Interviews

Showing Tag: "hearing" (Show all posts)

Walk a mile in my shoes - COVID style

Posted by jennifer gibson on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, In : COVID - March 2020 

Going to the hospital this week for my spinal injections was a nightmare for someone like me with a profound hearing loss during the COVID crisis. Everywhere I looked, everyone was wearing a mask. This is the worst thing to do since I have absolutely no idea what is being said. I rely on lip reading as much as possible and need to see facial expressions. Fortunately, the staff that I deal with on a regular basis know me very well and were very understanding about my situation. They knew I was...


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Unforgettable books about people with disabilities

Posted by jennifer gibson on Sunday, July 21, 2019, In : July 2019 


Hi everyone! I just got the news that my book Compass is being featured at "Unforgettable books about people who refuse to be defined by disabilities"! It's number 2 on their list of top picks. Isn't that amazing?

I love how they encourage others to embrace the world of people with disabilities. They are very aware how underrepresented the disabled population is in movies, TV, and books, and have created an incredible platform for everyone to learn more about real people living with disabili...


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Home

Posted by jennifer gibson on Monday, May 20, 2019, In : May 2019 

Recently, someone commented how much I’ve changed, that I seem to be more grounded. They are right. After an immensely difficult couple of months due to my severe chronic pain and physical illness, I finally emerged as a stronger person. 

Normally, I face a lot of obstacles every day from my profound hearing loss but having being diagnosed with five herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, spondylolysis, inactive C6 radiculopathy and Trigeminal Neuralgia, it tested my faith to the ext...


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Navigating the path to independence

Posted by jennifer gibson on Monday, November 5, 2018, In : November 2018 



Growing up with a severe hearing loss was filled with many challenges, both good and bad, and they served as hard lessons that stuck with me. I’ve learned that I’m the only one responsible for my life and that it’s entirely up to me to find creative solutions that work. 

One of the biggest issues that I’m faced with on a daily basis is that I’m not Deaf and I’m not Hearing, I’m in between those two worlds. I’m actually Hard of Hearing in one ear, deaf in the other and speak n...


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We're all in this together

Posted by jennifer gibson on Sunday, September 23, 2018, In : september 2018 

I recently came across this phrase by Gabrielle Bernstein "We're all in this together" and thought it was the right fit for today. It certainly feels true. In one of her chapters, she was discussing the need for us to let go of the anger and resentment from our past, especially from our childhood. I agree and this is exactly what I'm working on these days, learning to let go of situations that I have no control over. They are life lessons from when I was a child that focus too much on inequal...


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Faith

Posted by jennifer gibson on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, In : August 2018 

As I took some time to recover from a back injury, I turned to music for solace, particularly George Michael. Since his death on December 25, 2016, I miss him even more. Growing up in the 80’s, he was such an inspiration to me. He had this amazing light and passion that was impossible to resist. His words and music was about living life to the fullest and not giving a damn about what others thought. 

He was an icon of my generation. During that time, there was a shift in the world, a tim...


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Learning Curve

Posted by jennifer gibson on Wednesday, June 27, 2018, In : June 2018 



Moving from a small, rural community to a large city was a big change for me in many ways. Ironically, it’s the same city that I grew up in, except that it has morphed into a metropolis over the last decade. It was virtually unrecognizable when I first drove in, I was surrounded by brand new tall condos, lots of superstores and restaurants. The streets looked different too, the landscape had changed over time. 

For me, it was a new beginning, a fresh start and exciting stage in my life. I ...


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Inspire

Posted by jennifer gibson on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, In : June 2018 



When I recently posted an old childhood photo of me wearing a body aid, I had no idea as to how popular it would become. There was a flurry of responses from many other people who had a hearing loss like me. I was astounded. As I read their comments, I realized that the majority of us had the same opinion about it: we hated the body aid.

As a child, I personally saw it as a monstrosity that invited unkind remarks from complete strangers who typically said that I was “too young to wear one....


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Alive

Posted by jennifer gibson on Sunday, June 17, 2018, In : June 2018 



What does it mean to be alive? That question seems to have popped up so many times lately in the wake of the suicides of designer Kate Spade and chef Anthony Bourdain. Strangely, around the same time this happened, there was a sense of a heavy pall around the world. Was there was a sudden shift in the earth’s magnetic poles? Or perhaps a change in the sun’s solar flares? Whatever the reason, there is a universal feeling that many of can sense that something is not right, deep down in our ...

