Tag: cochlear implant

Hurry Sickness

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The first time I heard the phrase “hurry sickness”, I was sitting across from my elderly, widowed neighbor, Celia.  We were living in North Carolina at the time, and I had one of those rare opportunities to “soak up her wisdom” over tea and thin mints!  She was telling me about her son who had just retired for medical reasons, from a successful thoracic surgery practice.  He was depressed and suicidal.  He had put his surgery practice and surgical skills first in his life.  Now… forced to retire “young” at 52-years-old, he felt he had nothing to live for at all.  He had hurried through life, pushing himself to be the best (and he was!), making a name for himself in the nation’s Capital.  Two weeks after retiring, his practice had already replaced him and all he had to show for his sacrifice was a nice watch.

(As I recall… ) Celia told me, “Norm has ‘hurry sickness’… he always has!  He’s never been able to ‘BE STILL’ and enjoy quiet.  ‘Hurry’ has ruined his health, and now he’s alone in a big house, kids are gone… alone.  He never learned to enjoy ‘alone’… ‘Hurry’ has been like a pervasive, lethal infection, destroying him from the inside out!”

Dr. Ann McGee-Cooper has a great list of “red flags” for those who may think they have “hurry sickness”.  See if you can see yourself in any of these:

How do I know if I have “Hurry Sickness”

  • I typically drive 10 or more miles/hour over the speed limit.
  • I interrupt others and/or finish their sentences.
  • I get impatient in meetings when someone goes on a tangent.
  • I find it difficult to respect people who are chronically late.
  • I rush to be first in line, even when it doesn’t matter (for example, getting off an airplane first in order to stand at Baggage Claim longer).
  • If I have to wait over a few minutes for service in a store or restaurant, I get impatient and leave or demand service. To me time is money!
  • I generally view as less capable those who may be slower to speak act or decide. I admire people who move at my speedy pace! I pride myself on my speed, efficiency, and punctuality.
  • I view “hanging out” as a waste of time.
  • I pride myself on getting things done on time, and will sacrifice the chance to improve a product if it means being late.
  • I often rush or hurry my children and/or spouse.

Ones I have thought of as well:

  • I look for the check-out line at the grocery store with the fewest people, all the while scanning other registers to see if they are moving faster.
  • I stand in the shortest line at a fast food restaurant, and hop over to another line if the person in front of me just ordered something complex that will take time.
  • I go through my entire day multi-tasking so that I can get more accomplished in a short period of time.
  • I “dare” the kids to see who can clean their room the fastest, even offering a monetary reward for the winner!
  • I choose email over the phone because it won’t take as long as I don’t actually have to communicate.

I’m in the process of reading John Ortberg‘s book The Life You’ve Always Wanted.  He has a chapter in his book called “An Unhurried Life:  The Practice of ‘Slowing’ “.  I thought I was actually pretty good at “the practice of slowing”.  I was startled to read his opinion of what solitude is NOT.  I thought that by taking my cochlear implant off and curling up with a good book was a strategic way to practice “slowing”… to enjoy solitude.  Dr. Ortberg suggests that this is not actually practicing solitude.  It doesn’t “unhurry” you at all!  He said we need both brief periods of “real” solitude to “unhurry” our lives, but also extended periods.  Brief periods can be 30 minutes!  Extended periods should be at least for an entire day.  He states:

“What do we do when we practice solitude?  What should we bring along to that quiet place?  The primary answer, of course, is ‘nothing‘… At its heart, solitude is primarily about not doing something.  Just as fasting means to refrain from eating, so solitude means to refrain from society.  When we go into solitude, we withdraw from conversation, from the presence of others, from noise, (easy for me!  smile!  I need only remove my CI!) from the constant barrage of stimulation.”

I have found that since I lost my hearing, it is especially important for me to be “quiet”.  You would think that would be easy!  But one must “quiet” more than sound.  I must “quiet” my hands from being busy, Busy, BUSY.  I must “quiet” my mind from always thinking about what I need to do next, accomplish before I go to bed, chores, work, service, etc.

This morning with my husband gone to work, my son busy working an eight hour shift at McDonald’s, and my daughter taking care of a doctor’s appointment and then a pet sitting job, I found myself alone.  Eager to take advantage of my solitude, I sat in our “quiet room”.  This room was lovingly dubbed “The Quiet Room” by my hubby.  The wallpaper is the cloth type that keeps noise from bouncing around, there are vinyl “noise reducing” blinds on the window, thick carpet and soft comfortable furniture.  NO ELECTRONICS ALLOWED.

