Navigating Deafness in a Hearing World

A very moving and challenging presentation.  Thanks for circulating it, Zambolis.  I began to go deaf in both ears in my 30s, and have had hearing aids since 1975, when I was 38.  In 1979 a failed stapes replacement operation left me totally deaf on the left.  About 10 years later I was able to have a series of newly devised aids that by various means transmitted sounds picked up on the left to the aid on the right.  This helped, but did not restore stereo.  I was able to continue working as a TC because it involved mainly talking with small groups in quiet situations, though in larger groups, I often could not tell where a speaker was.  A year ago, I was given a BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Aid) on the left, which transmits sound direct to the aural nerves via a metal stud implanted in the skull, and it is a significant help, though of course it does not solve all problems.  If any colleagues are offered a BAHA and hesitate because they don't fancy having a hole drilled in their skull, let me say it is just a painless 40-minute out-patient procedure with a local anaesthetic, and I was able to go home on the bus afterwards, with no side-effects.  At night of course, the aids have to come out, and that leaves me totally deaf, so that I would not even hear a fire alarm, though a special vibrating alarm clock takes care of that.  I never felt that colleagues treated me differently because I was deaf, and that is a testimony to their openness and adaptability for which I remain ever grateful.  Some deaf people try to hide their deafness, especially women who have enough hair to cover their aids.  This was never an option for me, but I never felt any need to do it anyway.  If other people don't know you are deaf, they cannot make simple adjustments like facing you when they speak, and not putting a hand over their mouth.  Most people are quite willing to do this if they are aware of the need.  I am quite happy in chatting with small groups, but avoid larger groups where several people are likely to be talking at once.  I do not have the radio or TV volume high enough to annoy my neighbours, or if I do, they haven't told me!