The one thing that people say about hearing loss that makes me angry

I’m usually fairly relaxed about my hearing loss and people’s attitude towards it. It’s doesn’t bother me overly if someone decides to use a comically loud, slow and patronising voice if I ask them to repeat themselves – I just tell them they don’t need to do that. It doesn’t bother me if someone decides that repeating themselves is too much trouble – they probably aren’t worth listening too anyway.

But there’s one thing, a few little words, that make me want to spit blood, it’s probably said innocently but it’s irritating beyond belief. Brace yourself for this:

“Oh, he just hears what he wants to”

You really think I pick and choose what I want to hear? That I turn it on and off as I please? I wish I had that luxury. I really wish I had that choice. That’s like pointing to someone in a wheelchair and saying, “meh, she’s just a bit lazy, likes a sit down”.