Half hearing or half deaf?

Kdub

Kdub

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Hi all. I am Kathy from Southern California. I had an acoustic neuroma removed from my ear canal in November and went from hearing to deaf in my left ear in a six hour operation. The adjustment has been interesting. I am trying to figure out if I am half deaf or half hearing. I know that it probably doesn't make any difference to anyone else but I am trying to understand where I fit. I can't tell where any sound is coming from, can't understand conversations in noisy situations and need people to look at me when they speak so I am not a "hearie." But everyone tells me that I just need to get a BAHA and not try to embrace the changes by learning ASL or lipreading. I am 50 so I am hardly a pup. Anyone have any suggestions as to how to take the first steps in this journey? Thank you!
 
If you are half and half then you will be both. Until you lean on one side or another.
 
Kathy, you're HOH.......Definitly look into a full toolbox, meaning speechreading definitely, and maybe ASL for fun.
I know a couple of late deafened people who have taken the oppetuntity to totally get into ASL and Deaf culture.......it can be a really fun step.
 
i myself am HOH but ive had it most of my life. im not sure just how hoh i am, i havent had any tests done in over 5 years now, havent had new HA in over 5 years, and my dog recently decided to eat the molds from my ha so i havent been able to wear them lately, which is bad cuz i dont have insurance to get new ones and i start college in a week. but to me, its easier when ppl around me know i dont hear good and make an effort to help me, sometimes its as easy as making sure there isnt any background noises (tv, radio, etc), sometimes its as easy to make sure theyre looking at me and making sure i know theyre talking to me. but its really fruistraiting when they get mad cuz i dont understand and keep asking them to repeat themselves.
 
Seems your brain is still adjusting to the hearing imbalance . Less than 3 months is not going to be enough time to adjust to it. Given time I think you will be able to sort out sounds a bit better.
How is the good ear? 100% hearing?
 
Looks like that is a Bullmastiff in your avator. If he/she is your dog, he/she won't care if you're half deaf or half hearing.
 
I'm sorry that happened to you. It can be a very traumatic event to lose one's hearing.

The hearing aid will definitely be your greatest tool. It will take some getting used to, but will certainly make you hear better.

Your social life is certainly going to change, unfortunately. Because of this, going to need the lip reading skill those people are talking about. At the moment, I'm guessing your primary interaction is with hearing people. In those cases, ASL is not going to help you. However, since you are now on this site, the chances of you having friends who use sign is a high probability. You should also take some ASL courses.

All of those things, lip reading, hearing aid and ASL are tools. You need to use the right tool in the right situation, there is not a one tool fits all solution.

It would be nice if your friends learn sign, but that is up to them not you. All you can do is be prepared if you need to communicate with someone who does use sign.

As far as what you are, this is how I look at it. If you are deaf in one ear, and have perfect hearing in the other you would be hearing impaired. If you are deaf in one ear and have some hearing loss in the other, you would be deaf. If you feel your deafness defines you, you would be Deaf with a capital D.

It sounds to me like you have some loss in the hearing ear, so I'd say you're deaf. Like me.
 
I was born Deaf so I may not be the best advice as I have never experienced loss like you have.

Only you can label yourself. You will find welcome and open arms in both worlds. You just have to make some adjustments to function in which ever world you choose (or even better... choose BOTH!). However you lean... remember that you're still you. Best wishes during your re-discovery process.
 
deafbirk said:
Seems your brain is still adjusting to the hearing imbalance . Less than 3 months is not going to be enough time to adjust to it. Given time I think you will be able to sort out sounds a bit better.
How is the good ear? 100% hearing?
Click to expand...

I agree with this. I lost my hearing my left ear first, my right started going about 5 years later. I never even wore a hearing aid in my left ear, I got by fine with hearing with my right. BUT I lost it a little gradually, not overnight or anything. I might have adjusted, I'm not even sure how long I was losing my hearing in that ear, it was pretty damn deaf by the time I realized I couldn't hear out of it anymore. You might just need a little time.
 
all above are good advices, takes time, and as for the shock of losing a full hearng ear from surgery, just be kind to yourself too
 
If you were deaf you would not be hearing anything. Thats deaf. If you can hear some with one ear you are hearing something. If a hearing aid is helping you hear with one ear then sound is able to reach your brain and you can respond to the sound. If you put on hearing aid and it did nothing for you...you deaf. So, you answer question now. Does a hearing aid help you? Even one ear? Is sound reaching your brain and are you able to respond? Can you fully understand the sound that travels and what you hear? Is it garbled? If the sound is useless....deaf you are. If you understand that sound...HoH.
 
