What If?
By orcanut
@orcanut (146)
Canada
5 responses
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
2 Mar 07
This topic is pretty interesting to me right now because I am losing my hearing. I'm not sure how quickly it is going to progress, but every time I had a hearing test it is significantly worse. Sometimes when I am having a flare-up of my specific health problem, I will lose hearing completely in one ear or in both ears for a little while, and it's scary.
When I think about all the things I enjoy hearing: music, birdsong, the voices of my husband, son, friends, etc., I can't imagine living without it. However, I think losing my sight would be even worse, because then I love exploring nature, and there are so many beautiful things I would miss seeing.
2 people like this
@orcanut (146)
• Canada
3 Mar 07
This question was aired on our evening news as part of their ongoing "What If" segment. I thought it was a good question.
That is so tough what you are going through. Will it be permanent hearing loss? I'll pray not.
They say if you lose one sense, the others make up for it. I wonder if that is true.
2 people like this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
3 Mar 07
It could be permanent hearing loss. It's caused by a disorder called Meniere's disease, which also causes me to have vertigo, nausea, and a feeling of fullness in my ears. There are some people with Meniere's for whom the hearing loss is minor and others who go deaf completely. As I said, my hearing loss is progressing pretty rapidly, so the doctor says it's possible I'll go deaf. So you can bet I'm doing everything possible to slow it down (including some pretty radical diet changes), but I'm also trying to experience as much music and such as possible. And there's nothing sweeter to my ears that the word "Mommy" spoken by my 9-month-old son.
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@ag_abscruzmd (2283)
• United States
2 Mar 07
I will also choose to give up my hearing. I don't want to compromise visual experience because learning is greatly influenced by our sense of sight, and I would like to see the beauty of the world in all of its glory. It's also difficult to lose my sense of hearing, but would prefer to lose it than my sight without argument because there's so much noise going on around and there's so much angry and hurtful words coming from so many people. It would be good to ignore these things somehow. Hehe.
@orcanut (146)
• Canada
3 Mar 07
LOL - lots of times I wish I could "tune out" my surroundings too!
You're right about the beauty in the world. I have always said that I wish I had God's crayon box. They say a picture is worth a thousand words - that's why I chose to keep my sight.
1 person likes this
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
10 Mar 07
I am inclined to believe that everyone will rather lose their hearing than their sight. It will be very difficult to roam the world without seeing anything at all. It seems to me like there is hardly any way close where man can compensate for its loss. It appears that this is the reason why anyone will be alarmed immediately at the slight change in his eyesight.
@angel106307 (372)
• Canada
3 Mar 07
I love reading, looking at loved ones faces, seeing the lightning in a storm or the flowers in the spring or how the snow blankets everything in the winter...so I would choose to have my hearing go. I would miss hearing my husband say I love you and music. Music would be a tremendous loss to me.
1 person likes this
@princesskaos15 (235)
• United States
2 Mar 07
I'd choose my hearing, just so I wouldn't have to see their faces anymore. (I'm just kidding! I love them too much.)
To tell you the truth, I think I'm too selfish to choose. I don't want to lose either one of them.
If put in tha position, though, I would choose to keep my sight. It's much more easier to learn how to communicate without hearing (sign language, writing, etc..), than it would be able to see without sight. I don't think I would be able to live if I could see my family and other loved ones.
This is a really good question. Thanks for making me think! :-)
1 person likes this
@orcanut (146)
• Canada
3 Mar 07
It was hard for me to choose as well, but since I posted the question, I figured I couldn't opt out and wait to see what everyone else said (which is what I thought of doing! *S*).
I think you are right about being better able to adjust or cope with a hearing loss than going blind. But I would really hate to lose either one.
1 person likes this
