Dealing with hearing loss is an incredible challenge for any adult, from the need to be properly fitted with hearing aids, to struggling with difficult social situations, especially around a lot of background noise, to the care and maintenance of the hearing aids themselves. And our loved ones struggle, as well. Remembering to enunciate the soft consonants of speech and being patient when repeating words several times is vital to a healthy relationship.
These challenges became magnified when my daughter was diagnosed with hearing loss. Not only did I have to adjust to the new experience of handling hearing aids, ear molds and batteries, I had to help her learn and grow in this new, difficult situation.
Everyone in my life, from my spouse to my parents and in-laws, to my child’s teachers, to my friends, to, well, everyone! You have all stepped up to the plate and continually hit home runs!
Rambunctious, curious, fun-loving children don’t always keep track of their hearing aids. They’re too busy being kids! I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve had to search the car, the house, the booth at a restaurant, and even rummage through the garbage, in search of a lost hearing aid.
When it comes to speaking clearly, enunciating properly, or repeating your words patiently, you are the stars that light up my daughter’s life! When I see her face light up as she grasps a difficult concept, my heart swells with joy. I also appreciate your dedication in making good use of the FM system to ensure she understands you in the car, the classroom, a noisy restaurant, anywhere!
Speaking of FM systems and other unfamiliar hearing aid technology, thank you very much for learning how it all works together, so you can help my daughter hear as well as she can.
This year, as we sit down to Thanksgiving dinner, we will give thanks to the bountiful harvest, our own little cornucopia of steaming plates covering the table. I will also give thanks for the good fortune of having such loving family and friends, dedicated teachers, audiologists and speech therapists, and an awesome world that accepts my daughter for who she is: a curious, energetic and bright-eyed little girl.