Alone, with only a sleepy hound-dog at my side, I turned my CI off and sat in a big cushy chair and watched the rain.  Monday-Friday, our cul-de-sac is a very quiet place.  I enjoyed my time of just reflecting, praying and watching the rain!  I came away feeling rejuvenated even!

Do you have “hurry sickness”?  Do you need to learn to reflect… to enjoy solitude?

Denise Portis

© 2008 Hearing Loss Journal

Djembe and Elmo Live

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Djembe Drums

Isn’t it funny the things that get my attention?  I’m a late-deafened adult, and only hear through the miracle of a cochlear implant.  And yet… things that get my attention are things that make SOUND.

This past Sunday I discovered that a newer drum being used in our band at church had a different sound.  Its sound was SO different than that of the other drums in the band, I ended up cornering the young man who plays it in order to ask him what it was.  Do you know how hard it is to hear a word like “Djembe“?  Grin!  I ended up asking him to spell it for me… he was very patient.  Wouldn’t ya know, I came home and googled it!  I want one for Christmas.

Elmo Live

Did you know that Elmo also has a new release this Christmas?  (You can watch him HERE)  I am so excited!  I have already thrown out a “hint” to my family.  (A “Denise hint” means an email copied to everyone in the family with a link and picture embedded was sent!)  Elmo is also a noise-maker!  You’d think I’d choose things that would involve my other senses.  Although if you think about it… Elmo and a djembe drum DO use the other senses as well.  But I find it interesting that I am mostly excited about “hearing” both of them.

Things That Make Me Go “Hmm”

I suppose the primary reason I like “noise-makers” for gifts is because I was born with normal hearing and struggle on a daily basis to STAY a “hearing person”.  I think that is what sets adults with hearing loss who choose to be “oral” apart from those who incorporate themselves into the culturally Deaf population, employing the use of American Sign Language to communicate.  I first heard (pardon the pun) the acronym OHL from Larry Sivertson.  He is someone I’ve been able to get to know through online correspondence and hearing loss conventions.  To my knowledge he was the first to coin the phrase, but i could be wrong about that.  He has a terrific site called Hearing Loss Web.  It’s a terrific website and tool for those with hearing loss… especially those who choose to remain oral.  His wife, Char, just had her own cochlear implant activated recently.  Larry and Char would likely understand better than most why non-essentials that make “noise” are such a grand gift for someone like myself.

My family doesn’t mind my “hint” list.  On the contrary, they really love seeing the UNADULTERATED JOY I receive in “hearing something” out of the ordinary.  It has helped them to not take their own hearing for granted I suspect!  I’m sure that everyone who has a cochlear implant, has a number of “noise-makers” that just bring a smile to their face to even recall hearing them for the first time.

I take their OWN “hint” list just as seriously.  (Who’d have thought iPod could continue to come up with new “must have” gadgets just in time for Christmas!)  Prior to my hearing loss in 1991, I use to only ask for things I “needed”.  I think it’s much nicer to have a “wish list” that includes things you’d never get for yourself because you don’t NEED them!  Sure we all tend to get things we NEED as well, but isn’t it fun to get some totally nonsense things too?

Denise Portis

© 2008 Hearing Loss Journal

Reader’s Digest and Thyme

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OK!  I admit it!  I’m a fan of Reader’s Digest.  I grew up on a farm in Baca County, Colorado, and my only friends were tumbleweeds, newborn calves and my cousins up the road!  Because we had a “party line” for a telephone, I never dared to talk on the phone to school friends who lived several sections of land south on other ranches. (1 section of land = 640 acres) Needless to say, when the Reader’s Digest arrived each month my siblings and I fought over who had earned the right to disappear with it as a result of chores already completed in anticipation of the mail.

Since that time, Reader’s Digest has changed it’s look a little bit, and it’s index and page numbers are easier to navigate.  It comes in “large print”, and you can even access it online!  I’m still an avid fan of Reader’s Digest, although I’m the one who pays the subscription now.

This month’s RD came in the mail this past week, and I finally had the chance to sit down with it yesterday as it had been in “hiding” with my own kids who chose to disappear with it on it’s arrival.

