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Hearing Impairment

© Jill Ann Smith

Life becomes difficult when ordinary sounds you've heard before disappear from your world. I was thirty four years old when my supervisor, at the Food and Drug Administration in Los Angeles, inquired if I had a hearing problem. I suspected she was right, so I went to an Audiologist the next day. I was told that I needed two hearing aids. However, since I was only able to afford one hearing aid, I still had problems hearing on the job.

Several years back I volunteered at a local Muscular Dystrophy telethon. While answering busy phones, writing pledges and staying on a 21 hour shift, I noticed my hearing wasn't up to par. I believe my loss stemmed from infancy. I was sick, ran high fevers, and had many ear infections during my childhood. My father worked at a hospital. They advised him to immerse me in cold water, to bring down my fever. If it weren't for that, I'm sure I would be completely deaf. I can't say I know how it feels to have NEVER been able to hear. But, knowing I was a well hearing person, then to suddenly lose that sense was indeed terrifying. At that time in my life, the loss of my hearing, hit me hard. I had to change my way of thinking and stop feeling sorry for myself!

"Do the thing we fear and death of fear is certain." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Writing has been a dream of mine for so long, wanting to be published, and now I've conquered that fear. In 1979, I entered my first writing contest, after a friend, Barbara Viele, coaxed me into entering a contest for Cosmopolitan Magazine. I began writing my first novel, that same year. Continuing my writings, I wrote a poem called "My Inspiration" which was chosen to be included in an anthology. Thus making me a pubished writer.

I believe by overcoming my hearing impairment, (as difficult as that was) many of my dreams have come true. I've worked for the Red Cross, and many other charitable organizations, in hopes of being able to assist others overcome their disabilities as well. Writers-R-We: After purchasing WebTV Plus. I joined the Delphi Forum, have built a website, and met several supportive fellow writers. These writers have motivated me, to continue attending the Delphi Writer's Chat Room on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00 A.M. It was during one meeting, I questioned how to join a Writer's Critique group. Wendy (of the Writers Chat Room I was in) asked the rest of us, if we'd all like to critique each others novels and Writers-R-Us was created.