Another Hard of Hearing Mommy :)

Gael Hannan, writer, actress, public speaker, and dear family friend is one of the few hard of hearing mommies that I have come to respect and admire. When I first met Gael back in 2008, at the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association/International Federation of Hard of Hearing People Congress I heard her one-woman show Ear Rage, and was instantly captivated by her unique charm. Hearing loss is a passion and a career for Gael.

This photo captures Gael's personality! (Photo courtesy of Google)

Gael's blog, Hearing Health Matters chronicles the challenges of the young and old, and their encounters with hearing loss. She has given me permission to share her story, appropriately named the Hard of Hearing Mommy (the original ORIGINAL hard of hearing mommy article!). Her articles definitely give me insight as to what's in store for us in the future.

The Hard of Hearing Mommy
By Gael Hannan, March 2012

Where’s that voice coming from?
Sound localization is one of the most challenging aspects of hearing loss. When I hear birds singing, I always look for them in the trees to my left, although they’re just as likely to my right, ahead or behind me. But I do hear the birds, so what do I care where they are? It becomes a problem, though, when the sound I’m trying to locate is a small child in a 3-story house.

Mommee-ee! Comeeerr!
Ok, sweetie, where are you?
(Pause) Here!
Where here, dear?
Here, where I am. In the room!
But what room, Joel, your bedroom?
(Thinking) No….
The bathroom?
Yes, mommy, I’m in the baff-room! Comeeerr!
But which bathroom, Joel?
This one, Mommy!

Of course, I’m running around like crazy during this exchange, cursing myself as a bad mommy who should never have been allowed to bear children. (I know what you’re thinking, but tell me you never lost sight of your child for even a moment! Kids get away from you – that’s one of their earliest goals in life – to escape from their mommies and daddies.)

Read the rest of Gael's article here. She is an amazing writer!