About « Beethoven’s Ears

About

My name is Cindy, I’m 42 years old, and I have a hearing loss that ranges from mild in the low frequencies to profound in the high frequencies. I wear two powerful digital hearing aids and MUST lipread to understand speech. My speech is normal, although my audiologist says if I had been born with the hearing loss I now have, American Sign Language (ASL) would probably be my primary language.

The uninitiated don’t have a clue what it’s like to be hard of hearing. Many hard of hearing people try to hide their hearing loss from others. If this is you, don’t. Deal with it. Tell people you are hard of hearing. Communicate your needs. Decent people will accommodate you. Why be ashamed of something you can’t help?

Why did I choose “Beethoven’s Ears” for the name of my blog? I am a musician, and after a performance, people approach me and mumble. When I explain that I’m hard of hearing, people respond, “Oh, like Beethoven!” Well……yes. Like Beethoven, my ears are a constant source of frustration. Like Beethoven, I was embarrassed to talk about my hearing loss when it was diagnosed, but later accepted and openly acknowledged it. Like Beethoven, I am tormented by tinnitus, and slowly losing my hearing. Essentially…..I’ve got Beethoven’s Ears. (Thanks, Gabriel!)

I created this blog for the uninitiated, people just beginning to lose their hearing, and for those with long-standing hearing loss. Please comment and share your stories. We can learn from each other.

34 Comments »

Jolene Said:

on August 4, 2007 at 8:51 pm

I like that adjective, ‘the uninitiated’! I’m wondering who I can send this to that is hard of hearing. I remember another student at USF that was very good at lip reading, but her husband was deaf so she used more ASL. I’ll see if I can find her email. Oh, and be sure to send it to the SHHH (Self Help for Hard of Hearing) group. They may have a listserv. Also ALDA (Assoc. of Late Deafened Adults.) Good Luck, Cindy. I’ll see you soon.

Oh and this looks real professional. Did you use Frontpage to set it up?

Talk to you more about it, eh.

love,
Jo

(I have to go back to reading “The Secret”….it’s wonderful!)
Hoh Said:

on August 4, 2007 at 9:44 pm

Hi Jolene,

Thanks for stopping by!

This is a WordPress blog, and this is the default template - I know absolutely nothing about FrontPage.

I will contact the organizations you suggested. A little while ago I left an announcement in the About.com: Deafness forum. A couple of people have visited already!

Love,
Cindy

(Jolene is a professional interpreter who interpreted for me through undergrad and grad school. Since I knew only a handful of signs, she was a bit perplexed and unsure how to work with me. We worked it out using lipreading, fingerspelling, writing, and signs. It was a LOT of work for both of us! Whew!)
Dreams Float Joe Said:

on August 6, 2007 at 1:44 am

Lovely blog Ms Cindy.

May you be blessed with all your heart desires and may all of your dreams come true.

Wishing you oceans of love and prosperity.

Friendly reminder; Buckle up: makes it harder for the aliens to snatch you from your boat.
Wendy Cheng Said:

on August 6, 2007 at 12:12 pm

Dear Cindy,

Your blog is interesting. I’m a hard of hearing musician myself, although I don’t play professionally. My primary instrument these day is the viola, although I also play violin, piano and a little cello occasionally. What instrument do you play?

I run a listserv for musicians with hearing loss. Feel free to visit us at http://www.aamhl.org

Take care,
Wendy
Hoh Said:

on August 6, 2007 at 2:48 pm

Hi Wendy,

Thanks for stopping by!

I play the piano and the flute. Many, many years ago, I learned the fingering for the oboe and bassoon, but it was too expensive buying the reeds!

Got to go - I’m moving today - I’ll check out your listserv soon!

Thanks,
Cindy
Hoh Said:

on August 10, 2007 at 7:51 pm

Hi Dreams Float Joe:

Thank you for your very kind words. And thanks especially for the advice about aliens!

Cindy
Karyn Said:

on August 24, 2007 at 11:27 pm

Hey Cindy-Your old co-worker here! I have learned so much more about you from your blog. As you know, I am not hard of hearing. I feel somewhat ashamed for taking it for granted-your reference to the boiling water and shaking a light bulb rings true. I had no idea what you have been through-You are truly an inspiration! I have learned from you today. I have tears in my eyes reading about your pain. I feel blessed to have worked with you. You are an AMAZING person. See you soon!
Hoh Said:

on August 24, 2007 at 11:56 pm

Hi Karyn!

Oh, no! My blog is meant to make you smile, not cry! I’m just relating stories that are meant to entertain hoh/deaf people and give a little insight to normal hearing people about deafness.

Cindy
Karyn Said:

on August 25, 2007 at 1:43 am

Cindy-I guess the tears were for the ignorance-ignorance that runs rampant in our society. You have given me insight-that would be an understatement-So you have succeeded! I also must say-you do make me smile :)!
Hoh Said:

on August 25, 2007 at 2:11 am

Karyn,

You’re awesome! Did I ever thank you enough for the many times you interpreted all those heavy, heavy accents in the Local Government Building for me???

