Getting More and More Remote from Communication

Hi Everyone,
I have had tinnitus for at least 9 years and have just found out about this support group. I think I need some support because my tinnitus is getting worse and I am frequently depressed about it. When I was 46, I went to an audiologist and got hearing aids. I was a classroom teacher at the time and my management had slipped due to my hearing. It helped, but as the years went by, it got worse in the classroom. I retired on disability last November because I wasn't able to hear kids talking in the back of the classroom, and I can't hear whispering. My husband has to repeat things all the time and frequently (who can blame him?) gets impatient and yells it. I am feeling more and more excluded in conversations because I can't hear over my tinnitus when people are mumbling or talking softly. It is breaking my heart when my kids and their friends want to have meaningful conversations with me in restaurants, etc. (with ambient noise) and I miss important parts. I tell people to please speak up or please say it again, but you can only do that so many times. My 98 year-old father in-law lives with us who has been practically deaf for a long time. We have to yell at him, literally yell as loud as we can for him to hear us and I see how he's just not involved much in life anymore because he's not able to hear and people give up communicating because it's too hard to yell all the time.
This is my biggest fear. That people will think it's too much effort to talk to me and just ignore me. That's what is starting to happen. People close to me will say they'll tell me later what was said and then I just have to sit there while important conversations are happening and try to gather what I can. I am only 55 and am already feeling excluded. Does anyone have experience with this or advice on how to cope with it?

 

Hi. I don't have personal experience except that I have seen some of what you are describing happen with my mom. She finally got hearing aids which helped. Since you have them already, I wonder if you have gotten new ones since the ones you got 9 years ago. I think there have been significant updates especially for things like hearing conversation in restaurants, etc.

 

Thanks for the reply! Yes, have been best friends with my audiologist since then. Just got upgrade about a year ago and I see her regularly where she adjusts the levels. Trying to keep a postive attitude, but so hard when I don't hear all of what my kids have to say. Your mom must be frustrated too! Thanks for being a supportive child of someone with this!