Adjustment to late onset deafness

Jervis, I am sorry to hear about your situation and I hope that you can find/get the support you need so much. I might suggest you check and see what resources might be available through your community. I know many have sliding scale fees, if needed. My neighbor had taken me down to the local town hall and to various government buildings in person to help me get started. You'd be surprised how much information they can provide, especially if you go in person.

Love,

Chie
 
hey there, I'm 24 and hoh, I got my first first hearing aids when I was 23. My adjustment has been pretty positive so far. Apparently I've been hoh for a long time and never knew/was diagnosed. I know when I was really young I got ear and sinus infections all the time and I didn't start talking until I was like 2 1/2. Even then, I remember not talking "right" until probably 2nd or 3rd grade. I love my ha's- wish I'd gotten them years ago.
A few days after i got them it was raining pretty hard and I thought it was the coolest sound in the world!
I guess my only "complaint" if you will is that I feel like I can't really fit in with the hearing world or the Deaf world. We'll see!
 
Its nice to know I'm not alone!

Ok, so I was born hearing and raised hearing. I went threw school hearing and began working at a cardiac hospital. Now in grade school my hearing was tested and I never could pass the audiograms given at school. It wasnt until my job at the hospital that I realized I was losing my hearing and fast! My employer, the Cardiologist, had gotten mad and put his fist to the desk after repeated attempts to get my attention. He appoligized and told me to take the following day off and get my hearing checked. I was mortified! At the age of 20 at the time, I was in denial and embarrised not willing to admitt there was anything wrong. After the audiogram I was shocked to find that I had mild to severe loss. In time I had several more tests and my hearing went from mild/severe loss to profoudly deaf in matter of bout a year. This last year I found out that Lyme Disease was the culprit but the damage had been done.
I have in the process taught myself how to lip read and sign. The morning I woke up completely deaf was terrifying!! I was banging pots and knocking on walls. I cryed. I had to even go to work like that! Thankfully my dad worked at the same place so I told him take me to the specialist now! That was the first day of my new life!
Now I am accustomed to my deafness. I have come to feel that if given the opertunity to have my hearing back I would probably refuse. At the same time, being a Violinist, I would love to hear myself play again. I'ts my passion! I have learned to view the world differently and not take as much for granted. I understand that deaf born individuals don't understand why people who are late-deafend complain or freak out about being deaf. But I say to them, imagine losing ur vision all of a sudden or being able to hear after a life time of deafness! We've been thrown into another world out of the blue( so to speak)! Somedays it is hard for me to get out of bed and face the world. Sometimes I feel like if I have to lip read one more person I'm gonna flip! It's sooo exaughsting(spelling). There is no Deaf Community where I live that I have found. I live in a little small minded border town that has little to no knowlege of deaf/hoh. I've become myown advocate! But with all the aggrivations and heartbreak I have to say, I sleep GREAT! Haha, no sounds to wake me from my slumber or crying kids in church or the movies. I have a greater appriciation for life and others. And best of all I've gained a stronger determination for deaf rights! God Bless A.D.A. : )
Sorry this is so long I guess I got on a roll! Being late-deafend is like being caught in a tug of war between what we once knew and what we know now to be or lives. I've come to terms with it for the most part and am in the end greatful for the change due to it opening my eyes to another world and new oppertunities. I wish all good luck in thier journey!:wave:
 
Welcome, annieboo...and all the newest posters! I'm certain that you will find many others here who can relate to your experiences. Knowing someone else understands is the greatest comfort of all.:wave:
 
jillio said:
Welcome, annieboo...and all the newest posters! I'm certain that you will find many others here who can relate to your experiences. Knowing someone else understands is the greatest comfort of all.:wave:
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Thank You Jillio!:D
 
Babyblue said:
We do have another RN on this site.

Hopefully he can come to join this thread and talk to you. So you guys can share your experiences.


I will PM him and let him know about you. :)
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Thank you, Babyblue. I'm sure Doug could offer much encouragement.
 
