Happiness

[shel90]

I see the the attitudes from people in general that being able to hear equates to a happier or better quality of life.

I do not feel that way. I think there is more to life than being able to hear like a hearing person but that's just me.

Does anyone else feel that way or does your happiness depend on your quality of whatever hearing you have?

Just trying to understand here because I get the feeling that there are so many people out there who have the view that if one cant hear well, their lives arent as good as hearing people or that people see those who cant hear as not having happy and productive lives.


For me, sure, I cant hear well but u know what? I dont dwell on it...

Was just curious if other feel that way or not?

 

[Bottesini]

I am happy as I am. I don't think it diminishes my life to not hear. I have quite a lot of interests and am mostly busy and happy.

 

[Cheri]

I've seen many deaf people who had said they're happy being deaf, so what's the differences between those who are happy with being able to hear and others happy being deaf?

 

[shel90]

I've seen many deaf people who had said they're happy being deaf, so what's the differences between those who are happy with being able to hear and others happy being deaf?

I am more interested if someone's happiness depends on their ability to hear.

Are they happy just hearing environmental sounds?

Are they happy if they hear speech?

Are they happy if they can hear like hearing people?

 

[Hear Again]

My CIs make me happy, but that's because they improve my ability to function as a totally deafblind person. I no longer need to use time consuming alternative communication techniques (such as print on palm or Braille/raised print alphabet card) nor do I need to rely on others to help me across the street. If I had enough useable vision to sign or lipread, I would have no problem being deaf. Does that make sense?

 

[shel90]

My CIs make me happy, but that's because they improve my ability to function as a totally deafblind person. I no longer need to use time consuming alternative techinques for communication (such as print on palm or Braille/raised print alphabet card) nor do I need to rely on others to help me across the street. If I had enough useable vision to sign or lipread, I would have no problem being deaf. Does that make sense?

Yea it does. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Cool! I am happy for u.

I am glad that u dont need to rely on others to help u cross the street. I never thought of it that way.

 

[Hear Again]

Yea it does. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Cool! I am happy for u.

You're welcome -- and thanks!

I would have absolutely no problem being D/deaf if I could see. Total blindness makes things a little more difficult at times when you can't hear. That's where my CIs make my life easier.

 

[shel90]

Also, when I created this thread, I was thinking of some deaf people who I know who arent happy if they hear environmental sounds but hear speech sounds instead. I just find it interesting that they dont want to hear environmental sounds but just want to hear speech only. I just find it kinda fascinating on how different people's views are.

 

[Hear Again]

I am glad that u dont need to rely on others to help u cross the street. I never thought of it that way.

Before I received my CIs, I used a communication card which indicated that I was deafblind, needed help across the street and to tap me on the shoulder when it was safe to cross. Now that I have CIs, I have no problem hearing traffic. Even with one CI, I got around the difficulty of only being able to hear traffic unilaterally by making sure parallel traffic was on the same side as my CI.

 

[shel90]

You're welcome -- and thanks!

I would have absolutely no problem being D/deaf if I could see. Total blindness makes things a little more difficult at times when you can't hear. That's where my CIs make my life easier.

Now, u got me thinking...I must have my hearing aids if I know I will be in a non-signing environment so lipreading is made easier with them. So, I guess u could say that I wont be happy if I dont have my hearing aids on when trying to lipread someone!

 

[Bottesini]

Now, u got me thinking...I must have my hearing aids if I know I will be in a non-signing environment so lipreading is made easier with them. So, I guess u could say that I wont be happy if I dont have my hearing aids on when trying to lipread someone!

That is the same for me Shel. Plus I am certain I don't want to go outside without them as they do alert me to cars and danger.

 

[Hear Again]

Now, u got me thinking...I must have my hearing aids if I know I will be in a non-signing environment so lipreading is made easier with them. So, I guess u could say that I wont be happy if I dont have my hearing aids on when trying to lipread someone!

If you don't mind my asking, are you able to hear any speech with your hearing aids? I know you have a congenital profound loss of 120 dB, but I don't know what that means in terms of being able to hear speech since I've never had that degree of hearing loss. The "worst" I could hear was 90 dB at 250 Hz with NR at 1000 Hz and above for my right ear and 95 dB at 250 Hz with NR at
1000 Hz and above for my left ear.

