I can’t hear you. Really, literally.

I do not mean to embarrass you or myself. I do not mean to make things harder for you. I do not mean to make you repeat yourself so many times that you end up saying, “never mind.”

I cannot help that I wear hearing aids and have dealt with hearing loss since I was diagnosed with it at only 5 days old. And while it has not impaired me even enough to make a clear distinction between me and everyone else, My Life’s Little Miracle still has its annoyances, problems and setbacks.

I understand you better when I am facing toward you while you are speaking to me. If you are calling my name when my back is turned toward you, you may yell my name trying to get my attention as many times as you want, but I can almost guarantee that I will not hear you. Instead, please come nearer to me, and tap me on the shoulder to get my attention.

When I am riding in the front seat of a car, it is harder for me to hear the people in the back, and vice versa. I must turn around to hear you, and if you are in the front seat, you will have to turn around and talk to me directly for me to fully understand you.

When you whisper to me in a loud, crowded place, I will not be able to hear or make sense of what you are saying. Mouth or speak your words directly to me. I’m actually quite good at reading lips! It’s a talent that I have developed early on in life. (Phones are hard — I can't read lips).

In class, I need to sit toward the front to hear as best as possible. And if the teacher walks around the room while teaching, my head turns in the direction of where the instructor is standing. I cannot keep facing forward and clearly make sense of all that is being said to the side of me or behind me.

I always arrive at meetings early in order to choose just where I want to sit without any problems. I always choose a spot in the middle of the room, where I can hear people on either side of the room equally well.

Because my hearing aids are not waterproof, the beach and the pool are settings that cause some complications. I can't risk getting them wet, so I usually spend those times asking, "what?" a lot and concentrating intently on what is being said and by whom while they are tucked away in a dry, safe place.

These are a few of the situations I find myself in where I instinctively have an alternative thought process compared to most people. And sometimes, I feel pretty down about it.

Because it is embarrassing to have someone say, “I was calling your name behind you so many times.” So, if you have done this and you didn’t know I had this hearing impairment, now you do! And if you did know but you forgot, it’s okay! I am not trying to make anyone feel bad. I understand how hard it can be to realize and remember to slightly alter your habits just around one person. All I want to do is to give you a glimpse into my life with hearing aids and to show you ways that can make our communication easier. It helps us both, not just me.

And to those that always have compassion and understanding for these little situations, thank you.