From the moment I entered the world, sound was a different landscape for me. I was born in the 70s when newborn screenings didn’t exist.
Born with a hearing loss, my earliest memories are intertwined with the soft hum of my first hearing aid, a constant companion that my parents lovingly introduced me to when I was just a toddler.
My mom often tells me stories of how I would cup her face right next to mine so I could “see” her talk. Right from the get-go, I learned to read lips, and that was my coping strategy.
Looking back, I’m certain that has influenced my personality type… I love my one-on-one friend time… that personal connection resonates well with me. Throughout my entire childhood, I wore a hearing aid. I never went without it.
Growing up with a hearing aid wasn’t always easy, but it gave me a unique perspective. I understood firsthand the frustration of missed words, the isolation of struggling to follow conversations, and the profound impact that access to sound can have on one’s life.
However, it also illuminated the incredible difference that well-fitted hearing technology and compassionate support could make.
My mother was a huge advocate for helping me progress in school. She spent a lot of time getting me the necessary speech services I needed, ensuring I was in the right classes for the right reason, and more.
I was incredibly fortunate to have my parents as my unwavering advocates. They navigated appointments, therapies, and the often-uncharted waters of raising a child with hearing loss with such fierce love and determination.
Their support wasn’t just about ensuring I could hear; it was about empowering me to thrive, to connect, and to never feel limited by my hearing.
School Days and Learning My Passion
During my upbringing, I learned how to be open to others about my hearing loss. I learned not to be embarrassed or ashamed. It’s part of what makes me me. Everyone has something… and I was hard of hearing.
When I went to college, vocational rehabilitation helped me with my very first set of hearing aids with an FM system. Growing up with only one hearing aid, it was such a game-changer to get two programmable hearing aids with assistive listening devices.
I was empowered!
I learned and heard like never before! I knew early on I wanted to work with other Deaf/hard of hearing individuals. The options were endless. Math teacher? Speech pathologist? Who knows what I could do!
One of the most significant times in my life was when I worked at the Greensboro School for the Deaf while I was in college. I spent a lot of time bonding with the kids. Some signed ASL, some were hard of hearing and used total communication, and some even had a cochlear implant.
From that experience, I understood why the Deaf Culture was so important to some. I understood why total communication or oral communication was important to others; I absolutely loved all the options that were made available.
It was this personal journey, this deep understanding of both the challenges and the triumphs of living with hearing loss, that sparked a profound desire within me.
I wanted to be more than just someone who wore hearing aids; I wanted to be the person who helped others navigate their own auditory landscapes. I wanted to be the advocate, the guide, the empathetic ear that my parents were for me. This aspiration fueled my pursuit of audiology.
My professional training provided me with the scientific knowledge and clinical skills necessary to understand the complexities of hearing and balance. But it’s my personal experience, the years spent on the other side of the sound booth, that truly shapes my approach to patient care.
Advocating for My Patients with Personal and Professional Experience
Choices. That’s what life is: having choices, making choices that are right for you.
Hearing loss can often be very isolating and challenging; partnering with others that can be your advocate and help you navigate through life with these challenges is not so isolating.
I love being that advocate for so many of my patients.
There is an immense and unique joy in connecting with my patients on a deeply personal level. I can empathize not just with their audiograms and test results, but with their lived experiences, their anxieties, and their hopes.
Knowing that I can leverage both my professional expertise and my personal journey to guide them toward a more positive and connected hearing future is incredibly rewarding.
It’s more than a career for me: it’s a calling rooted in gratitude and a heartfelt desire to pay forward the gift of sound and support that I was so fortunate to receive.
I continue to raise awareness of the importance of your hearing healthcare and do all I can to help our communities to regularly test their hearing.
If you have a question or need any help, then we’re here to help.
