General Chat

Rather than hog the sign language thread ........ How many of us members are deaf or hard of hearing? ........... I for one was born deaf, but class myself as hard of hearing as I can hear with hearing aids in............Without them I'm deaf as a post!!!!! lol .... I don't know sign language, but I lipread a lot. xxx :-)

I have very little hearing in my right ear after 2 operations. I can cope by just sitting on the right side of people and day to day conversation is generally OK as other ear is hearing. Not good if there is alot of background noise and particularly difficult following spoken word on TV when they insist on playing mood music in the background.

hello, i am deaf, deaf steph everyone calls me!! i am only 25% down in both ears, but it really gets to me!! makes me very frightened of crossing roads etc as i have nearly been knocked over a couple times by motorbikes, you know one minute they are not there, next minute they are!! you know what the E.N.T doc said to me though, i should be able to hear more if i dont daydream and if i am not stressed. The bloke didnt even know me, so he plucked those out of thin air!! sorry im rambling, but it makes me very angry!!!!

my middle son goes to school with alittle girl who is deaf and she has downs and him and his class use sign to to her which i think is great he is really good at it and he is only 7!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am Deaf with sign language user. I am full Deaf, never have any problem with road crossing. I am very happy life really.

really bryan, all my friends and family laugh when i cross the road cos i squeal, i have always been scared of crossing the road cos i always feel so uneasy about not hearing it all in full. My uncle is fully deaf, but he also doesnt feel the same as me, wierd isnt it!! xxxx

Not many of us around then?? Or are they not here? xxx :-)

im not deaf but find it hard to hear sometimes and i find it easier if im looking at people to know what they say. hubby has been deaf in one ear since he was young and has had gromits fitted several times , he has suffered a lot . some dnt realise the effect it has on those who suffer with it do they.

My youngest son mumbles and if he is not looking at me I can't hear him. Also, have problems with videos as the sound is too loud and I don't hear the people talking so land up reading sub titles most of the time. High pitched sounds drive me "ballistic". Otherwise, there is nothing wrong with my hearing...I think! Maybe it's old age creeping up slowly! Lindy;-)

I have had two ops also removal of eardrum and mastoid so my right ear is pretty deaf. Its amazing though sometimes if I sneeze really hard I can actually hear!!?! I find it really annoying as my husband thinks I'm just pretending eight years on from the ops and he thinks I should be better now .lol. so used to saying wot?eh?pardon? find myself saying it even if I do hear now. ear!ear!

Ive just been diagnosed as officially deaf, 45% in one ear, 65% in the other. This is after years of moaning that I cant hear. Ive been fitted with rather natty plastic hearing aids, unfortunately because I also suffer from eczema in my ear canals I cant wear them! I did point out this to the Audiologist before I was fitted with them, but he didnt seem to hear me! I also suffer from tinnitus which drives me almost insane at times but theres no cure. Funnily enough, when I go up in a plane, my ears "pop" and I can hear perfectly. I do think I have been rather fobbed off by the NHS, who have stated that my deafness is "Age-related". Mmm. Suffered constant agonising ear infections for most of my life, couldnt be anything to do with that then, could it?

im 50% deaf in right ear following a car crash when younger ,. also suffer from tinnitus. some days depending on how tired i am they both seem much worse and my balance is affected ,but on the whole i hear ok sean

I suffer with hearing loss through years of tractor driving, so find it hard to pick up conversation in pubs or places were there is a lot of chatter, i get funny looks when i give the wrong answer to a question,i just smile and look stupid. I also suffer with tinnitus ut ignore it. David

Please explain tinnitus? I don't mean to sound ignorant but having left South Africa twenty two years ago there are a lot of english terms that I do not know.... Lindy;-)))

Tinnitus is like ringing or buzzing noises in your head much worse when noise around you is quiet. It's terrible as somtimes you really think others can hear it. I have two aids and they are great wouldn't manage without them, as sounds are so diffrent even when you crumple paper or the noise of a fan.Amazing Jill

I used to be a peripatetic Teacher of the Deaf. This is years ago now, but I remember being at one primary school that had 2 deaf/hard of hearing children among it's pupils and they were putting on a Nativity playon Christmas. The whole play was signed, and when Mary said her lines, she was deaf so she signed them, and the signing children spoke them for her. It was a beautiful production and many of the Mums and Dads watching shed a tear. It's a pity that not all deaf children are integrated so well. The head teacher of that school was truly enlightened.

David That has happened to me loads of times, I've said something in response to what I thought people had said and it turns out to be totally wrong answer altogether!! All my friends just crack themselves laughing. Can get a bit annoying sometimes though, but I've got used to it now. I too have tinnitus - usually starts if I've been singing to myself. When I've stopped singing the tones in my ears keep on going. In fact now I've mentioned it - it's off again!! xx :-)

Jillian, Apologies, I have only just seen your reply. I think that I had better get my hearing tested. When I went back home a couple of years ago I stayed with my brother and he kept telling me that I had "selective hearing" and only heard what I wanted to. Which upset me as I did not want anyone to think that I don't pay attention when they are talking. Lindy;-))

i get that alot, selective hearing, that really winds me up cos its not the case at all, but cos the doctors wont help me, some people think im just making it up!!!

Steedie.... why won't the doctors help? Have you had your hearing tested recently? Go in complaining of headaches etc and ringing in your ears.... they will soon help then!! :O)