Traveling with My Sister: Overcoming a Lifelong Hearing Loss

Traveling with My Sister: Overcoming a Lifelong Hearing Loss

My younger sister was born three months premature and grew up with severe hearing loss. After a recent change for the better, she agreed to accompany me on a trip...

Kia's story

I first noticed that my sister was different when I was seven and she was six. Forida was told to wear hearing aids and I remember how embarrassed she was. The chunky beige aids stood out on her child-sized ears and marked her out as different to other school children; not one of us.

It got worse when I was nine and she was eight. Forida received new equipment, including a boxy black microphone that she wore across her chest. It might as well have been a scarlet letter. Classmates teased her daily and I remember defending her with excessive ferocity. My sister, who was gentle where I was shrill, gentle where I was stubborn, and sweet where I was selfish, deserved a simpler life.

alt=“Forida and Kia on a hike in the Chiltern Hills with hearing loss”>Atlas & BootsForida and Kia on a hike in the Chiltern Hills

Forida's hearing loss affected her academically, but my family didn't worry as long as she was happy. When I interviewed her many years later for an article about traveling with disabilities, I understood how it also affected her free time. In the article, Forida talks about eating at a restaurant and being afraid to order something because she knows she won't understand the waiter. On another occasion, she told me that she would like to visit Malaysia but was afraid of traveling with hearing loss. If she couldn't understand people at home, how could she understand people abroad?

I, who have traveled the world, found a deep poignancy in this. I wanted to encourage my little sister to travel, but I didn't know how to move beyond empty platitudes. I could tell her to “get out of her comfort zone,” but when life at home is already uncomfortable, venturing abroad seems overly punishing.

alt="Forida on the road in the Chiltern Hills">Atlas & BootsExploring the Chiltern Hills

Forida seemed to have come to terms with her hearing loss. I saw her abandon group conversations and let her mind wander or avoid contact with strangers to avoid potential problems.

It was in July this year when I visited my mother's house in London that I saw a change for the better in her. Forida recently had a hearing test and raved about a hearing aid: "I didn't realize how bad my hearing was," she said. “As I put them on, I could hear lights buzzing and clothes rustling.”

A few days later she sent me a picture of the Oticon Opn aids and explained that unfortunately they were not available on the NHS. Instead, she was able to get a pair two floors down. I spent the evening researching the tools, reading reviews and poring over testimonials - including politician Edwina Currie, who said the tools had changed her life.

alt="Forida and Kia on Coombe Hill in the Chiltern Hills traveling with hearing loss">Atlas & BootsKia and Forida on Coombe Hill

With the same protective pulse I felt as a child, I booked Forida an advanced hearing test with Harley Street Hearing and decided to go the private route. Together we met Jas, a senior audiologist, who confirmed that Forida would indeed benefit from the Opn tools.

My ultimate goal was to show Forida that traveling with hearing loss doesn't have to be scary, so I booked us on a trip after she got used to the hearing aids. We agreed to start small and booked a break in the Chiltern Hills: not too far from home in London, but far enough to see something new.

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Below, Forida describes her journey in her own words - from receiving the aids to our journey. From what I observed, my little sister was much more relaxed and calm. I suspect this was not just because the hearing aids help her hear, but also because they are surprisingly discreet. Forida's childhood interventions have marked her as different and she finally appears to be free of her heritage.

alt="The new hearing aids from Forida are practically invisible">Atlas & BootsTake a break on our day hike

Forida is undergoing training to relearn how to distinguish words, sounds and pitches. Reaching maximum capacity will take time and commitment, but she seems much more open to traveling with hearing loss. It may be years before she is ready for Malaysia, but the Chiltern Hills were an excellent start.

Forida's Story: Living and Traveling with Hearing Loss

A verbatim account of Forida's journey, from receiving her hearing aids to our journey.

