Hearing Loss & Deafness Support Group

Hi, my name is cheryl. I am completely deaf in my right ear, and have a 25% loss in my left. To this day the doctors still dont know why ive lost my hearing

Hi, my name is Maxine. I am deaf/oral, using a hearing aid to supplement lip reading. Currently taking sign language courses, but this old brain struggles to remember it all. Wow!
My hearing has continually declined over the years and its generally agreed that it will continue to do so, to the point where a hearing aid will offer NO assistance. Cochlear Implant? hmmm.. undecided.
I work at an Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, as an employment counselor.
I'm looking forward to meeting others and share experiences.

My name is Monte and my hearing loss has been getting worse to the point that I had a hearing test done and they told me that I have some sort of high frequency hearing loss but we can`t afford to get a hearing aid at this time so I am stuck with just not being able to hear lots of things.The loss is probably from hearing loud noises associated with working in and around loud refinery construction for 20 years.

Hi All,

My mom is hard of hearing and I have a mild hearing loss (mostly just in public places or if there is to much sound). I am an Interpreting for the Deaf student and I graduate June 5, 2009 with my certificate in Interpreting. I have been signing since I was 8 and signing is my world. I am going to go into medical Interpereting and would like to get my PhD. in Deaf Studies. I also don't believe in cochlear implants. They don't fix Deaf people and Deaf people don't need to be fixed, there is nothing wrong with them. Now, if the Deaf person is old enough to decide for THEMSELVES, and know the risk for the CI, then fine. Its every persons deision though, and no one elses decision.

Hey all Im Tracey I'm 19 and from the UK I was diganosed as being hard of hearing when i was 2 I have no hearing in my right ear and modarate in my left but it has never held me back in anything ive wanted to do.

Im currently studying for a diploma in Countryside Management but im hoping to go into primary school teaching eventually.

XxTJxX

Hi my name is Nick. I'm 31 this month and have been diagonsed as being hard of hearing and getting worse for 4 years now. It was my girlfriend/wife(6 years together might as well be married) that tok me to the dr since I was in denile. I wear hearing aids but they don't always help since I'm over 50% deaf in both ears.

I am 45 yrs old and mom to 7 kids and Nana to 5 grandkids. We recently became licensed foster/adoptive parents. A month ago we recieved a placement of a newborn baby boy who we were told last week(after an audiology appt) that he is deaf. He will most likely go up for adoption and his caseworker told us that we need to consider wether or not we are interseted in adopting him.
I dont want to sound like I dont want him because he is less than perfect, but honestly I am afraid because I dont know the first thing about raising a deaf child.Im already in love with this little man and I dont think I can give him up, so here I am, looking for all the knowledge and support I can find to help me raise him.

Hi my name is Lois. Started teaching in 1971. Diagnosed with hearing loss (mild) in '81. I had no idea and i was a high school teacher. Bought 2 analogue in the canal hearing aids. many hearing aids later i was finally permanently and totally disabled from teaching in 2001. I started a Better Hearing Australia Branch on the Gold Coast. with some wonderful dedicated friends. I am the secretary. It has been incorporated for 1 and a half years after a lot of work we are having out first conference at Greenmount resort on the Gold Coast this year on the 3rd of September.
Since leaving teaching I have been in partnership with my husband in a family electronics hi fi and now manufacturing business where I have learned to do the books. I have 4 beautiful children and 1 wonderful grandchild and a very full and satisfying life. i am very keen to help anyone with hearing loss improve their
quality of life and self esteem so that they can have the same.
I still struggle on a daily basis. my daughter who lives in London sent me a comfort contego ulta high frequency device allows me to communicate with family and friends and also take courses at college take part in meetings, go to workshops, attend conferences but it is not always easy.
Loved reading your stories and would love to read more stories.

hi guys. I'm tina. I have had trouble with my hearing since i was 7 after a child hood illness and several ear infections. i have only wore hearing aides in the past 6 years or so. I have trouble wearing them now for things are loud. i never knew cars could be so loud. i have a partner and two children living with me now. its hard to get the children to understand that i dont hear them when they dont look at me. we are trying to learn sign language on our own. for there is no classes for the public here. looking forward to meeting new friends that can help me through the hard times.

Hi, I'm the mother of three children, my youngest daughter (almost 3 years old) is hearing impaired. She is the medical enigma, started out severe/profoundly deaf with a reverse ski-slope loss and has gradually improved utill a year later she is now a mild loss, still mostly in the lower freguencies. Her loss fluctuates, but she wears her hearing aids well. Our family has learned a little American Sign Language on our own to supplement her lip reading on the days when the hearing aids don't help much. We live in the boon docks out here and don't get any help. She has done some speech therapy but is phenomally smart and didn't need much work to improve from no speech to speaking fairly well in a year. We have some struggles in making the family understand that she hears us better when she can see us speaking (since her brothers are only 7 and 5 years old) But she's the light of our lives and we are learning everything we can about hearing loss.