Communicating with the
hearing disabled takes
patience and awareness
However, life outside of my academic shell gets complicated. I have
said many times I wish I could walk around with a big sandwich sign that reach
"I am not stupid, I just can't hear you." I am avoided and made to feel like a
fool when I can not hear someone. They think I ignore them or that I am dumb
when I don't reply correctly to a question they asked. And rightly so, I suppose
since I have no visible signs of a
hearing disability (even my hearing
aids are micro). Only those who
know me, understand they have to
look at me when they talk or repeat
themselves when I don't respond. For
those that don't, I struggle with a
constant ugliness that has no face.
Daily life consists of asking
the person accompanying me what
the cashier, grocery store clerk, or
waitress said. When I am alone, I can get away with a simple nod or smile on
about half of the questions asked. I only know I am wrong when someone
responds to those gestures with a strange look, in which case I go through my
routine, "I'm sorry. Could you repeat yourself."
Even more embarrassing is when someone else tells you your phone is
ringing. Or when they hear a sound and look at me like, "ok why is she ignor
ing [fill in the sound]."
Internally, my ears ring constantly. I think I hear a phone ring, but can
never differentiate that from the ringing in my ears. The ringing is like a sore
on your lip - it really only bothers you, but it disables you to the point where it
affects everything else you do.
Being only 22 and knowing that my hearing is deteriorating is scary.
But, I am prepared for the worst. I only wish other people were too. With all
the technological advances, foreign languages and other means to communicate
with people, could someone please try to communicate with the hard of hear
ing? Just ask me what you have to do and you'll never have to ask again.
MINE 01*-S, 444011641~*0041010***.c0mi
Hearing aides are an obvious sign of hearing disability and
can help you spot a person with a hearing disability. Subtly
checking to see if someone has one can help you to real
ize why a person might not be responding appropriately.
By RACHEL SHEPHERD
Capital Times Staff Reporter
The presentation, "Overcoming Barriers
Between Deaf and Hearing," hit close to home for me
I struggle with significant hearing loss as I am current
ly deaf to high pitches (i.e. ringing of phones) and I
am expected to be fully deaf in the upcoming years. I
am fortunate to attend the Penn State campus where I
have faculty, students and coordinators that accommo
date my disability (esp. Prof Churchill- thank you by
the way).
They've bcdl earned
They% both graduate with
So why wilt one hit the street
white the other one
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Director of Recruitment and Retentim
4431 N, Front Street
State 102
Harristuri, PA 17106
71 25141(X)
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