Do you tell everyone you meet about your hearing issues?

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CarebearMI

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It's obvious I have issues with hearing even with hearing aids. I space out when there's overlapping conversations are going on and I have no idea what people are talking about. Then sometimes it sounds as people are mumbling when talking. I try to tell people that I can't hear well especially at places like a bar. Although I don't want people feeling sorry for me, I just want them to understand me better why I may appear quiet.
 
In noisy areas, yes. Otherwise people think I'm stupid or being rude. And since I'm blind I can't always tell what's going on around me.
 
Today, I did not tell a dentist who was new to me (I had to go see him for a reason) and I did not tell him at all. I wanted to see how much he could handle me, and I could handle him in normal voice. It turned out he figured it out because he kept taking off his mask for me to understand him.
 
For day to day things where it is not involving someone who I will be having a close business relationship with (dentist, doctor, bank), then I don't mention it unless there is an obvious problem. For the doctor, dentist or bank or situations like that, I am upfront and warn them that I will require pen and paper or my netbook for conversations. For the most part, it has worked. I only had a problem with 1 bank. The person totally overreacted, has been since retrained and still didn't learn and was sent to another branch. I have also changed banks. The branch involved is now being checked into by the Feds regarding breaking ADA policies. (not me, but I was mentioned since the customer involved was there during the issue with me.) At the new bank, I was quite frank with the lady who handled the opening of the account. She asked permission to explain to the branch manager so that I would not have any future problems, and with the managers approval, she introduced me to the staff and explained why we were doing this. I have had no problems and the staff has taken it upon themselves to learn more about the deaf and hard of hearing and have contacted the Lighthouse For The Blind and the Deaf Service Center to help educate them as a place of business. Each teller window and each desk has a pad of paper and a cup with pens for anyone needing it. There is also a printed out card at each desk with ASL signs for common banking terms and the numbers to help as well.
 
It depends. Sometimes I forget that people don't know. I tell them when there is communication issues.
 
Well, most of the time in my adult life when the persons approach and ask me something I may be a help answering them. I hand out my pager to type down the text or about to write down on my notepad, they quickly said nevermind and left. Ah, they're such losers. Some of them even say "oh, I'm sorry" after I tried to write a pad to them. Rollin' my fuckin' eyes!
 
I always have a notebook and pens in my bag. I just write it down.

Of course, my handwriting is awful so even then they don't always understand.

I keep thinking I should take my netbook, but that is really too heavy to pack around all the time.
 
KristinaB said:
For day to day things where it is not involving someone who I will be having a close business relationship with (dentist, doctor, bank), then I don't mention it unless there is an obvious problem. For the doctor, dentist or bank or situations like that, I am upfront and warn them that I will require pen and paper or my netbook for conversations. For the most part, it has worked. I only had a problem with 1 bank. The person totally overreacted, has been since retrained and still didn't learn and was sent to another branch. I have also changed banks. The branch involved is now being checked into by the Feds regarding breaking ADA policies. (not me, but I was mentioned since the customer involved was there during the issue with me.) At the new bank, I was quite frank with the lady who handled the opening of the account. She asked permission to explain to the branch manager so that I would not have any future problems, and with the managers approval, she introduced me to the staff and explained why we were doing this. I have had no problems and the staff has taken it upon themselves to learn more about the deaf and hard of hearing and have contacted the Lighthouse For The Blind and the Deaf Service Center to help educate them as a place of business. Each teller window and each desk has a pad of paper and a cup with pens for anyone needing it. There is also a printed out card at each desk with ASL signs for common banking terms and the numbers to help as well.
Click to expand...

That's so cool! They went all out with the ASL cards!
 
CJB said:
That's so cool! They went all out with the ASL cards!
Click to expand...

They are also getting some things from the Lighthouse for the Blind as well. Can't remember what, but they are working toward being totally accessible.
 
KristinaB said:
They are also getting some things from the Lighthouse for the Blind as well. Can't remember what, but they are working toward being totally accessible.
Click to expand...

:mrgreen:

My bank is really good about accommodating me. They guide me to the end of the line and print on my palm.
 
CarebearMI said:
It's obvious I have issues with hearing even with hearing aids. I space out when there's overlapping conversations are going on and I have no idea what people are talking about. Then sometimes it sounds as people are mumbling when talking. I try to tell people that I can't hear well especially at places like a bar. Although I don't want people feeling sorry for me, I just want them to understand me better why I may appear quiet.
Click to expand...

My father is like that. He depends a lot on my mother or my older sisters to interpret-talking close to his ears what the others are saying in a group on table. He has been spacing out a lot and be isolated to himself away from family and the group of people 'cause he couldn't stand being lost around the conversation and unintellingable (sp?) voices. Only works for him is one on one person conversation. He doesn't even have hearing aids. He just never wanted to have those, because they won't work for him. *shrugs*
 
No I do not tell everyone I meet that I am HOH . I was out the other day and a woman was talking to me and ask me if I deaf! I wanted to ask her if was always that rude! The way she ask me was rude! It really is no one business if I am HOH . Some people think I have a Spanish accent ! LOL!
I can't speak one word of Spanish!
 
As a rule, I don't tell total strangers I'm deaf though with people I see everyday, I tell them because it will be apparent after a while I have a hearing loss though most don't realize my loss is in the profound range.
 
People usually noticed, so if it not, I tell them I'm deaf so would need a person to come and see me face to face rather than just shouting my name, face to face contact
 
Not all the time....those closest to me know I'm deaf....

Since I don't talk either some people just think I'm being rude...So that's when I get out my notepad and write down....
 
As soon I meet a new person that is hearing, I explain I am deaf. The reason is because I dont make eye contact and i find that folks wonder "what-the-hell" is this guy. So by getting ahead of them I make them more comfortable with the conversation.
 
For me I think it's kind of obvious since I have bright purple BTEs and have a "deaf voice"
 
No, I dont until the person starts turning away from me while talking. That is when I have to stop him/her to tell them that I am deaf and I need to read their lips. In the past few years, it has been a more of a positive experience than negative..maybe because I am not so timid anymore.
 
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