Thanks for stopping by again!

Cindy
dmsiggy Said:

on August 29, 2007 at 4:47 pm

Hi Cindy- Thanks for finding my site and leading me to yours!

As a hearing impaired person I love to play music myself…I have been playing guitar for about a decade now (as a hobby) and I like to dabble in piano.

I like your last line on the about page ..”we can learn from each other.” I agree- part of the reason I started my blog was to meet people like yourself that I otherwise wouldn’t have contact with.

Keep up the good work
Susan Said:

on September 3, 2007 at 2:16 am

Hi Cindy your blog is just wonderful. I am a single hard of hearing mom with two kids. One of them is also hard of hearing and the other a super hearing 10 year old girl. Your experiences are so similar to mine, I thought you were writing about me. Take care and keep writing.

Susan age 43 HOH mom too
Hoh Said:

on September 3, 2007 at 2:24 am

Hi Susan,

I just knew there were lots of us out there! I’m also a single mom, and have been for the past 10 years. Keep your chin up - and stop by again soon.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Cindy
Richard Said:

on September 8, 2007 at 11:24 pm

Cindy

May I ask you something :

You say you are a “musician”, which implies that you have not lost the melody of music.

The technical word (here in England)for my hearing loss is APHL (Acquired Profound Hearing Loss) - as used by the Link Centre for Deafened People : http://www.linkdp.org/index.php

One of the hardest things for me to accept is losing the ability to hear the melody of the music I love - it’s just a noise.

I am assuming that is not the same for you ?
Hoh Said:

on September 8, 2007 at 11:43 pm

Hi Richard,

My hearing loss ranges:

low frequencies: mild
medium frequencies: moderate
high frequencies: severe
very high frequencies: profound

My difficulty is mostly with speech. I can hear melodies just fine, but I can’t tell what the words are to a song. I’ve accompanied many people unable to tell what words he/she was singing, but hearing and understanding the melody. It’s a bit like hearing someone speak, but not knowing what he/she is saying.

Cindy
Samantha Said:

on September 28, 2007 at 11:28 pm

Hi Cindy, you left a lovely comment on my site, which leads me to your site. I’m adding an interview feature to my little project. Would you like to be my second subject? Check out http://www.heardaily.com, under the person-to-person page. I cover stories about people that are in all phases of hard of hearing and yet, enjoying life. Let me know if you are interested. Warning - site is still beta. Got a bit of work to do yet.
Thanks much,
Samantha
Hoh Said:

on September 29, 2007 at 12:50 am

Hi Samantha,

Sure - I’m game! I’ll contact you via email.

Cindy
Dennis Allen Said:

on October 11, 2007 at 6:44 pm

Hi,
I love your site. I have been losing my hearing for several years and now I have hearing aids. One of my ears is so bad a hearing aid just wont help, so I have this Bi Cros set up as well. The sound that happens on my really bad side is sent to my better side, so everything comes in one ear. So far, I like it.
I am also going to try out a Smartlink tomorrow to see how this helps in noisy situations. I am a youth pastor and it is hard to hear those kids with all the background noise.
Thaks for the tip on the VR, I am attempting to contact them in my area.
Dennis
Ulf Said:

on November 6, 2007 at 3:23 pm

Hi Cindy,

Just discovered your blog…. Seems like we have things in common

http://ci4me2007.wordpress.com/
Kim Said:

on December 11, 2007 at 6:27 pm

Am delighted to stumble across this site - I KNEW there had to be other hard-of-hearing musicians out there! I sing for a chorus, am hard-of-hearing since birth with a reverse curve audigram (which means I need a balloon in my hands to “hear” string/acoustic bass; men’s voices are murky as are very low 2nd altos; I hear 1st altos and sopranos “normally”, OK 20 decibels down from “Normal”.)
It is so true about the “Uninitiated” not getting the most basics HoH concepts! My wife loves telling the story of the day my chorus finally understood that my hearing’s NOT normal — my phone (set on “vibrate” mode) was in my bag on the other side of the room during rehearsal, when the director suddenly stops, asks “what’s that noise” which everyone else is also apparently hearing, and then points right at my bag! Oops.
More power to you and this website,
Kim
Charles Pedrick Said:

on December 16, 2007 at 1:55 pm

Happy 237 Beethoven !!!!

The world would not be the same without your energy. It’s more powerful than even a Red Bull.

Long live Ludwig van Beethoven.
Tomas Rokicki Said:

on December 22, 2007 at 12:56 am

You write evocatively and powerfully; this blog deserves a binding. Thanks for the words.
Mary Anne C Said:

on December 24, 2007 at 4:30 am

Hi Cindy:

I would definately fit in the category of “uninitiated”. As far as I know, I have no hearing problems. I LOVE music.

