Living With Hearing Loss is a blog and online community for people living with hearing loss. Founder Shari Eberts has an adult-onset genetic hearing loss and hopes that by sharing her story, she will help others to live more comfortably with their own hearing issues.
About Shari Eberts
Shari first noticed her hearing loss in her mid-twenties. It has gotten progressively worse since then and she now wears hearing aids every day to hear better. She is lucky to have only mild tinnitus so far.
Shari doesn’t want her hearing loss to define her, but she finds that being open about it can help relieve the pressure of always having to hear everything perfectly. She hopes this blog will serve as an outlet for her experiences and a community for those dealing with similar issues.
She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS from Duke University.
Passionate Advocate, Author & Speaker
Shari is a passionate hearing health advocate and writes and speaks frequently on hearing loss topics.
The hearing loss journey doesn’t come with an operating manual—until now. Shari’s book Hear & Beyond: Live Skillfully with Hearing Loss, co-authored with Gael Hannan, is the ultimate survival guide for living well with hearing loss. Available wherever books are sold.
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Documentary Film Producer
Shari is an Executive Producer of We Hear You, an award-winning documentary that shines a light on the hearing loss experience. Created during the pandemic, the film strives to build awareness, community and a more inclusive world for all. Watch the trailer here.
Awards for We Hear You
—Best Film on Disability: June 2021 Monthly Winner Cannes World Film Festival
—Disability Issues: Award of Merit IndieFEST Film Awards
—Official Selection: Montreal Independent Film Festival
Board Membership
Shari serves on the Board of Directors of Hearing Loss Association of America and was the Board Chair of Hearing Health Foundation from 2012-2015.
Connect with Shari
Follow Shari’s blog for weekly posts.
Contact Shari at shari@livingwithhearingloss.com or on social media: LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
Hi Shari – just came across your blog, looking forward to reading more. Greg.
Thanks for reading!
Came across your posts on Facebook and am very glad I did. Keep it coming. Thank you.
Thanks for reading!
It’s so nice to find people who understand.
Thank you for being a part of this community.
I am 44 years old and knew for many years that I was not hearing well. It was frustrating and beginning to affect my job. However, when I realized that I wasn’t hearing my five-year-old son, I knew I had to do something. I’ve been wearing hearing aids for about four months now. It has been adjustment. I am dealing with some . . . I hate to say shame, but it’s just that I hate the thought of being treated differently. After reading several of your blog posts, perhaps I will be more up-front with others about my hearing loss. Thank you very much for sharing; I am really looking forward to reading more.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. I know exactly how you feel.
Thanks for all the work you are doing to help the hard of hearing. I am a 69 years young rubella gal. It has been pretty hard for me to deal with the hearing loss. I just finished reading “Alone in the Mainstream” by Gina A. Oliva. A very good read! 🙂 Also, Shanna Groves, the Lip Reading Mom, has a good website. How did you meet your girlfriends?
Thanks for the suggestions. I met many of my hearing loss buddies through HLAA (www.hearingloss.org). Thanks for reading!
I’m glad I came across this. I’m about to be 23 and just got diagnosed with bilateral sensioneural hearing loss-most likely genetic. I’ve known a while something might be up. They want me to get hearing aids but I’m feeling pretty lost at the moment as they didn’t explain much to me.
What degree is your hearing loss? There are many different types of hearing aids that could help. Do you have an audiologist that you like? Have you looked into HLAA? They have chapters in many local markets that could connect you with others in your situation near you.
I am 23 and just got diagnosed with bilateral hearing loss, likely genetic. I’m glad I stumbled across this because I’m just unsure of what to do now and don’t know anyone in the same position
Hi Alex. Glad you found the blog. My hearing loss is genetic too — started at 26.
Hi Alex, I have bilateral reverse hearing loss too. I got diagnosed at age 12 and nobody knows how I got it. Most likely because I got hit by a shovel on my left eyebrow. I blog about my hearing loss journey, feel free to message me for tips or guidance. My blog is http://www.embracehearingloss.com
One thing I learned about having hearing loss is to never let it define who you are. Learn to embrace and don’t get depressed about it. You will need to be patience and never make anyone be patience for you. They have to be patience for you, they have to repeat words for you without any annoyance.
What is a loop?
