Close to birth... I lost, like, 80 percent of my hearing, and I had difficulty speaking.
In 1967, I found out I was losing my hearing. I went 10 years without any help. I had otosclerosis - hardening of the bone in the middle of the ear.
I learned to speak first, and then to sign. I have never really known what it was like to hear, so I can't compare hearing aids to normal hearing.
Nothing is going to improve my hearing. I've only got to prevent it from getting worse.
I was the first spokesperson for the Better Hearing Institute in Washington. And that's the message we tried to send out - there is hearing help out there, and the technology and options are amazing.
I have serious hearing loss. I'm challenged if I don't have my hearing aids in.
I can not remember even thinking that I was deaf when I was dancing.
I hadn't really noticed that I had a hearing problem. I just thought most people had given up on speaking clearly.
I'm half deaf. I have nerve damage and a constant ringing in both of my ears, and there are certain times and conditions when I can hardly hear at all.
I have selective hearing.
