearing aids. Growing my hair long had nothing to do with hiding my personal hearing devices. 🙂

I lost my microphone cover off my hearing aid. I went to get another one. There was a new girl working. I asked her the name of the previous gal who worked there. With her mask on, she replied: "Spider", I said 'SPIDER' ??? She said, no, "Skylar". That's how I hear. I hear what sounds like. I have completely different conversations with people--thinking they are saying something entirely different. My daughter used to tell me: "Mom, you answer people with the wrong answers because you don't even hear them." That's so true! I saw the look on some people's faces--shocked is what they were. I guess I didn't even know what we were talking about. That's before I had any hearing aids. They have certainly helped, but I still hear: sounds like!