Thirteen years ago, my memoir Confessions of a Lip Reading Mom hit the bookshelves. It detailed the emotional and mental health impact of having hearing loss while raising my three children, during the first six years after diagnosis. In the latest episode of the Deafinitely Talking podcast, I speak with Dr. Anne McIntosh, president of … Continue reading
What do hearing loss and humor have in common? Check out the first episode of Deafinitely Talking, Season Two, in which I interview guests Julie DeMatteo-Lane and Brad McKenna, founders of Down the Tubes Productions. They discuss their work of bringing hope and humor to the hearing loss experience through their podcast, blog, and presentations. … Continue reading
In How I Hear: Confessions of a Lip Reading Mom, I recount my journey with progressive hearing loss, diagnosed at age 27 shortly after the birth of my first child. The unexpected news thrusts me into a life of constant adjustment as familiar sounds—doorbells, smoke alarms, and my babies’ cries—begin to fade. While raising three healthy … Continue reading
Shanna Groves with Deafinitely Talking and LipreadingMom.com talks with Emily Ogle, PMP, CPACC, DHS Trusted Tester, an accessibility professional who wants to improve the world bit by bit. She lives and breathes advocacy and is a stalwart ally for those with disabilities. The topic is Becoming an Accessibility Advocate. In this podcast, Shanna and Emily … Continue reading
Shanna Groves with Deafinitely Talking and LipreadingMom.com talks with Gael Hannan, a globally recognized voice in accessibility whose writing and presentations have empowered people with hearing loss around the world. The topic is Defying Labels and Embracing Advocacy. In this podcast, Shanna and Gael discuss: • The various ways people identify with their hearing loss or … Continue reading
Let’s erase the stigma of hearing loss. In 2012, I launched a campaign called “Show Me Your Ears”. I have written extensively about my progressive hearing loss on this site. For a few years after the hearing loss diagnosis, I had initial reluctance to wear hearing aids or show them off to anyone, particularly in work … Continue reading
As a board member for the Kansas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, I have been asked, “How do I pay for hearing aids?” For many, the price of hearing technology is just too much. Insurance does not usually cover hearing aids, and not everyone has a nest egg built up to purchase … Continue reading
One of the most challenging aspects of my teaching job is lip-reading multiple speakers’ voices during group meetings. When hands go up for Q & A at the end of staff meetings, I try hard to decipher what is being spoken from multiple mouths scattered across the room. Of course, it helps when the meeting … Continue reading
The past month has been filled with holiday and birthday celebrations, time off from work, snow, and special memories with family. We were excited to have my parents come for Christmas. After hugging each other for dear life Christmas morning, we said our goodbyes to mom and dad who left to visit other family members. … Continue reading
I met Janet at a presentation I gave this summer in Kansas City. The speaking topic was “How to Thrive with a Hearing Loss.” While I expected attendees to have a basic understanding of hearing loss and deafness, I wasn’t prepared to meet someone who had as many years of personal experience as Janet did. … Continue reading
Lipreading Mom 