I confess it’s easier to pretend I hear everything than to ask an interviewee to repeat himself 3-4 times.
I confess I sometimes bluff through an interview so much, that the interviewee thinks he’s talking WAY over my head.
I confess I am unable to hear my telephone ring without hearing aids in.
I confess that most people say they’re sorry when I tell them I have to read lips to “hear” them.
I confess that it irks me when people say that.
I confess that when my eyes get wide and glossy, it means I’m tired of lip-reading and need to take a break.
I confess that when I’m sick of lip-reading, I’m tempted to bang my head on my desk or another hard object to relieve the stress.
I confess that my older two kids usually act as my ears in the following situations: when a person asks me a question and I don’t respond; when someone knocks softly at my door and I don’t answer it; when the phone rings and I don’t have a clue; when anything in the house beeps.
I confess I have learned to accept my limitations. I will never be successful in making a phone call without some sort of special accommodations. E-mailing and text messaging are my new best friends.
I confess that being a hard of hearing writer is not all bad. It’s beautiful being able to tune out my children’s whining, the phone ringing, and the dog barking when I’m working on deadline.
I confess that being a hard of hearing writer has done a number on my personality. I’m no longer as quick to judge others who are different than me. I don’t get as frustrated with having to repeat things to an interviewee, wait for a promising assignment to fall in my lap, or wonder when the next check is coming in the mail.
I confess that hearing loss has changed me. Good and bad, I like how I’ve changed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
August Book Signings
In early August, Author Shanna Groves presented the writing workshop, "Writing from the Inside Out," at the Norman Public Library in Norman, Oklahoma. A Lip Reader book signing followed.
Among the attendees at Norman's signing were Jennifer Eason-Frye (below, top photo), who traveled from Denton, Texas, and Kristy Martin from Chickasha, Oklahoma (below, bottom photo).
In late August, Shanna Groves co-led the presentation "Hearing Loss and Relationships" for the Kansas City Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America. Attendees included (below, top photo) Jennifer McCalmon of Olathe, Kansas, and (below, bottom photo) Shirley and Harvey Umstead of Springfield, Missouri. A special thank you to Melissa Frye for assisting with the presentation.