Here is a link to a great explanation. Hope that helps! http://www.hearingloss.org/content/loop-technology
So glad I found this. I’m 23 and was just diagnosed with pretty substantial genetic hearing loss as well as severe tinnitus. Any resources you know of to help pay for hearing aids or of quality hearing aids that aren’t terribly expensive? I’m currently looking for some but can’t afford many of the options.
Thanks for stopping by the blog. Glad you found it. Some people rave about Costco for better prices on hearing aids. You might also want to check with people in your local market for suggestions. Is there an HLAA chapter near where you live? You can find a chapter here http://www.hearingloss.org/support_resources/find-local-hlaa-chapter
I cannot express the feeling I had when I read what you said about how any other disability would not be met with such humiliation. I thought surely I was not the only one who recognized that!
I am a retired middle school teacher who was experiencing a lot of teasing from both students & other teachers. I would ask my students if they would laugh at someone who could not see, or someone who could not walk. You should have seen the look on their faces as it showed the horror of even thinking such a thing! Then I would ask “Why then would you laugh at someone who could not hear?” The room always became quiet as I hoped my message had gotten across. We must relate to everyone that respect is due to everyone whether they have a disability or not but certainly those with ANY disability. We have a long way to go!
By raising awareness and advocating for ourselves we can move things in the right direction! Thanks for sharing your experiences.
I have just come across your blog after reading your article about the stigma of hearing loss in Hearing Loss Magazine. I am looking forward to reading more! I am 27 and just been diagnosed with complete Bilateral loss for low tones (I can hear high pitches just fine unless it is a very noisy environment), severe tinnitus & fullness in my ears. My MD has tested for Meniere’s, Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease, all with negative results as well as a good CT Scan showing everything operating normal. Have had hearing aids the last 8 months & they help tremendously, but still struggle with the constant tinnitus that varies day to day, even up to 3 different tones at a time. Is it normal to be frustrated with nothing showing what exactly is going on causing all of this? The only thing we have chalked it up to at this point is genetics, but my hearing test was completely different from my dad’s & his mother/grandmother who showed losses all over the place, nothing as specific as mine.
So glad you found the blog. I hope you find the community here to be of help. All the best to you!
My name’s Addy, I’m 13 and have 30% hearing loss due to a hole in my ear drum that was left from a ear surgery. I’m starting to struggle in school and I hate lunch now because I can’t hear anything. My mom is taking me to get my hearing tested soon, but I don’t know if hearing aids are an option because my mom doesn’t want me to get them because I’m still growing. How can I cope?
Welcome Addy! I am glad you are going to get your hearing tested. The sooner the better so you can have the information you need to get help hearing. It is very important that you can hear at school and with friends. Some behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids have replaceable earmolds that can be changed as you grow. Check out this link on this topic. Good luck to you! http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Hearing-Aids-for-Children/
Hello. I just thought it would seem right to share the rest of my story. This is something I wrote that I want to share with the world.
GRANTED
I was born normal. I lived normal, no hearing loss whatsoever, until I was five. Then, I had a surgery. I had my tonsils and adenoids taken out, and tubes put in my ears. The tubes are eventually supposed to fall out, leaving a small hole in the eardrum, which usually heals naturally. The one in my left ear went fine, but the one in my right left a hole in my eardrum. I now had hearing loss. So, when I was seven, I had another surgery. They were going to take cartilage (the stuff the part of the ear you see is made of) from my right ear and use it to “patch” the hole. The blood vessels are supposed to grow over it, restoring my hearing. It was an all or nothing deal. They did the surgery, and it wasn’t all or nothing. Blood vessels grew over half of the patch, and not the other. My hearing was restored. However, six years later, a corner of the patch started to droop or “dog ear”, resulting in hearing loss. So, I got another surgery, to snip off the dog ear and patch the tiny hole left behind. The surgery failed. Now, more than a year later, I still have hearing loss.
I try to hide it. Only my teachers and friends know I have hearing loss, and even fewer know how. After all, hearing loss is for old people, who always cup a hand around their ear and say, “Eh?”. Hearing loss isn’t for teenage girls. But, soon everyone will know. Some people probably have pieced it together by now. I sit in the front of the class, I don’t talk much, I’m shy, and the list could go one. I can’t communicate easily. In loud situations, I can’t hear anything. This leads to me staying away from those situations. I don’t go to school dances, I don’t talk at lunch, I refrain from social situations. It’s lonely, but it’s how my life works. Someday, they’ll all know. They’ll learn who I really am. Will they accept me? I don’t know. I’ll find out soon enough.