I had to laugh at a “humor” story about a Simon and Garfunkel song.  Yes, yes I know!  Just knowing the song, and knowing the duet means I’ve tragically aged myself.  Perhaps this will finally put to rest that rumor that I’m Terry’s 2nd wife!  I really DID grow up in the late 60’s and 70’s!

It seems a little girl had been listening to the song, “Scarborough Fair”.  She looked up at her parent and asked, “So did Parsley save Rosemary in time?”  I can’t really explain why I got the giggles over this.  I was actually laughing so hard that I had to wipe the tears of mirth from my eyes.  Chloe sat and looked at me with her very serious hound-dog look.  She was a little apprehensive, as she had been given no training about how to deal with Denise if she’d lost her mind!

As a person with hearing loss, I often misunderstand things that people say.  I’ve learned to repeat what I THOUGHT I heard when something doesn’t “fit” in the conversation.  This allows me to be proactive about the way I hear, and helps others “hear” what things may sound like to a person with hearing loss should they “rush” or “mumble”.  (See?  All those workshops at hearing loss conventions have paid off!  I really HAVE learned something!)

I love that even people with normal hearing sometimes mistake what they hear.  I also believe it’s very important for people with hearing loss to communicate what they hear when something doesn’t make sense.  It helps EVERYONE to speak up and ask for clarification.

I’ve only encountered one problem with this practice.  It doesn’t work in reverse.  If you’ve men in your life (husbands and teenage sons in particular) you can relate.  You repeat what you thought you heard and are RIGHT.  Aforementioned subjects try desperately to find an “life raft” from their “ship that is quickly sinking“!  An example:

me: “Honey?  Will you let the dogs out and get one of the kids to set the table?”

“honey”: “I’m reading the paper, and have worked all day.  Give me a minute!”

(I poke my head around the corner with eyes wide and point to my CI which clues the other person in that I heard “something” just fine!)

me: “Did you say, ‘I’m reading the paper and have worked ALL DAY?’ ”

(The paper comes down, the color washes from his face and all of 60 seconds rushes by as if time is being SUCKED OUT OF THE ROOM)

“honey”: “Umm… I said ‘I can’t REACH the paper to THROW IT AWAY’ ”

(I look at the paper in “honey’s” lap and raise one eyebrow with the practice and finesse of a true “Mr. Spock”/Star Trek fan… )

“Honey” gets up to let the dogs out…

Denise Portis

© 2008 Hearing Loss Journal

Prepare Your Feet

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As she is a service/assistance dog, I work hard at keeping Chloe in great shape.  I maintain her weight, bathe her, brush her teeth, groom her, and take care of her feet.  Chloe is usually fast asleep when I give her a pedicure.  I guess she only gets pedicures!  She can’t have a manicure being she doesn’t have hands… only feet!  Chloe gets her nails clipped and then dremeled, and the hair on her feet is trimmed away to keep debris from getting in her footpad hair, and to allow maximum traction.  I “prepare her feet“, because she has an important job.

As a person with hearing loss, I have to “prepare my feet“. I can’t just get up every day, with little to no preparation and expect to function at my best.

Physically:

I “prepare my feet” by making sure I get a good night’s rest.  Fatigue can be a real enemy of a person with hearing loss.  It takes extra effort to read lips, “listen”, and communicate.  I try to eat right, and eliminate salt and caffeine as much as I can to help me manage Meniere’s symptoms.

Mentally:

I always reflect on communication disasters in order to better prepare for the next problem.  To “prepare my feet” mentally, I dissect failed communication situations and attempt to discover what I did RIGHT, and what I did WRONG.  I have even role-played with my family members or HLAA chapter members in order to better discover situational communication strategies that work better for different personalities.

Emotionally:

“Preparing my feet” emotionally is difficult.  I am an emotional person.  A true “melancholy”, I have all the strengths and WEAKNESSES of this personality.  I remember that by responding positively and with grace, it will normally yield patience and understanding from those hearing folks I’m in contact with each day.  I try very hard not to take things personally, and to not live in a defensive and paranoid manner.  I remind myself that those closest to me are impacted by my hearing loss as well.  I should extend the same grace that I desire from them.

Spiritually:

As a person of faith, I am very conscious of how important it is to “prepare my feet” spiritually.

