I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!

I'm finding it really disrespectful lately that the people in my life who know I can't hear very well find the need to either mumble or turn their heads when they speak to me. I've got neurological damage to my right ear and have significant hearing loss in it. Everybody that knows me knows about this issue yet, lately, they all seem to have a problem speaking clearly to me and it's really getting on my nerves.

My kids will call out "Mom" to get my attention and then turn toward what they're looking at that they want me to see all the while speaking to me about it and I can't hear a word they're saying. Either that or they have food in their mouths or are busy doing something when they choose to speak to me. I'm constantly having to ask them to repeat themselves. Just a few minutes ago Tyler did it and a few minutes before that Zach's friend did it. I had to ask Tyler twice what he was trying to tell me and I had to ask Zach's friend three times, even going so far as to ask him to speak slower and louder. He was running his words together and mumbling at the same time. Aaaahhhh!!!

Other people do it too and it's starting to make me crazy. It's not my fault I can't hear and there's nothing I can do about it because the hearing loss isn't bad enough that a doctor will give me a hearing aid - yet. I just have to deal with it the best I can but uncooperative people don't help, especially when there's background noise in the room. My nephew constantly does it to me. He mumbles and then when I say, "What?" he laughs and just repeats, "What?" as if it's a joke. It's not funny people!

I don't know about others who have hearing difficulties but for me it gets really frustrating to constantly have explain that I have trouble hearing and then have people ignore me when I ask them to speak up or repeat what they've said. They either look at me like I've asked them to disarm a bomb or they tell me to just forget about what they said; "Ah, just forget it." Well fuck you too!

After tonight I've decided that I will completely ignore anyone who knows about my problem and chooses to disregard it. I'm not asking anyone to repeat anything anymore. If it's important enough they'll speak up the first time, if not, so be it. Anyone who decides that my hearing loss is a joke and wants to laugh at the fact that I can't hear them may just get a lesson in manners and respect. I've had enough. If you want me to hear you, speak up, otherwise go speak to someone else.

Until next time...peace to all.