People with hearing loss who have been successful in their careers

Reply to Jaema: Tony's right. You need to let people know that you don't hear normally. Most will forget much of the time and talk facing away from you or, worse, behind you, but, when you obviously don't hear, they'll remember and come around to talk face to face. Recently, two of the women who volunteer with me had a nice conversation behind me (we were all working, unpacking totes of bread to stuff into freezers). Since I wasn't participating in the conversation I didn't know was happening, one of them realized that, moved closer, and said, "Shoot, Joyce doesn't even know we're talking" and they both came around to apologize. Everyone has learned to really shout if they come into the pantry and I'm back in the freezer room (my car outside is a huge clue).

During the four years long ago when I had crises several times each week where I was forced to lie still and vomit for hours, I was a crew leader for a fisheries data collection project. I started every time by letting them know what to do if I started into a crisis, and that took a lot of the pressure off me. I only started to have a crisis once while out on the river. I sat down on a big boulder, closed my eyes (visuals make things far worse), and concentrated on listening to all the birds sing...and the crisis failed to develop. I like to believe that being outdoors with a host of birds nearby, plus having let everyone know what might happen and what they should do, made it possible for me to skip that crisis almost completely. I failed to warn one of my clients, started to be sick during a meeting, raced out to my car, where I had barf bags, a blanket...all the comforts of home. That led to everyone spending the next few hours worrying about what they should do. I was very lucky that some helpful person didn't call the paramedics!

Hearing loss is invisible. Sure, some people will think it's a bother to deal with speaking so that you can understand, but most will make a real effort to help you. No one will think you're stupid if they know why you don't track conversations well. Many will go out of their way to face you, speak clearly. I think many of us remember the old phrase "deaf and dumb" and fear that everyone will associate HOH with stupidity, but stating the problem clearly and telling people how they can make it possible for you to hear will put that one to rest pretty quickly. Be proactive!

When I first lost all hearing in one ear due to inner ear disease, I was forced to quit being active as an amateur musician. I not only had loss, but recruitment, so playing in an ensemble or orchestra was downright painful, and I knew that I was often not in tune with the group. Because creative people need an outlet, I turned to learning to knit intricate Aran patterns and spending more time painting. There are some things that may be better set aside if they're all uphill battle and very little satisfaction--but they're few and far between. I've read recently about musicians who got CIs and are still playing; technology has really advanced during the past 40 years, and I envy them.

My husband is deaf in his left ear and it’s so frustrating for him when people who KNOW it talk to him on his left side. He always makes an exaggerated move to turn to his right and offer his right ear (which he is hard of hearing in) to whomever is talking. That is, IF he cares to hear the convo in the first place—he can be a “man.” Lol
All I can say is to continue to tell people, vocalize your condition, and socialize with those people who respect it. The public will not know but they will IF you inform them.
It is not easy and will never get easier.
I step in and repeat phrases of missed conversation IF my husband wishes it.
If any one who has the same issue has someone who can do this for them, it can help but it also can be just as frustrating as my husband has relayed to me. What it will do though is bring others attention to the issue or remind them but not to be a controlling factor for the person who can’t hear well.

Just what we’ve learned over the years. Take it with a grain of salt. Different things for different people.

Thank you! Lately, I’ve been interested in learning out about assistive options that might be available to me now, and even that I might have had available in my work environment when I was younger and really struggling with this. Similar to how it is for your husband, people are aware of my hearing loss. However, in group social situations, just talking on my “good side” isn’t at all helpful for me in the grand scheme of things. Was having people talk on his right side sufficient for him to be successful and advance in his career? If not then did he make use of any other assistive options and did he find those to be helpful? I’m interested in learning about how people with hearing loss have managed to be successful in their careers, including in advancement. Not that I doubt that this can be the case for people with hearing loss; I’m more looking for these stories so that I can then use them as a source of hope for me as I move through the Vocational Rehabilitative Services process.

Thank you! Lately, I’ve been interested in learning out about assistive options that might be available to me now, and even that I might have had available in my work environment when I was younger and really struggling with this. Similar to how it is for your husband, people are aware of my hearing loss. However, in group social situations, just talking on my “good side” isn’t at all helpful for me in the grand scheme of things. Was having people talk on his right side sufficient for him to be successful and advance in his career? If not then did he make use of any other assistive options and did he find those to be helpful? I’m interested in learning about how people with hearing loss have managed to be successful in their careers, including in advancement. Not that I doubt that this can be the case for people with hearing loss; I’m more looking for these stories so that I can then use them as a source of hope for me as I move through the Vocational Rehabilitative Services process.

Thank you! Lately, I’ve been interested in learning out about assistive options that might be available to me now, and even that I might have had available in my work environment when I was younger and really struggling with this. Similar to how it is for your husband, people are aware of my hearing loss. However, in group social situations, just talking on my “good side” isn’t at all helpful for me in the grand scheme of things. Was having people talk on his right side sufficient for him to be successful and advance in his career? If not then did he make use of any other assistive options and did he find those to be helpful? I’m interested in learning about how people with hearing loss have managed to be successful in their careers, including in advancement. Not that I doubt that this can be the case for people with hearing loss; I’m more looking for these stories so that I can then use them as a source of hope for me as I move through the Vocational Rehabilitative Services process.

Don't make it harder work on enhancing whatever lip reading you might know the practical way. My work with two non-profits is resulting in a soon to be released Practical Lip Reading 101. Watch for it, it will be offered to help people.

Hello @th1,

How wonderful that your book on Practical Lip Reading will be published soon. Will it be available through Amazon or another distributor?

It is not a book, but rather will be released online as a video or DVD set. I will start offering the lessons on Zoom probably starting in March or sooner. If you want to get on mailing list for full info, send your info to me by private message.

Thank you for your interest and for being your own advocate. We can do so much more for ourselves and others when we find ways to help ourselves.

Cheryl

Speech reading is so important to people with hearing loss; more so than most realize. Our current masked society has awakened many feelings about how much we miss seeing facial expressions when trying to get what we are hearing to make sense. This is true even among those who do not have hearing loss. Good luck with your project.

Speech reading is so important to people with hearing loss; more so than most realize. Our current masked society has awakened many feelings about how much we miss seeing facial expressions when trying to get what we are hearing to make sense. This is true even among those who do not have hearing loss. Good luck with your project.