Experiences and impacts of mild conductive hearing loss

¶ … wore on earplug for a bit over five hours and both earplugs for about two and a half hours. While I was wearing one earplug I did a number of different things. I put the earplug in during the afternoon and immediately took my two dogs to the dog park. Driving with the earplug in was a completely different experience. I had the earplug in my right ear, so I felt the need to look more in that direction. At the dog park I normally engage in conversation with the other dog owners and I did the same thing, but I found myself saying 'what' more than usual or asking them to 'say it again louder'. Being outside at a dog park with lots of noises -- especially barking, etc., I felt more insecure about where my dogs were and what was going on. Dogs can get into fights at dog parks and so any barking or yelp I heard, I was immediately worried that it was worse than I was hearing.

After the dog park I had to stop at the store for some items. I went through the checkout and the grocery bagger had started bagging my groceries. I looked over and told him that I had my own bags. I think he may have asked me before, but I didn't hear, because they always ask there. He was on my right side and that was the side with the earplug, so it makes sense. I felt like he was annoyed with me for not hearing him or making him take everything out and put the stuff into my own bags.

My friend was picking me up for a movie later in the early evening and I didn't tell her about the earplug because I wanted to see how it would change conversation as well as my understanding of the movie. We had a drink before the film and I had a very hard time hearing her as the bar was quite noisy. I found it difficult to focus on what she was saying as the ear I could hear out of was picking up more of the background sounds than her voice. It was a bit frustrating. My friend actually asked me if I was feeling okay. She said I seemed distracted, so I ended up telling her about the earplug. We were going into the movie anyway then.

Because it was quiet in the cinema, I had an easy time hearing the film. A few words were lost here and there, but for the most part, it was an okay experience. Because I am used to the surround sound at the cinema, I felt like I wasn't hearing that as much and I missed the full effect of going to the movies.

Wearing the two earplugs was a completely different experience from wearing the one. I went to a cardio class at my gym and because the routines are always different, I was having a very hard time following because I couldn't hear what the instructor was saying. I had to rely on watching others in the class to make sure that I was doing the right thing.

After the gym I went to get some sushi at a fast food sushi place and I had to rely on the cashier's lips to understand what she was asking or saying. There was confusion when I handed her money because she had asked me if I wanted a drink. She ended up holding a soda cup up. I said 'no thanks' and then she took my money. I hadn't expected her to ask me that because I was taking the sushi to go. It was frustrating and a little bit embarrassing because there was a line of people behind me. I felt very alone and isolated from the world.