Morgan's hearing loss was diagnosed when she was a child, first in her right ear at three years old, then in her left ear when she was four. Then, within five years, her hearing impairment progressed from mild-to-moderate, to severe-to-profound. Following that, she has suffered from multiple ear infections throughout her childhood and teenage years, mostly in her right ear. Nowadays, her right ear no longer benefits from a hearing aid, so she uses Phonak CROS hearing aids to compensate for the difference.
Being hearing impaired her entire life, she has years of experience dealing with people who act rude towards her, rolling their eyes in annoyance when she doesn't understand their speech. Other people, through no fault of their own, simply do not understand how to speak to her, which is by speaking slowly and enunciating, adding emphasis to the softer consonants. Then, the pandemic struck, and everyone started wearing masks, further hindering her ability to understand their muffled speech and completely wiping away her ability to read lips.
This almost sounds like the tragic tale of a person who grows more and more bitter by the year. But that's not Morgan's tale …
Rather, Morgan pursues a career in which she hopes to work in medicine, advocacy for those with disabilities, or in child or family therapy. She has found compassion in her struggles and seeks to help those who face the same situations she has dealt with.
She has also discovered the pleasure of taking her hearing aid out and being in a silent world, being deaf. She's a unique individual who can bridge the gap between the world of deafness and the world of sound. Even though she's had her share of difficulties, she doesn't view her hearing loss as a disability. Quite the contrary. She says, "It's my superpower."
If you or someone you know is struggling with hearing loss, come in for a hearing assessment and to discuss what hearing solutions would best suit your individual needs. Everyone deserves to hear well!