Late Deafened - Going Through All Stages of Hearing Loss
Updated January 01, 2014.
Pat Carter began life as a hearing person. About.com interviewed her about her journey going from being fully hearing to being deaf.
Part One: Becoming Hard of Hearing
A: After a few years, I became aware that I was back to saying "huh?" all the time and that background noise had faded away. My hearing had continued to deteriorate, and I needed to start wearing the strongest behind-the-ear hearing aids my audiologist could recommend.
Today, even though my hearing aids provide little to no assistance, I continue to wear them just as I continue to wear my glasses. They have become just an acceptable part of me and who I am.
Q: Did you learn any new skills, such as lipreading?
A: As I lost my hearing, I noticed that the only time I was able to pick up conversation was when I could clearly see a person's face. I knew then that I was becoming dependent on lipreading as a communication tool. I began seeking out lipreading coaches and started studying tapes to practice at home. The coaches that gave me the most help were deaf friends that had developed the skills through years of usage. As I was losing my hearing, I was developing skills in both lipreading and American Sign Language (ASL).
Q: As hearing became worse, what became difficult for you?
A: Groups of every kind became difficult. When conversation is bouncing around, there is no way to keep up or be involved. Attending church became difficult.
I attended a large church where the pulpit sat on a raised platform, making lipreading difficult. I changed to a small church. Movies and theater became impossible to enjoy because I would miss so much. Phone conversations became more frustrating as I lost my ability to understand, and if I tried to compensate by turning the hearing aids up, they would protest as I tried to talk.
Q: Did you join any HOH organizations, like the Hearing Loss Association of America?
A: I did not even know they existed until being introduced to them through the Internet. Working in state government in the capital city, I had direct access though to state services. The Kentucky Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) did not provide direct services to the hearing impaired, but they provided me with their support and introduction to state agencies that did provide services. The Department for Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) provided me with much needed counseling as well as equipment recommendations. I can't praise this agency enough for all they did for me!
Q: When you became hard of hearing, were any accommodations made for you at work?
A: I have been fortunate to always have support from my supervisors and coworkers. The people I work with are conscious of my needs and considerate. They always save me a "prime seat" where I can best see.
DVR was asked to come to our Department and review the equipment I worked with. DVR paid a portion of the cost for hearing aids with a built in FM system and a FM transmitter. They recommended the special type of phone and ringer I would need. My department had DVR order all the special equipment.
Q: How did you know you had gone from being hard of hearing to being deaf?
A: I awoke one Tuesday morning and put in my hearing aids, connected the FM system that goes with my hearing aids, and turned on the television. When the hearing aids, FM and television were all turned to full volume, I could get a rumble of noise but nothing I could clearly distinguish.
Thinking either my hearing aids or the FM system were broken, I went straight to see my audiologist. She checked them and turned and looked at me with an expression I had never seen on her face before. She walked over and looked directly at me and said, "they are working fine," and I knew then what had happened.
She explained I already had the strongest aids, but she would be glad to give me another hearing test [if it would make me feel better.] I turned down the offer, thanked her, and walked out of the office to greet what I knew had become my silent world. I felt totally empty and disoriented at that point. I took a couple of days to be alone to adjust what I had learned, and then I set out to make the necessary changes in my lifestyle.
A: I became deaf earlier, but [in my mind] I have only been deaf for two years. That sounds contradictory, but please let me explain. It took me another year to be able to acknowledge myself as a deaf person.
During that first year [of being deaf] I classified myself as a "hard of hearing person that could not hear." I was so used to being hard of hearing that it was very hard for me to let go of that classification.
[One day], I attended a legislative hearing with some deaf friends. At the beginning, Senator Fred Bradley asked how many deaf citizens were in the hearing room. Hands went up around me, and then I realized that Senator Bradley and my deaf friends were looking at me. I started slowly raising my hand and then found myself standing with my head and my hand held high. My friends followed suit and the hearing room was filled with standing deaf people waving their hands in a deaf cheer. Even though I had lost my hearing one year before, that is the day I became deaf and proud of it.
Pat Carter began life as a hearing person. About.com interviewed her about her journey going from being fully hearing to being deaf.