Setup Friday, August 31, 2018

I received a pair of Opn miniRITE rechargeable hearing aids. My audiologist Jas helped me download an app called Oticon ON, which helps me listen and increase and decrease the volume directly from my iPhone. She showed me step by step how to use everything and how to maintain hygiene. When I went to book another appointment, for the first time I could actually hear everything the receptionist was saying. She was so kind and wished you good luck on your journey with the new hearing aids. I was so excited. I couldn't wait to explore everything.

alt=“A moment of reflection in the Chiltern Hills”>Atlas & BootsA moment of reflection in the Chiltern Hills

I left the clinic with a smile on my face. I couldn't believe the happiness in me. I wore my hearing aids all the way home while simultaneously hearing every single sound that I couldn't hear before. When I got to the subway station, I kept hearing so many beeps. I always thought 'where does it come from?'. Then I realized it was all the people coming in and out with their Oystercards. It was loud for the first time ever. It felt like every sound was too much, but using the Oticon app helped me turn down the volume via my iPhone.

When I got home I showed my husband all the equipment and explained one by one what they would do for me. I could hear all the voices and I could choose whose voice I wanted to pay attention to. I could hear every word my three-year-old said without asking her to repeat it. I was so excited to hear her speak every word. It was such an incredible feeling.

Shopping with my daughterSaturday, September 1, 2018

Today my older daughter and I went to Westfield Stratford City to buy a few bits and bobs for her secondary school. I thought, let's eat somewhere loud because I want to see if I can hear them. I was able to turn up my iPhone's microphone to hear my daughter louder, and I could actually hear every word she spoke.

alt=“Forida is talking to her older daughter”>Atlas & BootsForida is talking to her older daughter

I felt truly confident for the first time. Normally I wouldn't speak much because it annoys me to ask the other person to repeat the words. I'm excited to explore this brand new world.

Dealing with a Noisy Workplace Saturday September 29, 2018

I work in a busy catering service and wore my hearing aids to work. At first it was so overwhelming with so many noises being thrown at me. The first week was the hardest with adjusting. It took me a month to get used to the volume I was comfortable with.

alt=“Forida can hear her children in busier places”>Atlas & BootsForida is safer to converse in noisy places

I've been taking LACE (Listening And Communication Enhancement) listening tests online that will help me get used to hearing words in a noisy place, which is exactly what I need to cope with noise at work while hearing words at the same time.

The sounds I couldn't hear before Monday, October 1, 2018

I can actually hear my kids breathing when they sleep. I hear tiny white noises or the ticking of a clock that I could never hear before. Or birds chirping in the morning. It's amazing that when I want to hear a certain sound, I can turn up the volume and hear it clearly. At first I jumped at some noises and kept wondering what this or that noise was.

alt=“A Walk in the Chiltern Hills”>Atlas & BootsA walk in the Chiltern Hills

My husband said that my hearing aids help me a lot. He said that for the first time I am not stressed or frustrated. I don't have to let him repeat his words and the words of our children so often. I feel like I can talk to my kids a lot better now.

alt="Forida with her children in the Chiltern Hills">Atlas & BootsForida with her children on Coombe Hill

I organized a meeting with a few friends at a busy restaurant. I could hear well and clearly, but I prefer gatherings in quieter places. In noisy environments, everything can be too loud at first, but here the app allows me to turn down the volume and turn up the microphone on the iPhone to hear the words louder.

Traveling with hearing lossSaturday, November 10, 2018

Myself, my two eldest children and my sister Kia went on a trip to the Chiltern Hills. I've always been nervous about traveling with hearing loss and this was a good way to test my confidence.

I noticed so many differences. I usually have difficulty having a conversation on the train because it gets too loud and I find it difficult to understand each other. This time I could hear everything as if we were having a normal conversation in a quiet place. I was able to interact with my children and sister more than usual. For example, they played a game where they tested each other in world capitals, and I was able to participate.

alt=“Forida now feels more comfortable traveling with hearing loss”>Atlas & BootsForida now feels more comfortable traveling with hearing loss

We went on several hikes in the Chiltern Hills. It was nice to hear birds chirping and leaves rustling and to experience something new. At some point my son said, “I love exploring this place,” and I realized that I should take my kids to new places to experience new things. Traveling with hearing loss shouldn’t deter me.

alt="Ready to explore the world">Atlas & BootsReady to explore the world

We went to some local restaurants and a lovely tea shop where I could order with confidence. My improved hearing helps me a lot and I feel much more confident. I'm not afraid to go out and explore more. I actually had a nightmare that I left the house without wearing my hearing aids. You have now become a part of my life and I am so grateful.

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