For far too long I took the coward’s way The sheep that never strayed From the safety of sameness Anonymous Comforted by shadows Evading detection Making my presence unheard Stubbornly proud To suffer in silence No voice to call my own Confidence ebbing away Buried the truth Less chance of rejection An air of mystery … Continue reading
Win a Free Book: Turn a Deaf Ear
What happens when a woman falls in love with a man who is deaf? They find a way to communicate… through sign language. In Janet Fiore Horger and Linda Fiore Sanders’ novel, Turn a Deaf Ear, a hearing woman and a deaf man capture each other’s love and language. Inspired by a true story, the … Continue reading
These Kids Joyfully Show Me Their Ears
I have a lot to learn from children with hearing loss. In the weeks since I launched the Show Me Your Ears campaign, kids from all over the world have posed with their hearing aids and cochlear implants. Their photos are inspiring and fun. These young people aren’t afraid to show off their ears with … Continue reading
Are My Hearing Aids Obvious? A Guest Post by Gael Hannan
The Scene: In a salon, a woman sits down in a chair, removing the towel from her wet hair. She puts her hearing aids back in and looks at herself in the mirror, chatting to the stylist. Tell me honestly, do my hearing aids show? I mean, like a lot? I know I’ve always worn … Continue reading
Are Captioning Glasses Really the Wave of the Future?
What’s black, worn over the eyes, and communicates in fluorescent green text? Why, captioning glasses, of course. My latest adventure at the cinemaplex featured the latest captioning equipment on the market: Sony Entertainment Access Glasses. Yesterday my friend, Terri, and I ventured to a Regal movie theater to wear one of only 10 sets of … Continue reading
Five Survival Tips for Celebrating the Holidays with a Hearing Loss
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
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
While Teaching My Kids About Generosity, I Learned Something
Don’t get me wrong. I like to shop for my children. It’s easy for me to lip read them when they repeatedly say, ‘Please, please, pleeeeeeeeeeaasse.” And I love to lip read the words, “Ah, thanks, Mom.” As we left the store, a Salvation Army kettle ringer stood outside the store’s exit. I wondered if … Continue reading