First and foremost, I recognize that God is truly the only one that can meet the needs of this many times self-centered, pessimistic child.  I rest in the fact that He alone communicates with me perfectly.  I can even remove my CI, “climb up in His lap” and pour my heart out.  I “hear” Him just fine and acknowledge that I should read His word daily.

Secondly, I know that just as His Son washed the feet of His followers to show what true servant hood is, I need to “prepare others’ feet” to show that my own spiritual feet are prepared.  I want to help people… especially those with hearing loss.

I openly and frankly admit that I often do not know how to do that at this stage in my life.  I have a tiny, “baby” HLAA chapter that is struggling due to lack of volunteers.  I no longer have speaking opportunities and venues in which to speak to those with hearing loss.  And yet…

… doors are opened to me almost daily to reach out in some way.  This past week, I’ve talked to a television station reporter about hearing loss, touched base with Walk4Hearing contacts, heard from numerous readers from a “hearing loss blog” network, and while running errands meet individuals who notice my CI bling and ask questions.  Being a servant simply means being available.  To be available… “prepare your feet“.  You will be surprised at the number of doors opened in which you can make a difference in someone’s life.

Denise Portis

© Hearing Loss Journal

Observation

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My son Chris 17 years old

I came across the blog of a an old friend today.  (Well SHE’S not old, because we are the same age… and gee!  I AM NOT OLD!)  I almost didn’t “recognize” her as she has a new name and is a published author!  (You GO girlfriend!)

Her latest post dealt with the ability to observe.  Gee.  Those of us who are late-deafened have certainly mastered this ability, haven’t we?  Well, I guess if we haven’t mastered it yet, then we are still banging our heads against something hard and useless, trying desperately to get a grip on an acquired disability we didn’t ask for!  It’s in our best interests to be good students of observation.

My dad loves to shop… in malls nonetheless.  Ok, I’m stretching the truth a bit, but he does enjoy going with my mom to shop in malls.  Why?  He loves to sit and observe.  I’ve OBSERVED him “observing” and get pretty tickled as his face is definitely transparent as he “observes” this person… and THAT one!  He loves to eavesdrop, and I’ve been very entertained by things he’s observed when sitting at the mall waiting for Mom.

Learning to really decipher facial expression and body language is “key” for someone who doesn’t hear.  I like to think I’m an expert.  However, now that my son is 6′ 3″ tall and I’m looking straight up his nose when face-to-face in a typical mother/son “discussion”, I’ve come to the realization I still have a lot to learn about observation.  (“MOM!  I’m NOT rolling my eyes!  You can’t even SEE my eyes!  You’re staring at my belly button!”)  SMACK. 

Observation according to Dictionary.com:

1. an act or instance of noticing or perceiving.
2. an act or instance of regarding attentively or watching.
3. the faculty or habit of observing or noticing.

Yup.  We could all do with brushing up on learning to OBSERVE.

Denise Portis
©2008 Hearing Loss Diary

Third Year Anniversary

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Today I went for my 3rd year mapping at Johns Hopkins. I haven’t been to Jennifer, my audiologist, for one full year. One of the first things she asked me was “How is everything going, Denise? I guess since it’s been a year, things are good?”

I hadn’t thought of it in quite that perspective before, but I guess I have had a very good year since I’ve not emailed nor called her begging for a new “map”! Actually, it is a little unsettling to go in to have your cochlear implant checked and “tweaked” when you feel like you are doing great! I always remind myself that Jennifer doesn’t push me to change anything if I don’t like the new maps.

First stop… the sound booth. (a.k.a. “the torture chamber” if you listen to some late-deafened folks!) The orientation of “the chair” was different this time, and I had Chloe (my hearing/balance assist dog) with me. I got kinda tickled a couple of times, as my audi would sometimes “pop in” with her voice and say, “Denise… this time we are going to…” Chloe’s head would jerk around and stare at the speaker. I could tell she was trying to see if my name was repeated for a genuine “name call alert”. One of the tests (my favorite – NOT!) is a man who says… “Ready? and then a word” It goes on for what seems like FOREVER, but actually I’m sure it’s only several minutes. I missed “when”, as I thought it was “whim”, and I missed “nice” thinking it was “mice”. As there is a “white noise” as well, I was pretty proud I only missed two! The sentences given are harder, but they are more indicative of actual conversation I believe. I didn’t miss any of these! (patting self on back…) The only thing I would change about these tests is that I believe two more options of “noise” should be used as well as the “white noise”. I think “traffic noise” and “restaurant noise” would be wonderful options for the audiologist to track how well their patients are hearing in “real life” situations.

