The One With The Hearing Problem

I was diagnosed with "moderate" hearing loss in my late teens. The resulting psychological trauma was hard to handle and I am still trying to deal with it to this day. Here's a brief glimpse into my world (and to those who share my special affliction) as seen through your eyes if you were me:

1. You wonder why they always always keep the tv/radio volume on low.

2. You have to read the book so you can understand the movie you had seen.

3. You don't want people to talk for fear that you might not hear them.

4. You have to keep saying "I beg your pardon" for the millionth time.

5. They laugh at someone's joke and you are left wondering.

6. They ask "Any questions?" and you want to ask them to repeat all that they've just said.

7. Your hearing aid magnifies the sounds which you can already hear and it doesn't help you with the ones you can't hear in the first place.

8. You get irritated when the subtitles don't work in the movies even though you know the language.

9. You wish there were subtitles in real life (somehow).

10. You lose it when people think you are dumb when the real thing is that your ears are taking an indefinite vacation (and maybe you should just shout it out: "I am DEAF, okay!!?).

11. You are curious about sign language.

12. You believe that Shakespeare should have written: "To hear or not to hear, that is the question".

Shrugs. Stops typing(really!?). Remembers that there's lots of things to do. Goes about it :)