Hallo, dear readers.
I hope you all had a great holiday period, and an equally fabulous New Year. Let's make 2006 a good one, shall we?
As my presence is required on campus again over the next few days, and again at the start of the second semester and onward, I would like to take this opportunity to mention the fact that I have a significant hearing loss, and that as such, I am registered as severely deafened. As a result of this, I wear behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTEs) in both ears. Although these help me in many many ways, they are not perfect, and in no way replace or return what I have lost in the way of my residual hearing. Without the hearing aids, I am screwed.
My reasons for posting this are varied. Allow me to explain:
If I am hollered at from across campus, and I do not respond, I am not ignoring you. It is becfause I cannot hear you. Throw something, preferably light, or else come over to me. It can't be that difficult.
If you are sat behind me on the bus, and endeavour to attract my attention by talking to me, again, my lack of response is because I cannot hear you. I am not ignoring you.
If we are having a conversation, I read lips. My lip reading skills are actually better than my organic hearing. Please do not be offended or irritated if I ask you to repeat what you have said, or if I ask that you look at me when talking, preferably without covering your mouth. If this is too hard, learn BSL (British Sign Language). I am proficient up to Level 2 and often interpret for other Deaf/deafened people.
If I politely ask you to be quiet in a lecture or other situation where I am supposed to be listening to the lecturer, please do not be offended. Often, the lecturers are not microphone users, and my hearing aids have microphones to the rear as well as to the front. This means that I can hear people talking behind me better than the person at the front, who is often several metres away, even though I sit on the front row. Even though I cannot actually hear what is being said behind me, it is not what I am there to listen to. Also, please do not whinge about me behind my back because I had the temerity to ask you calmly and politely to please be quiet. I have hearing friends who report back to me. You know who you are. I am certain this would benefit other people too, and not just those with hearing impairments.
I apologise for the overall pissy tone of this entry, however, I am stuck as to what else to do. I can see why people assume that I am hearing, as my lip-reading skills are good, and the fact that I have long hair often disguises my hearing aids, however, jumping to the wrong conclusions isn't going to help anybody, least of all me. If this entry has offended anyone, then I apologise, for this is not my intention at all.
Thank you all for your time in this matter.
Kind regards,
Rachael.... ♥
I hope you all had a great holiday period, and an equally fabulous New Year. Let's make 2006 a good one, shall we?
As my presence is required on campus again over the next few days, and again at the start of the second semester and onward, I would like to take this opportunity to mention the fact that I have a significant hearing loss, and that as such, I am registered as severely deafened. As a result of this, I wear behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTEs) in both ears. Although these help me in many many ways, they are not perfect, and in no way replace or return what I have lost in the way of my residual hearing. Without the hearing aids, I am screwed.
My reasons for posting this are varied. Allow me to explain:
If I am hollered at from across campus, and I do not respond, I am not ignoring you. It is becfause I cannot hear you. Throw something, preferably light, or else come over to me. It can't be that difficult.
If you are sat behind me on the bus, and endeavour to attract my attention by talking to me, again, my lack of response is because I cannot hear you. I am not ignoring you.
If we are having a conversation, I read lips. My lip reading skills are actually better than my organic hearing. Please do not be offended or irritated if I ask you to repeat what you have said, or if I ask that you look at me when talking, preferably without covering your mouth. If this is too hard, learn BSL (British Sign Language). I am proficient up to Level 2 and often interpret for other Deaf/deafened people.
If I politely ask you to be quiet in a lecture or other situation where I am supposed to be listening to the lecturer, please do not be offended. Often, the lecturers are not microphone users, and my hearing aids have microphones to the rear as well as to the front. This means that I can hear people talking behind me better than the person at the front, who is often several metres away, even though I sit on the front row. Even though I cannot actually hear what is being said behind me, it is not what I am there to listen to. Also, please do not whinge about me behind my back because I had the temerity to ask you calmly and politely to please be quiet. I have hearing friends who report back to me. You know who you are. I am certain this would benefit other people too, and not just those with hearing impairments.
I apologise for the overall pissy tone of this entry, however, I am stuck as to what else to do. I can see why people assume that I am hearing, as my lip-reading skills are good, and the fact that I have long hair often disguises my hearing aids, however, jumping to the wrong conclusions isn't going to help anybody, least of all me. If this entry has offended anyone, then I apologise, for this is not my intention at all.
Thank you all for your time in this matter.
Kind regards,
Rachael.... ♥