Part One: Becoming Hard of Hearing
PART TWO
Hearing Getting Worse
Q: How did you know your hearing was getting worse?A: After a few years, I became aware that I was back to saying "huh?" all the time and that background noise had faded away. My hearing had continued to deteriorate, and I needed to start wearing the strongest behind-the-ear hearing aids my audiologist could recommend.
Today, even though my hearing aids provide little to no assistance, I continue to wear them just as I continue to wear my glasses. They have become just an acceptable part of me and who I am.
Q: Did you learn any new skills, such as lipreading?
A: As I lost my hearing, I noticed that the only time I was able to pick up conversation was when I could clearly see a person's face. I knew then that I was becoming dependent on lipreading as a communication tool. I began seeking out lipreading coaches and started studying tapes to practice at home. The coaches that gave me the most help were deaf friends that had developed the skills through years of usage. As I was losing my hearing, I was developing skills in both lipreading and American Sign Language (ASL).
Increased Life Frustrations
Q: As hearing became worse, what became difficult for you?
A: Groups of every kind became difficult. When conversation is bouncing around, there is no way to keep up or be involved. Attending church became difficult.
I attended a large church where the pulpit sat on a raised platform, making lipreading difficult. I changed to a small church. Movies and theater became impossible to enjoy because I would miss so much. Phone conversations became more frustrating as I lost my ability to understand, and if I tried to compensate by turning the hearing aids up, they would protest as I tried to talk.
Seeking Support for Hearing Loss
Q: Did you join any HOH organizations, like the Hearing Loss Association of America?
A: I did not even know they existed until being introduced to them through the Internet. Working in state government in the capital city, I had direct access though to state services. The Kentucky Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) did not provide direct services to the hearing impaired, but they provided me with their support and introduction to state agencies that did provide services. The Department for Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) provided me with much needed counseling as well as equipment recommendations. I can't praise this agency enough for all they did for me!
Work Accommodations for Hearing Loss
Q: When you became hard of hearing, were any accommodations made for you at work?
A: I have been fortunate to always have support from my supervisors and coworkers. The people I work with are conscious of my needs and considerate. They always save me a "prime seat" where I can best see.
DVR was asked to come to our Department and review the equipment I worked with. DVR paid a portion of the cost for hearing aids with a built in FM system and a FM transmitter. They recommended the special type of phone and ringer I would need. My department had DVR order all the special equipment.
Becoming Deaf
Q: How did you know you had gone from being hard of hearing to being deaf?
A: I awoke one Tuesday morning and put in my hearing aids, connected the FM system that goes with my hearing aids, and turned on the television. When the hearing aids, FM and television were all turned to full volume, I could get a rumble of noise but nothing I could clearly distinguish.
Thinking either my hearing aids or the FM system were broken, I went straight to see my audiologist. She checked them and turned and looked at me with an expression I had never seen on her face before. She walked over and looked directly at me and said, "they are working fine," and I knew then what had happened.
She explained I already had the strongest aids, but she would be glad to give me another hearing test [if it would make me feel better.] I turned down the offer, thanked her, and walked out of the office to greet what I knew had become my silent world. I felt totally empty and disoriented at that point. I took a couple of days to be alone to adjust what I had learned, and then I set out to make the necessary changes in my lifestyle.
Accepting Deafness
Q: How did you come to accept being deaf?A: I became deaf earlier, but [in my mind] I have only been deaf for two years. That sounds contradictory, but please let me explain. It took me another year to be able to acknowledge myself as a deaf person.
During that first year [of being deaf] I classified myself as a "hard of hearing person that could not hear." I was so used to being hard of hearing that it was very hard for me to let go of that classification.
[One day], I attended a legislative hearing with some deaf friends. At the beginning, Senator Fred Bradley asked how many deaf citizens were in the hearing room. Hands went up around me, and then I realized that Senator Bradley and my deaf friends were looking at me. I started slowly raising my hand and then found myself standing with my head and my hand held high. My friends followed suit and the hearing room was filled with standing deaf people waving their hands in a deaf cheer. Even though I had lost my hearing one year before, that is the day I became deaf and proud of it.