This week’s Genetics and Health featured blog is hearing/loss: “a journal of a ‘post-lingual acquired hearing loss in adulthood,’ or how I went deaf – and got a cochlear implant – at 39.” Ronnie began to lose her hearing in her 30’s probably due to some high doses of antibiotics given to her when she was suffering from a gastrointestinal disorder.
She has since received a cochlear implant which allows her to hear some sounds. Recently, she shared her experience with another woman who is also losing her hearing.
…for a long time we just talked about the experience of going deaf in adulthood. She cried with relief when I reassured her about how normal her experiences were – the tinnitus, the being scattered, the forgetfulness, the inability to retain names, the overflowing sinks, the burned food, the unintentional isolation and exclusion by friends, the impact on one’s marriage and family life. About the unintentional slights and hurts. The shock of becoming almost literally invisible to certain people who simply can’t cope with you so don’t engage or acknowledge you. About when to understand and let things go, and when to protest.
From this post and others, it’s clear that Ronnie is a wonderfully warm person who’s offering much needed support to others in the same situation and helping to educate the rest of us how to be more sensitive to others’ needs.
Nick Maes shares his personal experience with hearing loss in The Times UK.
For a recent Genetics and Health post about hearing loss, see Chromosome 3 and Hearing Loss.
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