I was born with SSD - it progressed to totally deaf right (+120db NR) and mild/moderate fluctuating hearing loss on the left with APD (Auditory Processing Disorder - which I've likely also had since birth),

I consider myself Hoh ... that being said I ALSO consider myself culturally Deaf. (which is why I always write "Hoh/Deaf".

To clarify, in a quiet room I can understand most (but not all) speech quite well unless someone has an unfamiliar accent. In a noisy room however I cannot understand anything - I am functionally deaf at that point (It sounds like very loud tinnitus, and my brain basically shuts down trying to process things ... why it reacts that way is part hearing loss, part APD).

When I attended university, and at public events etc. I use ASL interpreters or CART (and fully qualify for them). I also would have qualified to attend my local school for the Deaf when I was a child (but my parents didn't realize that at the time).

I use visual signallers for door/phone/alarm clock etc. I also use a TTY (we don't have VR in Canada) for most phone calls because while I can "hear" on the phone, I cannot "understand" on the phone.

Some days I feel Hoh ... but there's a lot of days I function much more like someone with bilateral severe to profound HL.


Some people with acquired SDD function almost like hearing people - but there's a lot who don't.
 
Hi Kathy nice to see another Californian to this site.
I can somewhat relate as I lost all my hearing, both ears overnight. The people on this site have been very helpful. Learning how to communicate with others has been a challenge. One thing I recently started using is the Dragon Dictation App. They have had some upgrades and it works amazingly well.

Hopefully. Your other ear is healthy and in time you will learn how to get by with the hearing you have remaining. Best of luck!!
 
Thank you!

Thank you all for the warm welcome. The hearing in my "good" ear is considered good but I have developed hyperacusis - the extreme sensitivity to normal environmental noises. My ENT told me that it isn't abnormal to occur as a result of sudden SSD. I also have normal age-related high end hearing loss. I think my need to define myself is a control issue because I feel like I lost all control as the result of the tumor removal and complete loss of hearing in the one ear. Maybe I just need to relax!! And my avator is my precious bullmastif Bubbles. She is a resuce bullie and a massive sweetie my kids call JoLo because of the major "junk in her trunk." I also have a completely deaf black Lab. Mac responds to LSL - Las Sign Language. Bisquits and frisbees help...
 
Angel1989 said:
Hi Kathy nice to see another Californian to this site.
I can somewhat relate as I lost all my hearing, both ears overnight. The people on this site have been very helpful. Learning how to communicate with others has been a challenge. One thing I recently started using is the Dragon Dictation App. They have had some upgrades and it works amazingly well.

Hopefully. Your other ear is healthy and in time you will learn how to get by with the hearing you have remaining. Best of luck!!
Click to expand...

Angel, how about telling us more about how you are using the Dragon Dictation App. Please!
 
Sounds like the famous question... is the glass of water half full or half empty?

If I were to say I were half deaf, would that make me an optimist? Well, if it were a deaf community answering that question... they'd say I were an optimist.

If I were to say I were half hearing, then that would probably make me a pessimist to the deaf community.

However, with a hearing community... it would be the other way around. :)
 
Jane B. said:
Angel, how about telling us more about how you are using the Dragon Dictation App. Please!
Click to expand...

I recently used it at a doctors appointment. I asked a question and had my doctor speak to my phone on Dragon Dictation. It works amazingly well. I tried it a few times over a year ago and it missed so many words. Lately it gets it right close to 100%.

I would use it more often but I am alone most of the time. Doesn't hurt to have another option to help communicate with others.
 
VamPyroX said:
Sounds like the famous question... is the glass of water half full or half empty?
Click to expand...

Reminds me of something my favorite actress, Jeanne Moreau once said: "I decided my glass would always be half full, never half empty."

Half hearing or half deaf, you're all you....

Laura
 
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