Not many with whom I'm closely associated also know that I have been suffering from severe hearing loss for almost 10 years.
As my sister realised this, she took me to an audiologist 8 years ago, and I was diagnosed with 23% hearing loss. I did not pay much attention, as it did not seem to affect me. After a couple of months or years, (not sure) the situation got embarrassing, started acting as if I understood, gave some idiotic replies, and I am unsure if I embarrassed my daughter and husband in this whole process.
In 2019, I observed the deafness increase as there were some major changes in our lifestyle.
Who else again? But my sister took me to the audiologist, and the impairment had progressed. But before I could come to a decision, I was hit with Chikungunya, and it took me 3 months to come out of bedrest. And then I decided to give in to taking a trial of hearing aids just before COVID hit us in 2020, as they were providing home services but were priced way too much and not very effective, so I finally gave up the idea of buying one, and surgery was anyway never an option.
In 2021, I felt a void as my daughter, for whom I chose to be a stay-at-home hands-on mom, was at that age where she has a life of her own that has not much space for me, but which is normal, so I decided to restart my career. I took up a course but did not choose an onsite job because of my hearing loss and joined a remote job, though the pay was less.
All seemed okay as I was occupied with the job and my social circle has always been intimate, so I did not have to explain myself to anyone about my hearing.
In 2022, a family member's surgery was scheduled, and when my dearest co-sister and I got to spend a lot of time together, she talked me into trying hearing aids. I was convinced but had not looked into it yet, which went on until December 2023.
In December, again, one of my close relatives was admitted to the hospital, and we family members were taking rounds to stay at the hospital. The nurses, helpers, and doctors are trying to communicate things that I am unable to get through a single word. That's when it hit me: "I need to speed up my hearing aid process asap."
The minute things settled, I scheduled hearing aid trials and actually found so many of them helpful that I finalised one, feeling good to be in between conversations now.
Speaking to people actually helps in so many ways. I did a lot of research before finalising and found the most effective and at a much lesser cost. I am ever thankful for technology!
No, this is not a sympathy saga but an awareness post to address the issue of the fact that we are the only people who can help ourselves; nobody, and I stress nobody, can help us if we do not help ourselves. Do take charge of whatever is slowing you down right now; do not procrastinate, as it only makes things worse.
However, in this whole struggle, my family and my close friends have been so accommodating, and I am grateful for that. This blog is dedicated to my sisters, Raji and Bujji. I love you, girls!
Also Read: Future of Digital publishing
Comments