Comments on Life of the Hard of Hearing: Researching to get hearing back.

I have been asked the question, "Would you do it i...

2008-06-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

I have been asked the question, "Would you do it if you could?" many times during my life. My answer has always been "no."

Oh, sure, it would open up more opportunities for me. I could join the police department like I wanted to when I was younger. I could join the Marines and learn all the cool ways they use to destroy stuff.

I could FINALLY be free from all the fleeting looks of irritation and impatience that I get when I ask someone to repeat something they had said.

I could attend movies whenever I wanted to instead of waiting for the DVD or an open-captioned showing.

I could get rid of my hearing aids and save tons of money on batteries.

Yes, my life would become easier.

But . . . is it worth it? I've been hard of hearing since I was about four years old. Everything I've done, everything I've experienced, my "hard of hearingness" was right there with me.

It has become a part of me. It has fused itself into my identity. It has led me to meet people and have experiences that I might never otherwise have met if I were fully hearing.

I'm pushing 40 years old. My habits, patterns, likes, dislikes, and so forth have already been established. Do I want to essentially start all over again, this time with two fully-functioning ears?

I have a house, a car, a great wife, a beautiful daughter, and a decent job. I can pay my bills and still have something left over for the "extras." Even though it's been a struggle at times, I feel as though I've "made it."

No, I wouldn't do it.

I would do it without giving it any second thought...

2008-06-01T22:25:00.000-07:00

I would do it without giving it any second thought.

I would like to hear again, but I would be afraid ...

2008-05-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

I would like to hear again, but I would be afraid too. I've been deaf for a long time, and it's scary to think of the all the changes that would happen should I be able to hear perfectly again-- even though they would be good changes.

I will tell you a story about my son when he came back from Korea. He had been living in a situation surrounded by Koreans 24/7, and rarely heard English in all that time. Suddenly he was surrounded by English speaking people wherever he went. At first he could not help picking up on everyone's conversations. He had lost the ability to tune out. Culture shock. That's what I would be afraid of.

If I am told that I can be able to hear with this...

2008-05-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

If I am told that I can be able to hear with this new steam cells, you bet I will go for it just like if I goes blind, I want to be able to see.

Of course, nobody is going to understand all sounds and such overnight so it will take a lot of time and training.

From what I heard even though I can't say if it is true that anyone who already received CI cannot get stem cell because there has been already damaged done from the surgery which is why I know several people decided to wait for better technology.

-SG

The research sounds very promising. Advancement in...

2008-05-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

The research sounds very promising. Advancement in stem cell research has the potential to cure many diseases and disabilities (including, as you said, hearing loss and even paralysis).

Me being able to hear since birth the answer to your question is easy, that is YES if i ever became deaf or HOH later in life i would want it back. Though i can understand why this would be a dilemma for people who've been deaf since birth.

I agree with abbie too, i think one would need lots of therapy/education to be able to understand sounds and translate them into meaningful info. I'm really looking forward to where this stem cell research is going. Hopefully trial studies will begin soon, we'll just have to wait and see!

If I still had my old hearing aids, I may of done ...

2008-05-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

If I still had my old hearing aids, I may of done it.. Now with the digital hearing aids, Nah, you couldn't pay me!

I am happy with the hearing lost I have, and able to hear things with my new digital hearing aids, but if I want quiet, then out they go or turn them off.

Hell to the no. I lived a lifetime of suffering w...

2008-05-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

Hell to the no. I lived a lifetime of suffering with my hearing aids and I threw them out for a reason.

I would get done too, without a doubt. I still th...

2008-05-30T05:42:00.000-07:00

I would get done too, without a doubt. I still think a person would need therapy to get the brain to understand though.

It's a no-brainer really, I'd be worried about bei...

2008-05-30T02:26:00.000-07:00

It's a no-brainer really, I'd be worried about being trampled on in the rush...

I think for a lot of people, it would depend on wh...

2008-05-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

I think for a lot of people, it would depend on whether that word "again" belongs there ...

I wonder how well this sort of therapy would work on someone whose cochlea has undergone the (apparent) damage of having had a CI electrode inserted?

it would* ;)

2008-05-29T21:30:00.001-07:00

it would* ;)

Yup, I would!I'm HOH, so...would it resonate with ...

2008-05-29T21:30:00.000-07:00

Yup, I would!

I'm HOH, so...would it resonate with that.