It was the first day of year 7. I was at the orientation assembly and was looking for the hearing support unit. I saw a few teachers signing and went up to introduce myself. “Hi! I’m Ayah!” I told them. “Oh, you’re Ayah! We couldn’t see your hearing aids because of your hijab!” They… Continue Reading Growing up hard of hearing… and Muslim
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In the last three months since the activation of my cochlear implant, I learnt something incredibly important. Yep. What Johnny Depp said. With new sounds, the world has become overwhelmingly crazy. It’s made me feel all kinds of emotions. That said, my mental well-being has been affected at times. Thankfully, it’s manageable; however, I have… Continue Reading Me and my CI: Looking after myself
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#1 – What is THAT sound?! #2 – Taking your CI off is akin to taking your bra off after a long day. #3 – Public toilets are bloody LOUD! #4 – I think I just fell in love with Adele’s voice. #5 – I don’t know what’s worse: paper bags or nails on blackboard. #6… Continue Reading CI Musings
One of the best feelings is taking your cochlear implant off after a long day, and it’s akin to taking your bra off. So freaking good. It’s been two weeks since my switch-on, and it’s been an interesting ride thus far. I can hear myself typing this. The world has become more fascinating. I never… Continue Reading CI off = bra off after a long day
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The day had finally arrived. I didn’t have any expectations because it could go either way. There was only one way to find out. I was super nervous because I had no idea what would happen. Boy, did I have no idea. The audiologist got everything ready whilst we waited for the Auslan interpreter to… Continue Reading The Switch On
In late August, I received a letter from the Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital. The letter contained my surgery date of 10th November 2016. Whilst I was happy I had gotten a date, it wasn’t the right timing. I was due to fly to London a couple of weeks after and it would have… Continue Reading The Surgery
Continued from The Decision The CIC arranged a series of appointments over a five week period so they could assess my eligibility for a cochlear implant. What impressed me was that they chose to book 2x appointments together over 2 hours so an interpreter could be booked, rather than having to make 4 separate bookings… Continue Reading The Evaluation
I’ve always known about cochlear implants from a young age. My mother learnt of them – I don’t know where and how – but she explained it to me, and asked if I wanted to get one. I said no, and according to her, I said “I’d rather keep my broken ears for now”. Mind… Continue Reading The Decision
Continued from Part 2: Flip the mirror Nick Doyle. Pip Russell. Alice Brennan. Meg Aumann. These are the names of people who will forever hold the life-changing moments of my life. Nick Doyle approached me to mentor hearing-impaired oral teenagers in high school in a volunteer based organization called Hear For You. At first I… Continue Reading Deaf-Proofing My Life: Part 3
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Continued from Part 1: I am huffing and I am puffing. I am six years old and I have decided my current relationship with my mother is both a love and hate relationship. Scratch that, it’s a love-hate relationship with my life too. I love my mother because she is the best mum in the… Continue Reading Deaf-Proofing My Life: Part 2
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