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
Filed under Lipreading Mom’s Confessions …
Did My Hearing Aids Really Hear a Whisper?
What a difference one day of good hearing makes! Highlights of today included listening to my oldest son’s whisper for the first time and chatting with my daughter in the car while I drove. A week ago, neither would not have been possible for me to hear. I owe these communication milestones to my new … Continue reading
The Three ‘C’s of Hearing Loss
At the age of 27, I was a glowing new mom. My son was a healthy seven-pounder with tufts of strawberry-blond hair. My days were spent holding him because I didn’t want to let go. My nights were spent with him laying beside me. The only way I could fall asleep was to have that … Continue reading
New Book Coming from Lip Reading Mom
I am excited to announce that my second book, Confessions of a Lip Reading Mom, will be published by CrossRiver Media. What an honor to share my personal hearing loss story with you! How does a mom of three survive parenting while balancing the daily flunctuations in her hearing? Confessions of a Lip Reading Mom … Continue reading
Is It Safe to Lip Read Your Kids While Driving?
I have a horrible confession to make. While speeding down the highway at lightning speed, I converse with my three kiddos…by watching their lips through the rearview mirror. My oldest son sits up front and has a deep tone to his voice that is easy for my ears … Continue reading
Help! I’m Babysitting and Can’t Hear the Kids
One of my Facebook followers asked: “I have hearing loss and sometimes watch other people’s children. What tips do you have for understanding their voices?” My suggestion: When I have young children over for a playdate, I sometimes show them my hearing aids and point out that my ears are “broken.” I also show them … Continue reading
What Advice Would You Give to Your High School Self?
“Carpe diem! Take your dreams and run with them.” -my words from 1992 The Latin phrase carpe diem (“seize the day”) is advice more than one high school graduate has heard. As a teen accepting my diploma 20 years ago, seizing the day meant moving off my parents’ 80-acre farm and heading for the California … Continue reading
Can You Lip Read the Lorax?
I have often wondered how generations before closed captioning survived animated movies. My memory goes back to the first cartoon I ever saw in a theater. Actually, “Pete’s Dragon” was part animated, part live action. There I was at the age of three with my daddy and big sister, watching a smiling green dragon breathe … Continue reading
How Humor Can Heal Hearing Loss…Oh, Yes It Can
Okay, I use the term “heal” metaphorically. But for the past eight years of that rollercoaster ride known as hearing loss, I’ve found laughter to be the most effective remedy for coping with the inevitable. “So I’m going deaf,” I say with a slight chuckle to my family and friends. “What’s new with YOU?” For … Continue reading
Can People with Hearing Loss Be Good Listeners?
Confession: I am a conversation control freak. It has been brought to my attention more than once that I am a Chatty Kathy. Never one to be quiet for long, I often have an anecdote to share, an opinion to flaunt, or advice to dole out. Usually, I blame this on my hearing loss. It … Continue reading
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