After all, hearing loss is who I am. It’s what shaped me. It’s what I’ve been brought up with. I’m a Phoenix, emerging from the ashes of hearing loss at age seven, burning up into ashes at age twelve. When I get an aid, I’ll probably struggle with who I am. Finish the next sentence for me. I am… What? What are you? I am hard of hearing. In those five words, is me. In those words is a lot of pain, a lot of loneliness, and a lot of missed words. Is it horrible? Yes. But it’s who I am. I am hard of hearing.
Hi Addy. Thanks for sharing more of your story. I am a hard of hearing too, but it is not all that I am. Same for you. You are so many other things too. Make sure you remember all the other wonderful parts of you. I wish you all the best!
Hello. I have issues at the cafeteria at my school. There’s so much background noise, I can’t hear a thing. I just met the people I sit with this year, and I didn’t tell them I had hearing loss. Now I wantto, but feel like I can’t. I try to lip read, but they cover their mouths a lot, and I guess you know how hard it is to read lips when someone’s chewing. How can I cummonicate?
Hi Addy. I think you need to come clean or at least ask them to try to not cover their mouths. Where are you in the hearing aid process? I am sorry that you are struggling. Hearing loss can be a very tough adjustment but it can get better with help. Please look online at HLAA or AGBell to see if there are local groups in your area for people your age with hearing loss. It would be wonderful for you to find some peers who are experiencing similar things. Here are some links. http://www.agbell.org/Document.aspx?id=429 http://www.hearingloss.org/support_resources/find-local-hlaa-chapter
We’re just starting in on the process of getting a hearing aid. We have the first appointment in November. This is a new process for my family. About how many appointments did it take for you to get your hearing aids? I know there’s lots of fitting appointments, but how many lead up to that?
Good news! It can take multiple appointments depending on the time and the amount of fine tuning needed. But each time it will get slowly better. Keep working at it and please keep us posted. Good luck!! You can read this for more info. https://livingwithhearingloss.com/2015/07/23/a-road-map-for-those-new-to-hearing-loss/
Hi Shari, thank you for writing inspiration words related to hearing loss. I know exactly what you have to deal with. I am currently blogging too about hearing loss. I have bilateral hearing loss and write blogs to help others embrace their disability. I would love to add you as a guest blog if you would give me the opportunity. Please follow my website at http://www.embracehearingloss.com
Thank you,
Alicia Castro
Hi Alicia! Thanks for reading and for writing your blog as well!
Hi Shari ,
I have just found your blog. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences – you have inspired me ! I have a high frequency hearing loss in both ears and have juggled and managed quite well choosing a profession which suited me in interest and my hearing loss . But since having my gorgeous children I have found it so challenging . I am inspired to step out of the closet more with more confidence and to even write about my own experiences also – so thank you ! I look forward to reading more ! All the best Amy (uk ) x
Good for you Amy. I am excited for you to take this next step. Thanks so much for your comment.
Just found your blog…I am 77 years old and for the first time in my life, I feel totally isolated because of my lack of hearing. Until this past January, I have worked since I was 16.never had a problem. In later years I worked with an investment company and spent 13 years taking calls with a headphone on my right ear. I then “retired”, and automatically went to work again in retail.Sickness forced me to “retire” earlier this year and I never thought about all the benefits I “gave up”..primarily health care. I am now living 100% on my Social Security..no health insurance, barely paying the rent. I could be on a deserted island for all the contact I now have…Just a warning to younger people,,NEVER TAKE YOUR HEARING FOR GRANTED.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I wonder if there is a local HLAA chapter in your area. It would be wonderful for you to meet other people with hearing loss who can understand what you are experiencing and provide an outlet socially. You can look for one here: http://www.hearingloss.org/support_resources/find-local-hlaa-chapter
I found your website through http://nextactforwomen.com. I am hearing impaired and find your information so enlightening! Thank you so much!
So glad you found us! Welcome!