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rachelreader3

rachelreader3

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Hi guys!! My name is Rachel and I'm hard of hearing... the technical term would be severely deaf in both ears... but who wants to introduce themselves that way, right?
I'm actually excited about this forum because I really don't know anyone else who can understand what I'm dealing with in my day to day life.
can't wait to get started....hmm once I figure out how this thing works lol:P
 
Hello Rachel :). Curious ... if you are ok with saying you are hard of hearing, why aren't you ok with saying you are severely deaf in both ears? Stick around here for a while because it is a great place to learn to be who and what you are and to be proud of yourself - whether hearing, heard of hearing or deaf :).
 
hey Rachel, I'm like you since I'm HOH and also severely deaf here (almost profound) but I have cool hearing aids that works really well!
 
Hi and :welcome: to AD!

Severely deaf here and call myself Deaf and I do introduce myself as a person with a severe profound hearing loss.
 
Well see the thing is that I don't like to make a big deal out of me being severely deaf, and then when I let people know that I'm hard of hearing and that its getting worse they get this somber look in their face... like obviously its not an ideal situation but you don't have to be all sad about it for me.. It's not all that bad really, I think I've kept myself as positive as can be..
also I hate it when I let strangers know that I'm hard of hearing and that I didn't catch what they just said and they're like "oh its OK don't worry about it".... I'm like um I'm not apologizing... I'm just letting you know..
 
And Hi!! Everybody :D I have behind the ear hearing aids in both ears and they help immensely but I think I need better ones... I've been having a lot of trouble with them in loud situations like,restaurants, clubs and social gatherings..
 
rachelreader3 said:
And Hi!! Everybody :D I have behind the ear hearing aids in both ears and they help immensely but I think I need better ones... I've been having a lot of trouble with them in loud situations like,restaurants, clubs and social gatherings..
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that's why I ordered another Oticon hearing aid in a newer verison since the older Oticon verison I had is crap now LOL so I decided to give Oticon another try and they sound great especially with the music through the streamer. :D

I've worn BTEs all my life ever since I was an infant.
 
Hello! Welcome to AD! I am technically 100% deaf in both ears, but I still say "hearing impaired" when introducing myself to people because I speak almost as well as a hearing person and read lips really well, so it just confuses them if I say "deaf" and they close themselves off to me. But if I say "hearing impaired" then they work harder for me to read their lips, usually.

Also, "hearing impaired" is offensive, so I am working on reminding myself to say "hard of hearing" instead - I just grew up saying hearing impaired because that's how my mother always described me, and old habits die hard, lol
 
Yeah, a lot of people that I've met and conversed with have commented to me about how I speak so well. I think, in my case, it has to deal with the fact that I grew up with normal hearing and it kinda just deteriorated as I grew up. I realize how lucky I am that I was able to kinda blend in as much as I could when I was growing up... now, its just a matter of time of accepting it and working around it..
I'm curious though as to what careers people have, I'm in the process of figuring out what I want to do career-wise and implement it into what I am able to do :)
 
:welcome: to AllDeaf forum. Ah, I see that you grow up hearing before you lose your hearing loss, right? Very interesting.

I hope you have fun reading and posting all the threads here. See you around here. :wave:
 
I am new to this while thing as well. Although I am hearing, and I can't speak on hearing loss I can speak on friendship and I am looking to make some new friends. I could not help by laugh at your post and when you said u were not apologizing for your hearing lost. I don't think you should. We all are who we are and that's just the way it is. Life doesn't always work out as we want it to but it always goes as it should. Anyway I am trying to learn ASL and I been on YouTube learning but have nobody to help me or practice with :-( I really don't have any reason for learning other than desire and love for ASL. My email is ruready4aury@aol.com please feel free to email me.
 
Hi!! For me it depends who I'm talking to as to how I introduce myself. I am HoH and use aids in both ears. Like yours, my hearing is getting worse. My left ear is servere-profound but my right ear is only moderstely severe so some people say im not "deaf enough" to call myself deaf. Although I love talking with people on AD and hearing the different stories and experiences. Just try to ignore the rude ones haha. Welcome :)
 
Thanks guys!! I love it here I'm kinda kicking myself in the nonexistent nuts for not coming here sooner! LOL
:D
 
ap1287 said:
Hi!! For me it depends who I'm talking to as to how I introduce myself. I am HoH and use aids in both ears. Like yours, my hearing is getting worse. My left ear is servere-profound but my right ear is only moderstely severe so some people say im not "deaf enough" to call myself deaf. Although I love talking with people on AD and hearing the different stories and experiences. Just try to ignore the rude ones haha. Welcome :)
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same here but I was moderately severe from 3rd grade until sophmore year when I hitted the severe rate in both ears :)
 
I've noticed how, with some people,it's much easier for me to let them know that I have a HoH situation. I think its mostly because some people give a more understanding, non-judgmental vibe.
And yes, I also understand with the feeling that I'm not "deaf enough" or "hearing enough" for that matter.
I went to a HoH/deaf convention once and my DHS counselor was so surprised to see me there, she immediately asked me what I was doing there!!
I was like "umm I got the invite in the mail"
... I felt like that wonderful experience I had wasn't meant for me.
 
Hi rachel! I just joined on here a few minutes ago...I read some of the comments you wrote. I am in the same boat as you are, can totally relate to everything you said from the awkwardness of stating you're hard of hearing to the akwardness of not being "deaf enough"--it sucks being stuck between two different worlds right?!
 
serendipity8719 said:
Hi rachel! I just joined on here a few minutes ago...I read some of the comments you wrote. I am in the same boat as you are, can totally relate to everything you said from the awkwardness of stating you're hard of hearing to the akwardness of not being "deaf enough"--it sucks being stuck between two different worlds right?!
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It DOES!! It's as if you can't fully participate in both worlds. I'm trying to be better in my communication skills but sometimes people are just so plain rude, there's no point in even trying :)
Oh well C'est la vie.
 
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