My audi then took me back to her office and showed me a printout of the test results. I’m always amazed to see the scale, as it seems such a short time ago I could hear very little. Below is an audiogram from a couple of months before my surgery in 2005 (on the top), and below it is one of today. The up-to-date audiogram is labeled with “M’s” for the implant and “S’s” for both the implant (on my left side) and hearing aid (in my right).

She then hooked me up to her computer and gave me four new maps, carefully explaining what each were.  We then “sat and talked” so that I could “listen” to the new maps and be able to give her feedback.

When I got home, my plan had been to go right out to Wal-mart. The list from my family had gotten longer and longer over the past week. However, the sound of the rain, had me lingering at home.  For over a year now I have enjoyed the sound of the rain on the roof of the van, or on the roof of the house. Funny how something you now think sounds TOTALLY GRAND, was something you don’t remember registering as “sound” prior to becoming deaf. It most certainly wasn’t something I thought was a spectacular sound! The map I am now using as my primary, mixes both ADRO and ASC. (That probably only means something to folks with the Nucleus Freedom!) I am amazed at how wonderful the rain sounds with my new map! And it sounds… different than it did twenty-four hours ago! (It’s been raining for four days, so I very easily recall what rain sounded like yesterday!)

All thoughts I had of rushing off to Wal-mart with shopping list in hand went right out of my mind! I couldn’t help but pulling up a seat and just listening. It’s amazing how the rain sounds as it hits the wood on our deck. It’s amazing… when you are “hearing again”. Wal-mart? It can wait until tomorrow!

Denise Portis
©2008 Hearing Loss Diary

Facing Our Fears

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red-horse-004.jpg

I wrote about a “red horse” that Chloe took a dis-liking too. The post can be accessed if you click here. As time has passed over the last couple of months, her discontent at seeing the red horse has become WORSE — not better! With a new driver in the van in the form of my 17-year-old son, Chris, I decided that perhaps a trip to the restaurant was in order so that she could see the horses up close – and personal. I wanted her to face her fears not only for her own good, but also so that my inexperienced new driver could continue to learn to drive safely!

There are three horses actually. One horse is in a tiny street level “corral”, the second one is on top of the restaurant sign, and a third is on top of the motel associated with the restaurant.

red-horse-005.jpg I was actually a “wee bit” nervous as I wasn’t sure how she would respond. Chloe understands commands and the tone of a voice. But I couldn’t exactly “reason” with her as we exited the van to face her fears. I was surprised that she practically drug me to the first red horse. I didn’t want her to “freak out” as I was in my Fidos For Freedom gear, having just returned from a DEMO to a brownie troupe. I certainly didn’t want Chloe and I to be poor representatives of my favorite organization!

I was a little bewildered that she didn’t even growl at the horse! She has such a fit in the van, I just knew the hair on her back would stand straight up as she barked her head off! As she doesn’t look nearly as cute without a head, I was glad to see her under such control. red-horse-008.jpg

Towards the end, she actually started wagging her tail. I was very glad to see her so calmly approach, study, and relax around something that has been upsetting her for months.

What made Chloe so calm around something she’s been so disturbed about for so long?

Perhaps facing her fears along side of someone she trusts helped.

I thought about how true this is of my own life as well.

Facing my fears, is much easier to do and much more successful when I have someone I trust beside me. Obviously, my biggest fear is that of my deafness. I am blessed to have a wonderful cochlear implant that maximizes my hearing, various technologies that improve how well I hear in different environments… yet I will always be a “deaf person”. I don’t hear “normally”, but I do hear. Having Chloe gives me confidence… but her partnership doesn’t give me my hearing back. I trust Chloe’s ears, and she is always beside me. So she helps me face my fears, just by her presence… which in my case is being able to hear the world around me in such a way that I stay “safe” and “aware”.

It’s also important to find people who can come along side you when you are fearful. I think that is why many people search out support when they acquire a disability. The internet is a GREAT thing. One can research, search, and FIND people who are facing the same thing they find themselves now living. There are numerous support groups, organizations, clubs and message boards for those with hearing loss.

Sharing your fears, worries and challenges with like-minded people, allow most individuals to face their fears with a little more determination, a little more courage, a little more optimism, and a little more success.