 

[shel90]

That is the same for me Shel. Plus I am certain I don't want to go outside without them as they do alert me to cars and danger.

Really? When I go out to exercise, I leave my HAs at home cuz I dont like the buzzing sounds I get whenever sweat pours on them. Never thought about cars and danger...maybe I will get run over someday!


Ooohh, i MUST have them on when drivng cuz I like to hear the music. :0)~

 

[Bottesini]

Really? When I go out to exercise, I leave my HAs at home cuz I dont like the buzzing sounds I get whenever sweat pours on them. Never thought about cars and danger...maybe I will get run over someday!


Ooohh, i MUST have them on when drivng cuz I like to hear the music. :0)~

Ear Gear prevents sweat damage and is cute for deaf runners!

 

[Hear Again]

shel,

When you listen to music, what exactly do you hear?

 

[shel90]

If you don't mind my asking, are you able to hear any speech with your hearing aids? I know you have a congenital profound loss of 120 dB, but I don't know what that means in terms of being able to hear speech since I've never had that degree of hearing loss. The "worst" I could hear was 90 dB at 250 Hz with NR at 1000 Hz and above for my right ear and 95 dB at 250 Hz with NR at
1000 Hz and above for my left ear.

I can hear vowels, can tell if someone is speaking English or another language without looking by the flunctations in the speech patterns, can distinguish between a male and female voice, and child and adult voice. . I dont know if that means I can hear speech. I was told I couldnt so I guess not.

 

[shel90]

shel,

When you listen to music, what exactly do you hear?

I can hear piano tunes, violen, drums, voices singing, guitar (what's the word?)...I think that's it. I can tell when someone is singing on a high note as opposed to a low note. I CANT understand the words unless I spend countless of hours memorizing the lyrics which I used to so I could be "cool" like my friends. Now, I just enjoy the soundss I hear and tell people that I cant sing along with the songs and then they tell me that they feel sorry for me.

 

[Daredevel7]

I see it as "ignorance is bliss". Usually you have to experience something in order to miss something. For example, if my HA or CI broke, I'd be really nervous and probably wouldn't be happy. Another example, Shel said above that she wouldn't be happy if she didn't have HAs on while trying to lipread someone. Both situations make us unhappy because we are used to the lifestyle of having sound. If you never had sound, what's there to miss?

I don't think being able to hear gives you a "better quality of life". It just gives you more options in life. It may or may not mean better quality. To me, life is such a fragile thing, a slight difference can make your life totally different. If that person wasn't deaf, he might be an pompous a**hole or he might be a famous rock star. Who knows!?

 

[Daredevel7]

I can hear piano tunes, violen, drums, voices singing, guitar (what's the word?)...I think that's it. I can tell when someone is singing on a high note as opposed to a low note. I CANT understand the words unless I spend countless of hours memorizing the lyrics which I used to so I could be "cool" like my friends. Now, I just enjoy the soundss I hear and tell people that I cant sing along with the songs and then they tell me that they feel sorry for me.

Wow.... all I can pick out is piano, drums, and SOMETIMES voice singing. And I think I heard better than you? I got 90-100 and 100-110 dB losses (pre-CI).

I think it's safe to say that audiograms mean jack squat when it comes to sound discrimination.

 

[shel90]

I see it as "ignorance is bliss". Usually you have to experience something in order to miss something. For example, if my HA or CI broke, I'd be really nervous and probably wouldn't be happy. Another example, Shel said above that she wouldn't be happy if she didn't have HAs on while trying to lipread someone. Both situations make us unhappy because we are used to the lifestyle of having sound. If you never had sound, what's there to miss?

I don't think being able to hear gives you a "better quality of life". It just gives you more options in life. It may or may not mean better quality. To me, life is such a fragile thing, a slight difference can make your life totally different. If that person wasn't deaf, he might be an pompous a**hole or he might be a famous rock star. Who knows!?

Just had someone from the store the other day who said that it was very sad that I am deaf. I told her that there was nothing to be sad about. She looked like she couldnt believe me.

Just made me wonder if hearing people in general think having hearing equates to more happiness.