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Not Connecting: Another Story

I am leaving my hearing aids out for a while, as an experiment, to write and share my experiences. This is my second entry and I have to admit that I am finding myself grateful that I have access to hearing aids at all.

As I was sitting in a breakfast business meeting, I kept my hearing aids out to see how I did. Could I connect? Could I keep up with the conversation? This was a business meeting and not a group of friends, so networking is what I do for a living. Connection is where deals are made.

I started with a group that was farther away from me, and I couldn’t understand anything they were talking about. They were laughing, so I knew I was missing something pretty good.

Then I focused on people closer to me. I could catch some of what was being said, but not enough to feel comfortable and participate. At that moment, I had a very strange experience. I found myself turning inward. I found myself alone in the middle of some of my favorite people in the world. Visually, I watched them connect. Audibly I could not connect and I felt alone. I was disconnected.

I felt my hearing aid case in my jacket pocket and wondered how I got by and survived in the past, compensated for hearing loss to try to connect with what was going on and be apart. It’s exhausting.

I didn’t hear most of the conversation, but I heard grateful in my heart that I have a solution. I look forward to hearing my friends again.

Written by:
Dale Hansen
Published on:
September 26, 2022
Thoughts:
5 Comments

Categories: MiscellaneousTags: American Tinnitus Association, Audiologist, audiology, Dr. Richard S. Reikowski, ear doctor, family hearing and balance center.cardinal hearing centers, Hearing Aids, hearing doctor, hearing loss

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gail Reagan

    September 26, 2022 at 7:39 am

    Now that’s a great experiment! Thank you for sharing Dale!

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    • Rich

      September 26, 2022 at 11:19 am

      Yes, Dale did good! I liked the story too.

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  2. Elizabeth

    September 26, 2022 at 8:37 am

    What a great story, I love hearing about this experiment!

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    • Rich

      September 26, 2022 at 11:19 am

      Same here Elizabeth.

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  3. Rich

    September 26, 2022 at 11:20 am

    I liked your story and experiment. I can only imagine how much better you do with hearing help.

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