It’s the most wonderful time of the year. But for the 1 in 10 people with hearing loss, it’s also the most challenging time for communication. Lipreading Mom should know. I’ve had 11 years of holidaytime hearing loss experience. The whole family is packed around the dinner table, busily chatting about their good fortune and … Continue reading
Filed under Coping with Hearing Loss …
Please Say a Prayer for this Sweet Hearing Dog
Bosley is the 7-year-old hearing dog of Rev. Catherine O’Connor from Ontario, Canada. “I was raised lipreading, born hard of hearing,” Catherine writes. “I only got my first hearing aids when I was in my 20s.” Now 54, Catherine wears purple hearing aids while at work only. At home, she lives with her brother, also … Continue reading
Show Us the Captions! Join Me in Supporting Movie Theater Captioning
This weekend, I am attending a captioned movie with my family as part of the global awareness campaign, Show Us the Captions. Will it be movie night with James Bond, Abraham Lincoln…or the animated “Wreck-It Ralph”? Hmmm… I have often wondered how generations before closed captioning survived animated movies. Pete’s Dragon: Why Can’t I Understand … Continue reading
Do You Take Hearing Breaks?
This past weekend, my ears got a workout during a writers conference. It started with a meeting room full of attendees networking. I generally love meeting new people, and this was no exception…except for one thing. One of my hearing aids quit working midway through the day. (I later learned the reason why. Keep reading.) … Continue reading
Why Hide When You Can Help Somebody?
When I was asked to speak to a moms group at church, I thought of the boldest way to make an entrance. Holding a plastic scepter and donning an old bridesmaid’s dress, I twirled around the room singing. “I am a princess!” It wasn’t the dress or impromptu dance that made me feel courageous. My … Continue reading
My Whirlwind Day of Sign Language, Storytelling…and Dead Hearing Aid Batteries
I took part this past weekend in the KC Ability Expo, an event in my area that promotes understanding of differently abled individuals and support organizations. The annual fest features info booths, artists, wheelchair dancers, a Deaf choir, and other entertainment. As a second-year Expo volunteer, I split duties between helping with a Hearing Loss … Continue reading
My Hearing Aids Story…In Pictures
Hearing aids are a gift. Imagine hearing birds chirping for the first time, or a baby’s laugh, or a kitten purring. By placing hearing technology in my ears, my whole world of listening goes from gray tones to a Technicolor symphony. When I lost more hearing earlier this year, the two pairs of hearing aids … Continue reading
15 Tips When Communicating with a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Person
By Michelle De Rooy / LipreadingMom.com Guest Blogger Lipreading Mom’s Note: I met Michelle through my Facebook support group, the Lipreading Moms and Dads Network. She lives in Australia and is a recent cancer survivor. I first read the following story on Michelle’s blog and obtained her permission to share with you here. As we … Continue reading
When Hearing Aids Fail, Kids Save the Day
The alarm clock blared at seven o’clock this morning, but I didn’t hear it. My pillow muffled the sound. Turns out, I had rolled on the side with my “good” ear. The one that hears better than the other. The one that hears the alarm clock. The one that lay pressed into the pillow. I … Continue reading
Why I Chose a Hearing Dog
By Denise Portis of HearingElmo.com / LipreadingMom.com Guest Blogger Lipreading Mom’s Note: I met Denise through Facebook a few years ago. She has become a wonderful role model for me as a mom thriving with her hearing loss. I am thrilled to learn more about why she chose her hearing dog, Chloe. I didn’t mean … Continue reading