Hearing-Impaired, Not a Vegetable!

I can relate with the aspect of parents from a small town not understanding your hearing loss. I'm not associated with Deaf Culture myself and I only knew one deaf person growing up. She was orally skilled, wore hearing aids, signed (I remember her signing to her parents), and was probably one the best choir singers I've known to come from our high school. So, I've been clueless on hearing loss until it happened to me.

I wish growing up I had been more aware of Deaf Culture and more educated about hearing loss myself. I know many people don't like the term hearing impaired and I'm one of them. I say, if I need to, I have hearing loss or I'm HOH. Even then, saying I have hearing loss makes me feel like I'm putting myself down.

I don't know if it is because I grew up hearing and don't like to be told "you're impaired." I'm not impaired. I can totally relate by calling yourself hearing impaired especially if that is what you grew up around knowing and saying. However, I cannot exactly say this for the Deaf Community as well, but I imagine they most likely feel the same way. I'm late deafened, if that is the right term to describe me, so I have no right to give an opinion Deaf/deaf either in many aspect...but yeah.

I think one of the reasons I lurk so often on these forums is because I've wanted to educate myself on Deaf Culture, know other people have experienced what I've been going through, and that I like to read (I love reading just about anything).

But at times, people don't like being associated with labels. What do I call myself in terms of hearing or whatever? I just say hearing loss or HOH. However, its your choice what you want to call yourself. Personally, I found it easier just to say I'm HOH and most people haven't asked questions as much as me saying "I have hearing loss" or "I'm hearing impaired."

Even though I still have my boss thinking I'm deaf, when I'm not. However, you can only educate so many people before you want to give up. :lol:

You should be able to drive just fine without your BAHA if you don't want to wear it and if it is giving you problems (the pains), it does sound like something is wrong. Your mom needs to lay off or come read a few posts here at AD. Plenty of Deaf/deaf and HOH drivers at these forums.
 
Well, I have talked to my parents and there is just no convincing them that I don't need the BAHA. There's just no help for it, so I give up. They say "You need the BAHA, I don't care what people on this website say. You need it to hear if an ambulance is behind you." Hello, it's called mirrors, and they're there for a reason :roll:
 
Lau2046 said:
Sounds like everyone is too hung up on labels and offended too easily. People should just say what they want without walking around a ball park, stepping on egg shells and analyzing every word for who they "might offend" by making a statement. It's a medically accepted as a word and has been forever without being dragged before the courts.....
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U seem hung up about people being hung up on labels. If people want to be hung up about labels, why worry about it?
 
KatieBug2014 said:
Well, I have talked to my parents and there is just no convincing them that I don't need the BAHA. There's just no help for it, so I give up. They say "You need the BAHA, I don't care what people on this website say. You need it to hear if an ambulance is behind you." Hello, it's called mirrors, and they're there for a reason :roll:
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Im sorry. Why don't you tell your parents that you need to see audiologist for following up with your BAHA because you are in pain. it is not NORMAL. Just make an appointment with audiologist when you feel OK but still. Try to explain to your audiologist somehow. I am wearing my HA and it was too low. i came to see audiologist two week ago. She adjusted it more loud. Oops my mistake its sort of loud for me. so i plan to go back to audiologist again to adjust the sound again. Oh well!
 
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