Recently, I have met a couple of fellow-musicians who are hard of hearing. They both wear hearing aids. I think the world is largely ignorant about hearing loss and about how people with hearing loss can still be involved with music. I think most people know Beethoven found a way to continue his music career but think that he was only able to do that because he was just so great a musician. Of course, he was a lengendary musician, however, as I am learning more and more, other hard of hearing musicians are able to contine to make and enjoy music.

Then I read about Evelyn Glennie, who is actually classified as deaf and is a great percussionist. I think it is important to educate people about this.

One question, do you ever experience prejudice as a hard of hearing musician from people who don’t understand how a person with hearing problems can be a musican?
Hoh Said:

on December 24, 2007 at 4:38 am

Hi Mary Anne,

No, I don’t really experience prejudice - people sometimes look a little skeptical, but once they hear me play, they’re okay with my deafness. Of course, if I’m playing with other musicians, arrangements must be made so that I can hear the instruments/voice(s), which usually involves placing an amp near the keyboard/piano.

What instrument(s) do you play?

Cindy
Karyn Said:

on January 4, 2008 at 3:23 am

Cindy-where are you? I stopped by your “liberry” and you were not there. Please let me know what is going on-hope all is well!
Mary Anne C Said:

on January 8, 2008 at 11:11 pm

Hi Cindy:

Thanks for answering my question. Sorry, I have been so long in getting back to answering yours!I haven’t been on the computer much lately.
You asked me what instruments I play. Well, I play piano, and a little flute, and a little violin. The HOH musician I know plays violin.
What type of music do you enjoy playing the most?
valerie Said:

on February 2, 2008 at 7:35 pm

I almost hugged my computer when I saw your post about the hospital visit. I recently had surgery and demanded my husband stay there with me for the whole thing. He had to keep them from giving me meds I’d refused, explain things for them, it was like they were speaking another language. He was able to get me a head covering when mine was taken,
was there all night to assist with communication. The hospital did a LOUSY job accommodating this hard of hearing person’s needs! I have asked all three of my new doctors to put “hard of hearing” tags on my file. None of them have done it. One said she thought I was joking. I too have sat in waiting rooms unable to hear my name. They will jump all over to accommodate a person using a walker or wheelchair and I can’t even get the simplist recognition of my disability, even when I ask repeatedly.
We are trying to get ATT cell phone offices to help me find a headset and new phone that I can hear on better, these people must get NO training in hearing issues. They have no working headsets you can try (I want a real one with padded ear “muffs” and a speaker coming down from it). They keep suggesting in-your-ear products while I keep saying “I can’t stand anything in my ear” and we go back and forth several times and then I walk out, with my husband, frustrated by their lack of interest in selling us something we can use.
Sorry so barky. I don’t know anyone who is hearing impaired in my circle of friends, and have no one to share these feelings with. If you know someone without hearing aids who has solved their cell phone problem with headphones, could you have them write me please?
Valerie Hibbard
Anonymous Said:

on May 14, 2008 at 8:10 pm

You are one hot librarian! Please post more pictures. I am a chocolate fan as well.
Anonymous Said:

on May 14, 2008 at 8:14 pm

I remember you from your prelibrarian days, back in the early 80’s I believe. Remember those days on the beach?
Anonymous Said:

on May 14, 2008 at 8:22 pm

I am still using my hearing aids from decades ago (see link below). Do you have a suggestion for a high quality model (prefereably not more than 10 to 15 years old, that is stylish? Even at my advanced age, I am quite a “chick magnet” and need to maintain my image with the ladies.

http://www.hearingcenteronline.com/images/poster.jpg
Chrsty Said:

on May 22, 2008 at 10:31 pm

Hi Cindy,

Just came across your blog. Many of your experiences mirror mine and you’re so right for doing something positive with all this so others will be more understanding. Will write again soon. Do keep it up . Way past my bed time here …

Christy
Carolyn Said:

on June 2, 2008 at 3:06 am

Hi Cindy,

I want to say a big “thank you” for this blog! I found it in my major internet search looking for ways to understand why I was getting so much feedback with my new hearing aids when I play my violin! (Have you ever had problems when you play the piano?) Anyhow, reading your blog made me smile seeing many experiences which I’m sure many of us have gone or will go through in the future…thanks for sharing!

Carolyn

Carolyn
tutleymutley Said:

on August 16, 2008 at 11:57 pm

Nice to ‘meet’ you - I’m looking forward to exploring your blog some more - got directed here by the ’speakup’ librarian!
I got given hearing aids for my 40th birthday - and my hearing is gradually getting worse. The high frequencies are so shot that I can only hear my hearing aids attempting to do something when a high pitched alarm goes off. Low frequencies are Ok.
I’m usually quite upfront about my hearing loss, but sometimes I must admit to bluffing (and no doubt looking a complete eedjit).

cheers
terri
AmyKay Said:

on September 27, 2008 at 10:04 pm

I about jumped for joy when I saw your blog. I’m 31 and hard of hearing. Its hard for me to truly “relate” to some deaf blogs, because I hear…some. lol
Keep um coming!
Smiles,
AmyK