Welcome again annieboo. Yeah Im late deafened too. I deal with those communication barriers at times as well. Just as you miss being able to have an appreciable value of the violin now- I miss singing quite a lot. But like you, I have just found and learned new things to appreciate and those things are not thought about anymore as often. You can ask me any question or make comment any time and I'd be pleased to respond or visit. :)
 
hohDougRN said:
Welcome again annieboo. Yeah Im late deafened too. I deal with those communication barriers at times as well. Just as you miss being able to have an appreciable value of the violin now- I miss singing quite a lot. But like you, I have just found and learned new things to appreciate and those things are not thought about anymore as often. You can ask me any question or make comment any time and I'd be pleased to respond or visit. :)
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Thanks for stopping by!

:)
 
Babyblue said:
We do have another RN on this site.


I will PM him and let him know about you. :)
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well that would be great. i actually started out as a certified nurse aide then got on job training in Cath Lab. so i could do everything but i.v. and meds.:ty:
 
hohDougRN said:
Welcome again annieboo. You can ask me any question or make comment any time and I'd be pleased to respond or visit. :)
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Thanks doug! Yeah well i still sing but i feel sorry for the poor soul who has to listen to me do so! haha. lord only knows how it must sound. I lost my hearing due to Lyme disease. I am still amazed at how very few people are aware of the illness and what can happen as a result of it. I have learned and still am learning to adapt and suceede(spelling) now that I am deaf. but i tell ya, its def opened my eyes to a world that I use to know little about. I have to say that it has made me a much stronger person and I am much more willing to stand up for myself and my rights now! Being a writer I am thinking about writing a book on my journey from hearing to deaf.
 
Hi, everyone! I've been gone a while because my computer crashed and it took about a week to revive it. Glad to be back! :wave:

Welcome to everyone who is new! :welcome:

deafannieboo, how is your health now? How is your heart? Your joints? Has antibiotic treatment been successful? Lyme disease sucks. I try to protect myself and my family, but you never know when or how you can get bitten by a tick. Nasty little virulent critters!

It's ironic but losing my hearing has made me more confident. I've been able to accept myself more. I can allow myself to be human and imperfect. Perhaps it's related to age. Maybe my hearing loss occurred at a time when I become more mature and grew emotionally. In any case, it's a good feeling!
 
sallylou said:
deafannieboo, how is your health now? How is your heart? Your joints? Has antibiotic treatment been successful? Lyme disease sucks. I try to protect myself and my family, but you never know when or how you can get bitten by a tick. Nasty little virulent critters!

It's ironic but losing my hearing has made me more confident.
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hi sallylou! well i just posted a thread today id like everyone to read bout my crazy trip to E.R. this morning!!! itll send most deaf and hoh to limit!

my joints are def affected. mostly popping and aching. i have numb places on my neck by spine. my vision seems to be deterierating (spelling). i seem to have forgot where i left my memory!!!! horrible fatigue and of course deafness. you know it is believed that i acquired Lyme through a misquito. Lyme is not only Vector born illness either. cows and people spread it thru breast milk as well. Lyme is found in every single state in the usa.


i agree with you that going deaf has increased confidence! AMEN and well said! As hard as it is for some people to think like it, deafness has been somewhat of a blessing to me!
 
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dogmom said:
deafannieboo, I would like to read your book someday!

:wave:all!
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hi dogmom!:wave:
well one day ull be able to say heyyyy i know that lady!!!! ill be writing my own column and writing for national geographic magazine!!! which is actually what im working towards! haha
i would be honored if u would read one of my books one day! grin.
im actually working on a book of childrens poetry and a book on poverty in third world countries. that last one i been workin on since high school. i keep rewriting the damb thing! one day ill be happy with it and publish it. so far ive been published ummmm 10 times or more i think. not books but articles and poetry and a short story and won few awards. not to shabby for a 26 yr old college student hu? lol:cool2:
 
oh, deafannie, wow - where can I find your stuff? ,in addition to the NG mag?
that's great:D

column what?

:cool2:<cool>
 
I had no idea that you can get Lyme's disease from a mosquito!:shock: It makes sense because they mosquitoes can carry viruses, too. I live in swamp land and the mosquitoes are out of hand here!
 
dogmom said:
oh, deafannie, wow - where can I find your stuff? ,in addition to the NG mag?
that's great:D

column what?

:cool2:<cool>
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well im not working for nat geo yet but i hope to one day. i have a couple things on helium.com under joanne teagarden. and other places. on that site just look for author JoAnne Teagarden in the search this site box. i put the stuff i want online on that site. right now im working on a couple books im trying to write.
 
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