Denise Portis
©2008 Hearing Loss Diary

What You Can’t See Can be Scary!

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I have had “my ears out” for the majority of the day so far, as I’ve been grading sign language presentations for two of my classes. (It drives my kids nuts sometimes, when they know I need only to clip my CI on, and stick my hearing aid in to hear “semi-normally”). I tape my student’s presentations, thanks to the help of my daughter and “teacher’s aide”.
kp-crop.jpg I have no idea what I will do without her next year! (sniff!)

I watch the videos of my student’s presentations “deaf”. It gives me a better picture of how a culturally Deaf person might see and understand the presentation given. It takes me about 30 minutes to grade a SL1 presentation, about a hour to grade a SL2 presentation, and about 2 hours to grade a SL3 presentation. I watch them over and over again… looking for different things. It’s amazing what I pick up not being able to “hear”. At the very end, I put my “ears on” (cochlear implant on the left, and hearing aid on the right) and watch the presentation one last time. My students would be a little disgruntled to learn that sometimes this is where points come off! “Hearing” their presentation while “watching” as well, allows certain mistakes or “wobbles” to be discovered. I’m sure they’d appreciate it if I only graded “deaf”!

Today in the backyard I was giving Chloe, my hearing assistance dog, some “down time”. I had my “ears in”, and so I do hear some of what she hears with those wonderful ears. However, I’m amazed at what I still miss. For one thing, she hears with BOTH ears. I have difficulty discerning “where” a sound is coming from as I really only hear through my implant on the left side. Imagine my surprise, when Chloe stopped dead in her tracks and started circling a spot on the ground and barking! I came closer and said, “What is it, Chloe… show me!” This is Chloe’s clue to point, or take me to a sound I can’t identify. She didn’t move! She kept growling, barking and circling a spot on the ground. I got down on my knees in order to get a closer look and really used my eyes to check out what she’d found. Chloe came over and sat right next to me, and I was astonished to feel her shaking. She was very upset! As something very obviously had her rattled, and bolted back into the house as Chloe stood “guard” over the spot.

A quick shriek, “Come quick!” had both my teens at my side almost instantly. I asked Chloe to “show me again”, and she again circled the same spot, growled and barked. The kids told me that it was a bark that definitely said, “I’m afraid”. Her trembling clued me in to that, so I certainly didn’t doubt their word.

We never did discover what it was! What you can’t see can be scary! Perhaps it was a vole? We just don’t know! It was obviously something Chloe could hear, as those wonderful ears would suddenly perk up and she’d growl and stare. (The thought that I may have a vole in my yard just makes me incredibly happy! NOT!) vole.jpg

Kyersten must not have been as rattled as I as she put her “naked dog” (Chinese crested), Pegasus, in his exercise pen for a suntan this afternoon. Who knows what voles eat?

peg3crop.jpg Apparently not “Peg”, as he is still sunning himself outside.

You know? Many things that we cannot see can be scary! Deafness isn’t something you can see. One of my kiddos works in a small retail store and have noted more than once, the look of apprehension on co-workers or other customer’s faces when it is discovered a customer is Deaf. The person “looks” normal, and it isn’t until communication takes place that differences are readily apparent. I’m very glad my kids know some sign so that they can make the Deaf feel comfortable! What people with normal hearing do not realize, is that Deaf people can do everything except… hear!

SIDE NOTE: For those of you who may be new to my blog, Deaf with a capital “D” denotes those who are culturally Deaf and use ASL to communicate. Deaf with a small “d” (deaf) are those who are oral and use their voices to communicate, but they cannot hear.

There are many disabilities that are invisible; deafness is only one. I got a little “grief” from some of my extended family for choosing to get a working dog to help me. My acquired disability was invisible to others! Why on earth would I want to make something “invisible”, visible? (I’ll save that for another post!)

What we don’t understand… things that may unnerve us? Things that scare us, may be nothing more than a cute little vole! (Actually I hope my daughter doesn’t read this as she may go out… unearth the vole and adopt it!) It would be great if all of us would learn to pay attention to things using all of our senses. God has given us intuitions and gifts that are not necessarily included in what our 5 senses pick up either! Take the time to “pay attention”. What you cannot see may be scary, but what you can hear, feel, taste, empathize with, discover and enjoy may be a … well? A vole!vole2.jpg

Denise Portis
©2008 Hearing Loss Diary