Identity in the d/deaf hoh world

Ericka

Ericka

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I've know for a while my hearing wasn't "right"(lack of a better word atm) finally went to an ENT and Audi and i have loss in both ears but the right ear is still ( by a sliver) in the normal range and the left is mild almost mild to moderate, with confirmed menieres and reverse slope hearing loss. Im waiting to get approval for my first hearing aid(experiencing mixed feelings). Now i know labels and identities are subjective and more or less based on the persons feeling about themselves. I had a woman (deaf)who i helped out by (piss poorly) interpreting for her annoyed and out of paper hearing friend. She asked me how i knew sign (been learning on and off since 6th grade when i had a deaf classmate) she asked me was i deaf or hoh i said no but i have h.l. she said "oh you hoh." Her having said it didn't feel hurtful or challenging it made me kinda relax about how i identified when im around or with D/deaf and hard of hearing people. However it's hard to take on that identity fully in regards to everyday life because i feel a bit like I don't have enough H.l. and that some how im taking away or being a fraud because i barely sign and i am not (i want to be) involved in deaf events and culture. Its all kinda where do i begin, do i really belong?
 
Only you can decide that.

That said.. one person I knew at Gallaudet had a very mild hearing loss at the time to the point where...technically he didn't meet Gally's cut off for dB level of deafness(I don't know if they still have that now). He still called himself hard of hearing and signed (grew up oral). At least two other friends are both in the mild range and both call themselves hard of hearing (or did). I am certain too that many who have profound losses consider themselves hard of hearing and those with moderate losses as D/deaf.

If you find you have problems with "catching" things hearing and parts of your life IS affected- to me at least- that means hard of hearing (hearing loss, hearing impaired*).

*This term is a hot button- many people don't like it and won't use it. Others don't mind and do use it. To each their own. A 'label' is just that - a label that doesn't always mean it is the same for everyone.

(Welcome to AD- haven't seen your name til now)
 
:)hello Ericka, I'm hoh- technically "mild", that is what works best for me and when interacting in the d/Deaf community. I sign a very small amount and am a very visual oriented person. I also have auditory processing issues. No one has ever had issue with my phrasing.
 
Welcome :)
I too find it hard with labels, I was born hearing in a hearing world and slowly loss my hearing, now I have profound hearing loss. I always tell people I am hard of hearing but my audie said I am deaf. It'seems card to switch terms.
 
It hit me tonight that hoh
is where i am right now and i need to embrace all that it means. I was at a Nerdy(compliment) party with friends and acquaintences. The music is at a normal level and im asking people to repeat themselves a bit they are all to the left of me(coincidentally). Explaining that im hoh here would require too much when im just trying to have a good time. This is the first time outside of work where i have noticed my h.l. effected me.
 
:welcome:, Ericka. I agree with DeafNerdMomm about labels, but when discussing degrees of anything, you need common terms. For instance, if carpenters talk about tools, they need specific names--not "that thingie that pulls nails" or "that wood-shaving gizmo."

For most deaf people, "hearing impaired" is too loose a term, and "impaired" suggests "defective." We may have issues with hearing, but we certainly don't like to be called defective.

"H-O-H" (usually signed with a fingerspelled "H" making a short arch) is what most of us term "hard of hearing." We may precede it with or add on adverbs of degree, such as "slightly" or "severely."

I'm totally deaf (signed :deaf:with a forefinger, not with a "D"). With deafness, one size doesn't fit all, and I'm sure there are gray areas where severely HOH or profoundly deaf are much the same.

Ericka, I think you're smart :applause: to recognize it and prepare. Friends noticed I was looking at their lips more than their eyes and asking them to repeat or not to mumble so much, but I was in so much denial, I didn't pay attention. :crazy:

:yesway::yesway: (ASL for "chase")
 
I wrote this before reading all the replies. These are my views, but I respect everything others said. Many said them better than I did. :redface:
 
Im glad i found this forum. I honestly feel kind of relieved after i woke up this morning and thought about how much less i will struggle with me being honest about being hoh with those closest to me when i enter a situation that will be challenging when it comes to my h.l. i know every situation won't be easy but i can do it. Gives me another reason to finish my college ed as a deaf/hoh education major.
 
I'm glad you are majoring in deaf/hoh education. We need more hoh/deaf teachers!!
 
Ericka said:
Im glad i found this forum. I honestly feel kind of relieved after i woke up this morning and thought about how much less i will struggle with me being honest about being hoh with those closest to me when i enter a situation that will be challenging when it comes to my h.l. i know every situation won't be easy but i can do it. Gives me another reason to finish my college ed as a deaf/hoh education major.
Click to expand...
Very healthy attitude....and WOOHOO for becoming a Deaf Ed teacher! We need more deaf ed teachers!
 
I have wanted to be a deaf ed teacher for years since 6th grade when i made my first deaf friend. They always say its the one friend who impacts your life in ways you cant imagine. I started learning asl because of her too.
 
Welcome. My situation is similar to yours.

Have you asked your doctor about autoimmune inner ear disease? I've read that many cases of bilateral Meniere's are probably immune mediated.
 
Ericka said:
Im glad i found this forum. I honestly feel kind of relieved after i woke up this morning and thought about how much less i will struggle with me being honest about being hoh with those closest to me when i enter a situation that will be challenging when it comes to my h.l. i know every situation won't be easy but i can do it. Gives me another reason to finish my college ed as a deaf/hoh education major.
Click to expand...
I'm newly HOH myself. One resource I would recommend is singing up for the free emailing list at SuperHumanHearing.com. The author sends a weekly newsletter with advice on living successfully with hearing loss. Today he specifically gave strategies for letting people know you are HOH without feeling like you have to give them a 5 minute lecture. Just my two cents.
 
Tony_Bars said:
I'm newly HOH myself. One resource I would recommend is singing up for the free emailing list at SuperHumanHearing.com. The author sends a weekly newsletter with advice on living successfully with hearing loss. Today he specifically gave strategies for letting people know you are HOH without feeling like you have to give them a 5 minute lecture. Just my two cents.
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity I followed your link. It goes to a gamer's headphones website. I think you meant getsuperhumanhearing.com.
 
I hate labels but will be respectful if I find out something offends someone. If someone prefers HOH over hearing impaired then HOH it is. It is about respect.
 
I had to get it retested when i went to the current audiologist. The right ear is "within limits" but the left ear had visible loss(on an audiogram) does that count in terms of bilateral hearing loss? I have read when i just learned about my hearing loss within limits doesn't mean you haven't lost hearing its just in a range not enough to be considered "hearng loss". In any case i pick up my hearing aid next week. I'm excited but i have noticed the difference in my hearing when i'm tired and i noticed i started missing alot just like when it first started noticing and went to the ent. Which is way more than when i was first met with my new audiologist i was still struggling but not this bad. Yesterday i asked my boss a question he responded with "man or woman" it sounded exactly like "arma roman"(similar to a client's first and last name). I looked at him and Said "why are you asking me about her? Its not for her" he says "i didn't mention her at all i asked was it a man or a woman." (once again it sounded nothing like a man or a woman) i was standing right next to him. Things sound more sharp like tin and a little more Charlie Brown adult (won won won)
 
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Grrr.
I am letting you guys know that I never made the last post. While I was cooking a late dinner a friend had access to this computer, with this page open and I was logged in. He admitted to it and thought it was "funny." I let him know how disgusted I was with it because it is insulting on so many levels and did he think so little of the deaf to mock them??? He was almost in tears by the time I tore him a new one.
My apologies for any hurt feelings caused by him.
 
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