Steve Wrote:[MENTION=20947]MikeW[/MENTION] Cafe Stada huh? You California types are so trendy! 
Seriously though, I don't think in all the times we've talked that you mentioned you suffer from Tinnitus. Me too. Doctors first look at me like I'm a frequent flyer, but once they're sure I'm clean they tell you there nothing they can do about it. I just want to scream, "So why look at me like I just farted on a baby if you can't do anything for me?" Usually exercise, a decent diet, and good sleep help, but sometimes... Man! I can't even think through the ear ringing high pitched tones. Just what I need, another thing driving me absolutely batty!
I know I've mentioned it a couple times here on the forum. Mine is actual physical damage to the inner most ear that happened when I was 18 years old. It was a culmination of two things: First, my dad had this ridiculous notion that if you removed the muffler from a tractor, that would extend its gas millage. This was at a time when fuel was 35 cents a gallon! Anyway, he had me up on an International Harvester for EIGHTEEN HOURS IN ONE DAY with the damn muffler removed. I don't even know how to describe what that was like; the exhaust being in front of me about four or five feet, papapapapapapaing about as loud as a fire cracker going off a hundred times a minute. Of course back in those days, none of us ever thought to wear ear protection, either.
After that my ears were ringing like crazy AND IT NEVER WENT WAY.
Some years later as an adult I went to a hearing specialist. I remember they put me in a sound proof booth to test my hearing and at one point the guy running the test was talking outside the booth to someone else and I had NO PROBLEM hearing them.
The point being, this isn't a VOLUME issue. People don't understand this. If I mention I'm partially deaf to people, they always start talking louder -- which is thoughtful but doesn't necessarily address my problem. MY PROBLEM is a "comprehension" issue. Since my ears are ringing constantly (it is always bad but being around high-frequency sound generators like electric motors, you know, blenders, vacuum cleaners, leaf blowers, jet engines, that sort of thing, only makes it worse) the consonant sounds that allow us to differentiate "bat" from "hat" or "cat" from "sat" not to mention "that," "brat," "splat," "rat," "fat," "pat," "tat," and "vat" are lost on me. They all get "mushed" together and sound alike. BUT if I can see your lips moving, I can SEE those sound differences being formed (a consonant is a letter/sound that requires the closure of the air passageway by teeth, tongue, lips or constriction of the vocal cords). So you have to be FACING me and I have to be looking right at your mouth.
One of the funny things is, if I can't see your mouth moving, I do "hear" you talking but what my brain MAKES of your words can be something totally ridiculous. LOL, I can't think of a good example because, what happens is I hear someone say something and I *know* what they "said" made NO SENSE at all; therefore I'm pretty sure I didn't hear them correctly. I have to say, "What?" and then make sure I'm facing them or they're facing me. OH... and the worst are mumblers! People who mumble their words by barely moving their lips at all. FUCK THAT! I can ask someone like that three times what they said and STILL not be sure I have it right and usually don't. ENUNCIATE PEOPLE!!! ENUNCIATE!
The other thing is being in crowded rooms... like restaurants or bars. If I'm in a noisy bar and talking with some hottie, even IF I can see their lips moving, I have NO IDEA what they're saying. They can put their mouth right next to my ear, makes no difference.
The thing about a disability like this is that it isn't "visible". I've worked at the same place with the same boss for almost 40 years. She knows me very well and knows exactly what my issue is but does that prevent her from saying something to me with her back turned toward me? Nope! She knows but she doesn't "get it" and hasn't ever gotten it and never will. I say to her over and over and over again, "If I can't see your lips moving, chances are I'm not understanding what you're saying." So, she turns to me and repeats it... but damn, you'd think someone would "get it" eventually, but nope!
As far as disabilities go, though, I'd rather this than a lot of others. I rely so heavily on my vision, I can't imagine what it would be like to be partially or completely blind, for example.
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