A tribute to Hilda Gregory

Hilda Gregory, the former principal for the Vancouver Oral Centre for Deaf Children (now known as Children's Hearing and Speech Centre of BC), recently passed away. Hilda is a 1998 Order of BC recipient, as well as a 1999 Order of Canada recipient. She also volunteered countless hours at Christ Church Cathedral and at Jubilee House. Not only is she a tireless advocate for those that require extra assistance, she is a remarkable lady who has been a part of my childhood and adult life.


Below is an open letter of thanks that I hope will inspire others to reflect on those that have had a meaningful impact on their lives. After all, we cannot get through life all by ourselves.

When squeaks and creaks actually matter to a HOH

The creaks and squeaks of my floor actually don't annoy me. They are a constant reminder that I can actually hear these seemingly trivial sounds.

My girl loves our squeaky hardwood floors!

From my perspective, trivial sounds are God's way of letting you know that your hearing is just fine - and that you've been blessed with a wonderful gift. So, to those who have perfectly normal hearing, and those who use assistive devices:

The next time you hear the creaking or a squeaking of the floor, be thankful.

Blast from the Past!

Last week, I received a message from a friend of ours who was attending a conference in Strasbourg, France. She wrote to say that she saw a video with me, my future-husband to be, and our best man at the conference. 

I'll give you a little background information - we made this video, aptly called HOH TV in a fun endeavor to raise awareness of hearing loss as part of our involvement with the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association's Young Adult Network. This video was created in May of 2009 (I think) and goes to prove that once you put something online, it's VERY hard to remove it! (not that I'm complaining... I'm just saying)

So without ado, here's the video - and I'll be honest, I cringe at the scene where I sing. Proof that HOHs shouldn't be allowed to sing!

P.S. - To Rachel: this proves that mommy and daddy DO have a sense of humor!!!
 

Can you put your phone down?

In the last 10 years, with more and more people using smartphones, it appears that antisocialism is on the rise. It is very rare for me to go out and not see someone on their phone(s) -plural because reality is, quite a few people now have one, two, maybe even three phones!

I confess that I'm sometimes one of those people. Messaging friends on Facebook, WhatsApp, and texting is now normal for me. To some, I probably appear antisocial. 

Not quite.

What a HOH rant might look like

When I started driving as a teenager, I used to get the odd comment here and there: "you can drive? Oh my! How do you do it??" (Answer: like any other normal person would...put my seat belt on, turn the ignition on, and press my foot on the pedal). I just have a hearing loss. I'm not stupid. I'm not that handicapped. I'm normal.

Tea Time

A close friend of mine sent me an email saying that she's going through some pretty major transitions in her life. She just got married, relocated to a different part of Canada, and so much more.  My friend doesn't have a hearing loss, but thought it would be a good idea for me to share my experiences (as they are relatively similar). I'm hoping this post will help others out there struggling with life changes, because well, any change is never easy. This applies to everyone, not just those with a hearing loss.

A HOH goes to Church

I'm definitely a blessed mama, even if life doesn't always seem that way.


Having a hearing loss and going to church is another challenge, given that there isn't ample funding for captioning or a loop system at most churches. In fact, from time to time, people will ask me if I actually understand anything that's being said during the homily, which varies at each mass.  Often, when I was younger, I would ask my parents what was said. Unfortunately that method isn't sustainable!