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Making a difference

Posted by jennifer gibson on Thursday, February 22, 2018, In : Feb 2018 


As I finalize the details of my upcoming trip, I’m going over every aspect of it to ensure that I receive the necessary assistance for a (mostly) smooth trip. Invariably, there will always be a hiccup along the way, such as delays or that someone forgot I had a disability. Yes, I do have a disability, I don’t sugarcoat it by saying things like “I’m more able than disabled”.  Even though my profound hearing loss is invisible, it’s very real and a huge obstacle for me to overcome on...

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Symbol of Hope

Posted by jennifer gibson on Sunday, February 11, 2018, In : Feb 2018 




As the snow continues to fall outside during another winter storm, I’ve been spending time on Pinterest looking for new Supergirl wallpapers to use on my tablet. Yes, I’ll admit that I love that show, for so many personal reasons. I think it’s because I can relate to her. As someone with a hearing loss, I’m always searching for inspiration, someone to look up to and I find  that she is a great choice. 

Even though Supergirl is incredibly strong, fearless and determined to help others, ...

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Passengers

Posted by jennifer gibson on Thursday, October 5, 2017, In : October 2017 

The last few months have proven to be an incredible challenge for me on many levels, particularly after the death of my mother. I've been doing a lot of soul searching, trying to figure out where I fit in and how to utilize my skills. I'm continuing to evolve and change as I go through this new journey. 

While my hearing loss has defined me and given me opportunities to adapt and grow as a person. It has also forced me to come out of my comfort zone, especially since I'm quite shy, and to come...
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More Bling please!

Posted by jennifer gibson on Saturday, April 8, 2017, In : April 2017 

(Earmold tubes - Etsy, BriteTubes)

After seeing numerous posts on Instagram featuring brightly decorated earmolds and hearing aids, I decided to contact Phonak and ask them where I could possibly get the colourful tubes for my BTE's. They offer a lot of gorgeous shades for their Sky V hearing aids which is for the Teen market that also gives them the freedom to pick a variety of hook and tube colours as well. Even though I do not wear Phonak, I was over the moon about their willingness to allo...
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Thanks Air Canada

Posted by jennifer gibson on Wednesday, March 8, 2017, In : March 2017 


As a seasoned solo traveller, particularly one with a profound hearing loss, I've learned a few tricks to help cope with the anxiety and stress that comes with it. I've had several near misses at airports where I didn't hear the announcements for gate changes and found myself sprinting to the other side via a confusing maze of busy hallways. I always get a cold sweat whenever I approach the lounge area, wondering if I'm in the right boarding area. 

Over the years, along with frequent trips in...
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What do you mean?

Posted by jennifer gibson on Monday, January 9, 2017, In : January 2017 


To borrow the phrase from Justin Bieber's popular song "What do you mean?", I wanted to know the true meaning of the word "stigma". I reached for the heavy Dictionary and Thesaurus, flipped through the thick pages and found the description: a mark of disgrace or infamy associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. To go even further, according to the medical description it states: a mental or physical mark that is characteristic of a defect or disease.

So what does that mean ...

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Bling up my hearing aids please!

Posted by jennifer gibson on Friday, December 2, 2016, In : December 2016 



Everyone knows that hearing aids tend to look rather dull, after all, they are medical devices. While some companies provide a variety of colours, particularly for the kids, the majority offer a limited range, namely hair and skin tones. That’s fine for people who want to be discreet about their hearing loss. But what about the rest of us who have been wearing them for more than 20 or 30 years? We get bored, really quickly. Like myself, I discovered that it’s much more pr...


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Wisdom at forty-something

Posted by jennifer gibson on Monday, August 22, 2016, In : August 2016 


You would think that turning forty meant gaining more wisdom, and as someone who’s forty-something, I’m wondering where the heck it went. Sure, I have gained a lot more insight, compassion (sort-of), and I’m currently somewhat more business-savvy than I was in my twenties but it doesn’t necessarily make me a smarter person.

