Guess who's getting hearing aids finally? Also, guess who cried like a b during the hearing fitting because they didn't know certain sounds existed?

Me. Obviously me.
Honestly, being hard of hearing has been a struggle mostly because the people around me have always reminded me that I'm "not like everyone else" and my lack of hearing often causes misunderstandings and I pronounce words wrong a lot because speaking when you can't hear your own voice is a difficult task.

I was misdiagnosed for a while as having a disconnect, but now I'm properly been diagnosed as having moderately severe hearing loss in my right ear and severe hearing loss in the left ear- both the sensorineural hearing loss kind (meaning damage to my inner ear causing permanent hearing loss).

So Friday I actually get hearing aids which will definitely make my daily life easier. During the consultation/fitting I started crying because for the first time I could hear sounds that I either haven't heard in a long time or haven't ever heard. I didn't know you could hear rain outside the window or people talking/walking in a hallway with the door closed or that my voice is super high and childlike or that my teeth make a sound when I click them together.

Little sounds that might seem mundane or not important to those who have full hearing capability might think it's silly but for me it felt like the whole world opened up and became such a brighter place.

Tatsumi · 31-35, M

I would gladly give you my ears, if I could. Voices in the hallway, loud people, is one of my biggest pet peeves, as my ears are quite sensitive. Guess you don't know what you have 'til it's gone.

But naa, I get it. I woke up once with my ears plugged with earwax [ikr, gross], could barely hear anything, and it was extremely unpleasant; I thought I might have gone deaf; and, the prospect of not being able to listen to music or watch t.v. in the background or hear peoples' voices again was a very unpleasant one.

But there are times, as well, when I'll meditate or sit in the park and just listen to all the subtle symphonies of nature. It is a small pleasure that can easily be taken for granted. I think the small pleasures are what make life worth living, too. I'm glad you finally get that back. ^-^ Hopefully one of these days technology will make all kinds of issues like that irrelevant, and everyone can live a normal life.

NaturallyPeculiar · 26-30, F

@pagandad Oh trust me I know. I read lips so I've seen people say some nasty things thinking I wouldn't understand. It's fine though because I feel like the benefits will outweigh the negative things.

Muthafukajones · 46-50, M

I’m pleased for you! Hearing is such a wonderful part of life. I hope you’ll sit sometimes late at night or early morning and really deeply listen to all the wonderful sounds in the world. I had a similar experience when I was 12. I got my first set of contact glasses.... looking at individual leaves at the tops of tall trees... tiny details on signs blocks away. Birds... clouds... my life changed and I was a far less cranky child after that.