Wishing that i was hearing. - Real Mum story on MoM

12 Comments

Twenty eight years ago I turned profoundly deaf at the age of Three. We don’t know how I went deaf but since I’ve been having ear infections after ear infections, I’m pointing it out that may be the cause.

My mother said I was a very frustrated child who just wanted to be heard. I was fitted with a hearing aid and took up speech therapy straight away. Mum told me that I was never going to speak properly and was told to best learn sign language. I end up learning how to sign as well as doing speech therapy.

Over the years, as I grew older, my speech was good but I did often get mistaken for being hearing with an overseas accent or hearing impaired. I went through many barriers of communications, missing out on a lot of things, can never answer a phone and being judged. I was lucky to be involved in both deaf and hearing old but I was regretting for being deaf. I just wanted to hear so badly, I never told anyone. Cochlea implant was not on my wish list as I was against it.

After having two hearing children with my husband who is also hearing, I was missing out a lot of actions but had to accept that was what I had a live through . I was still happy, I thought I could hear a lot than I thought.

The only thing that changed my life 3 years ago was that I was in a robber situation at work that had effected me mentality and physically. My hearing aids were useless. I was blaming myself that if I wasn’t deaf I would have heard this and that. I emotionally ate, gained weight, stayed at home and lost motivation in my own world.

Last year in January, I decided to check out the cochlea implant that I once was against it. I got approved and it wasn’t until November that I got it. Eight months later,I’m still in the process of hearing new sounds that I’ve never heard of before. Sounds are more clear and the main thing, I’m slowly gaining my confidence back.

I still do regret for being deaf, but having the cochlea implant done, life is too short so I’m going to make the most of what I have around me with my family and friends. Hear new sounds and embrace it.

Posted anonymously, 25th July 2014

12 Comments

- - aprilb1 said
  - 31 Dec 2015
    10:11 am
So glad you got the implant, we are getting better with technology so why not use what’s available!

- - mom81879 said
  - 19 Sep 2015
    1:10 pm
So glad you changed your mind about having the implant done. Even happier it’s made such a positive difference to your life. Life is meant to be enjoyed, go for it

- - BellaB said
  - 27 Jul 2014
    8:37 pm
This broke my heart a little bit. My six year old was born profoundly deaf, and we made the difficult decision to get him cochlear implants at 9 months. We wanted to give him the best possible chance to participate in the world, and we thought that was it. We have always hoped that when he is older, he will feel we made the right decision for him. At this stage, his speech is brilliant – better than age appropriate – but he still has significant hearing challenges.

Good luck.

- - tamandimmy said
  - 26 Jul 2014
    8:26 am
Good in you, how exciting that you are experiencing a whole new world of sounds.. Enjoy it

- - damish70 said
  - 25 Jul 2014
    8:37 pm
I can’t imagine what it would be like hearing something for the first time when you’ve never heard it before. It must be amazing!
- jacqbeckett replied
  
  25 Jul 2014 , 8:57 pm
  Ha Ha, yes. I now know that I need to lift my feet off the ground when walking and not drag it.
  Heard birds chirping when flying by, my cat meowing, clock ticking. I do not hear high pitch sounds so with the help of the cochlea, it has helped me to hear them. People don’t realise its tiring wearing the cochlea and its a long process for people who have just been twitched on. Things you see on tv, once your switched on you hear everything. that’s not the case, I’ve had 8 appointments, 7 months since I’ve been switched on and I’m still learning to hear new sounds. It takes time and patience. My children age 5 &8 have already accept who I am as they gotten older to understand mum is deaf, they just know to look at me when talking, find a light in the dark if they need to talk to me and I find that funny coz they just grab my mobile and shine the light to their lips. I try not to depend on them because I will not always have them around me. My husband says, if I’m happy, he’s happy.
- - hopefullyheidi said
  - 25 Jul 2014
    8:16 pm
Im so glad that the cochlea implants have helped you discover loads of wonderful new things, I’m sure it will be a journey for you and I hope it’s a lovely one. We take lots of things for granted in life and it’s wonderful to see your story and remind us of what we do take for granted. You have a great outlook.
- jacqbeckett replied
  
  25 Jul 2014 , 9:08 pm
  Thank you. I’m still in the process of learning. I am happy that I took the risk because not everyone who has cochlea implant works on them. Sometimes I have to look at myself thinking that I can not be too selfish, there are children and people that are worst off than I am. People class as me being disabled, I hate that. Now I teach my children, never stare or judge people and children for what problems they may have, help out because in return, they might surprise and help you.
- - arcticwynta said
  - 25 Jul 2014
    8:07 pm
I was found at the age of 4 that I was 100% deaf in each ear. Many ops later and I have partial skin graph and partial plastic ear drums in each ear. I certainly understand all the ear infections and such as well as the pain that goes with it all as at the moment I am day 3 of a bad ear. about 10 years ago at 37 I was given hearing aids but I hate them and do not wear them as the world is to noisy for me as well as the discomfort from them. I never learnt to sign but do lip read. I know as I get older my hearing will fade but this was the hand life dealt me and is the life I have led and I do no regret any of it at my now age of 47. Only thing I do regret is it is passed down from me to my Son and also a Grand son as we did not know this fact as I was adopted and I am the one writing a medical history for my kids and grand kids and so on. I also had speech therapy at school and my parents at home and I always make all the kids look at me when they speak as certain pitches I can not hear and I am no good in crowds or with accents at all so I make up what I miss hearing sometime with success some times I am way off and I have guessed a completely different conversation. I loss my hearing with every head cold and I have been know to blow more than one set of speakers up on stereo’s and TV’s but that is my life.
When I was found to be deaf the Cochlea implant had not been heard of yet and I do hope it changes your life in the way you want it to. Best of luck to you all for your new adventures in the hearing world
- jacqbeckett replied
  
  25 Jul 2014 , 9:21 pm
  Thank you. Being deaf I know its hard. For me, I should be proud to be deaf, but really inside, I don’t actually feel that. I do have a deaf sister who went deaf as a premmie. Its not genetic at all, its just flute we turned deaf at a different circumstance. My sister has a strong belief in the deaf world but how I see it, I have my own opinion about it. I’m not close with my sister or don’t even see her. She’s against cochlea implant. She doesn’t know that I have one. It will be interesting what she would think about it. I’m looking forward being involved in the hearing world. A new chapter in life with my family and friends. I do hope your bad ear behaves. I feel the ache. Its not fun at all!
- - Kelly said
  - 25 Jul 2014
    5:37 pm
I think so many of us take things like hearing and seeing for granted, i really admire you for your positive outlook on life.
Well done for going ahead with the implant and giving yourself the chance to hear your children laugh and say precious things like ” I love you mum”.
I really hope everything goes well for you and you start to get your hearing back and start living your life again.
Good luck xx
- jacqbeckett replied
  
  25 Jul 2014 , 9:28 pm
  Thank you so much. Since I’ve had my cochlea implant done and learning my way down the path of finding new sounds. I believe you only live once, so make the most of it because you never know if there is an after life or not. Positive look is what I need as I’m also a role model for my children. I expect my children to treat anyone colour, race or disability with respect and equal.