In some ways, I’m more of a klutz now, making critical mistakes that cause me to cringe in horror as I think about the future consequences of my actions. Ironica...
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Verbatim

Posted by jennifer gibson on Monday, August 15, 2016, In : August 2016 


My mother recently read an article and suggested that I take a look at it. She normally doesn't do this unless it was something that had a really strong opinion or featured a topic that would be interesting to me. Truthfully, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect but I suspected that it had something to do with hearing loss. Growing up with a severe to profound hearing impairment has, in many ways, blunted my compassion and viewpoint about other people's experiences. Why? Because they usually...
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Hearing loss challenge

Posted by jennifer gibson on Tuesday, July 14, 2015, In : 2015 


Jude Law photographed by singer Bryan Adams for Hear the World.

I recently posted a hearing loss challenge on Facebook by encouraging people to wear ear plugs for a day and one of my friends tried it out.

She said that by doing this, it really opened her eyes about having a disability and gave her a deeper appreciation of what she has now.

Go visit her website and read about her adventure.

http://www.authorerikamszabo.com/youve-made-my-day/it-sucks-to-be-a-deaf-person-in-a-hearing-world

Thank y...
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Walk a mile in my shoes

Posted by jennifer gibson on Saturday, July 11, 2015, In : 2015 

(Photos by musician Bryan Adams for the Hear the World campaign)

Have you ever wondered what the world sounds like to me? If you're brave enough and up to a nifty challenge, I dare you to wear earplugs for a day or two.

No cheating! You must wear those ear plugs for every situation ALL DAY. No excuses.That means answering the phone, going shopping, driving, talking to your family, playing sports, watching TV or going to the movies. BTW, it helps to let others know that you are doing an experim...
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What does hearing loss sound like?

Posted by jennifer gibson on Sunday, June 14, 2015, In : 2015 


That's me at the age of five or six with my Aunt! I'm wearing a body aid. Today I wear BTE's (Behind the Ear) Oticon hearing aids which are super strong.

I was born with a severe to profound hearing loss and recently went deaf in one ear. This means that when I wear my hearing aids, most sounds are essentially muffled, anything in the distance or that is soft is virtually invisible to me. Some days I feel like I'm wearing pillows over my ears, that's how quiet it is for me with my hearing ai...
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No shame

Posted by jennifer gibson on Tuesday, October 16, 2012,
What's amazing is the response I've been receiving from my book Sway.  It has proven to be a wonderful ice breaker and a great way to learn more about someone.  What has happened is that it has opened a door to being more open and comfortable about ourselves and willing to say something like "Yes! I know what you mean!" or "That happened to me too!".  It's been an astounding revelation for all of us. 

What's interesting is that I often hear the phrase "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronge...
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Silent World

Posted by jennifer gibson on Tuesday, September 25, 2012,
I recently watched the award winning movie called "The Artist".  As I watched it, I kept getting the impression that it was eerily similar to "Singing in the Rain".  Particularly near the end with the dance sequence between the two main characters where it becomes acutely obvious that it's very much like the tap dance number in "Moses Supposes".  By the way, for those of you who are curious, here's the link to that dance scene > http://youtu.be/tciT9bmCMq8

Throughout the movie I kept gritting ...
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Food for thought...

Posted by jennifer gibson on Wednesday, January 11, 2012,
As someone who is severely hard of hearing, I have found that the best form of communication is via email or texting.  It's easy and accessible a part of today's society, everyone does this which is very cool.  Who would've thought that someone like me would be mainstream, become a part of the hip crowd?

Growing up was an isolating experience, particularly since I was the only kid in school with a disability.  At that time, my hearing loss was glaringly obvious.  I wore a body aid which meant...
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My Life

Posted by jennifer gibson on Monday, January 9, 2012,
If you are already a big fan of my books, Sway and Compass, you are probably asking the question "How?!  How the heck did you survive?!"

To tell you the truth, I'm still asking myself the same question.  Honestly, I really don't know how in the world I didn't lose my mind a long time ago.  If anyone else had been in my shoes, they would've most likely be left quaking in them.  I know it's unbelievably cliche but what you experience in life, especially the good, bad and downright ugly, it can m...
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Happy New Year!

Posted by jennifer gibson on Monday, January 9, 2012,
Can you believe it's already 2012?! Wow, time goes by really quickly!

For those of you following me, I'm currently working on my third novel - a continuation of Jessie's journey.  This came as a complete surprise, I never expected to write past the first book, Sway.  So, to be writing a third one is simply mind blowing!

There are lots of new twists, deeper revelations, and surprising changes in this one.  It's a real page turner.  And it's based on my life as a hard of hearing teenager - meanin...
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