People's Stories
Here are some stories of folks with hearing loss
and how it affects their lives. Our intention is to provide a cross
section of stories that reflect all aspects of hearing loss!
December 2009 - Hearing loss motivates woman to help
others
December 2009 - After losing her hearing, singer
Mandy Harvey aims to inspire
December 2009 - UA program helps
Tucsonans cope with hearing loss
May 2010 - A Journey into the World of Hearing Loss
April 2011 -
Handbell Choir Adventures of
Musician with Hearing Loss
July 2011 - From a Body Hearing Aid to a
Cochlear Implant: Some personal and professional reflections
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December 2009
It can get noisy in Beverly Sudler's home in
Union. Not only is there a very vocal Irish Setter loudly appealing for
attention, but if anyone calls, telephones - all on high volume - jangle
from all sides. "Is that loud for you?" Sudler asked a visitor,
unperturbed by the din but curious about its effect on others. Were it not
for her hearing aid in one ear and the cochlear implant in the other, she
would hear almost none of the noise. Since 1985, she has become
increasingly hearing impaired - one of 750,000 people in New Jersey
disabled in that way. The cochlear implant - the surgically implanted
device worn in combination with an external receiver - has made a huge
difference, enabling her to hear household sounds and regular
conversation. "I can even hear the dog's nails on the floor," Sudler said.
But differentiating words on the telephone would still be a problem if it
were not for her favorite aid, the CapTel phone, with its captioned
screen. She has had other phones designed to assist the hard-of-hearing,
but this one, she said, is the best. When she answers the phone, the
caller's words are augmented by a text transcription just a few moments
behind the voice. "Without this, it's so difficult to use the phone, and
without the phone, you're so cut off," she said. "In an emergency, that
can be really dangerous."
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2009
Mandy Harvey dreamed of a life singing. She
started as a toddler and joined her church choir. At Longmont High School
in 2006 she was named top female vocalist. Harvey entered Colorado State
University later that year. Her goal was to earn a doctorate degree and
teach university-level jazz voice. Then she began to lose her hearing. One
of the first signs of serious trouble was that she could no longer hear
the rustling of her pants when she put them on or the zipper, she
recalled. It became hard to hear her teachers. During the course of nine
months, her dreams drained away as the world around her became
increasingly quiet, then silent. She performed for the last time the
following spring in a freshman recital. She clutched the piano to feel the
music.
Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 2010
Lois Johnson is a native New Yorker born and
raised in the South Bronx and has lived in Huntsville, Alabama, and
Wiesbaden, Germany. She has lived in Texas for the past 28 years, raising
a family, furthering her education, and learning how to live with hearing
loss, and in turn, helping others do the same. For the past 20 years, Lois
has suffered from Meniere's disease, a disorder of the inner ear that can
affect hearing and balance to varying degrees. It is characterized by
episodes of dizziness and tinnitus and progressive hearing loss, usually
in one ear.
Full Story
