When I wrote Shouting Won’t Help (2013), a memoir of losing my hearing, I went into full confessional mode. I wrote about my struggles with anxiety and isolation and depression as my hearing loss worsened. I wrote about denial, anger, grief, about drinking too much and seeing a therapist, about losing my job. I also wrote about … Continue reading The Emotional Side of Hearing Loss
hearing loss and isolation
Has the Pandemic Affected Your Hearing?
Captions have become ubiquitous during these many months of isolation. Is that an unmitigated good for those with hearing loss? For me, at least, maybe not. When I watch TV or streaming video, it’s captioned. I set the volume so I can hear the spoken words to supplement the captions, but it’s the other way … Continue reading Has the Pandemic Affected Your Hearing?
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Considering a Cochlear Implant? You’re Never Too Old.
Is there an age limit for cochlear implant recipients? I asked this question of several cochlear implant surgeons around the country. Their answer? Never. All have implanted patients in their 90s and, as Anil Lalwani, of New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center said, he "routinely" operates on patients over 80. His oldest patient is 93. … Continue reading Considering a Cochlear Implant? You’re Never Too Old.
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Driving While Deaf: Not Taking My Own Advice.
I am not Deaf and not a sign language user, but I am extremely hard of hearing and I know how frightening it can be when the police pull you over and you're unsure you'll be able to understand them — or be able to make yourself understood. I also realize, thanks to my own … Continue reading Driving While Deaf: Not Taking My Own Advice.
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Yes, I Have Hearing Loss, Talk to Me Anyway
This bears repeating: It's important to be included in the conversation. True friends and understanding family will do that. They'll repeat, they'll rephrase, they might even spell it out. One friend pulls out a notebook and jots down the key words. It helps if I parrot back the parts of the sentence I did hear, … Continue reading Yes, I Have Hearing Loss, Talk to Me Anyway
Katherine Bouton: Smart Hearing 