Brändi Dog

In 2010, my then boyfriend (now husband) Curtis and I had an amazing opportunity to go to Fiesch, Switzerland for a two week Hard of Hearing Summercamp. We arrived at the Jugehorig (the Swiss member for the International Federation for Hard of Hearing Young People) Summercamp as strangers, and left the camp with 40 plus new friends. 

The whole group on top of Mt. Eggishorn at Sunrise

It was such a great experience that I'd recommend it to any hard of hearing person interested in it! Whether it's your first time meeting others who have a hearing loss, or simply reconnecting with old friends, the summercamp brings people from all over the world to hike, play games, and learn about each others' cultures.

Many nights, Curtis would be found playing this popular board game called Brändi Dog (or Dog as we call it). I was often fast asleep by 9pm in my dorm after a very long day! I actually didn't get a chance to play the game until 2015, when two of our friends from Switzerland came to stay with us for a week and brought the game for us at Curtis' request.  (Thank you a million times over Laura and Claudio!)

Hearing Aids aren't like Glasses

Each day I wake up, put on my trusty hearing aid in my left ear and my trusty Cochlear implant in my right ear.

Then I go about my day.

I'll usually get stares from people who don't know me (because, mom bun), and I'll often catch them looking one of my hearing assistive devices.

Once in a blue moon, someone will ask me: "so hey I guess you can hear me Ok then?"

"No, not really" I reply. Then go on to say, "my hearing aids aren't like glasses. They don't cure hearing loss." Then I leave the conversation there, in hopes that they'd ask more questions. Most of the time, I get a shrug and we part ways.