Hellen Keller said that blindness separates you from things, but deafness separates you from people…
Hearing is one of the fundamental aspects that is necessary for communication and human interaction. Take hearing away… then we face severe difficulty in communication and performing the simplest daily tasks… hearing loss has, amongst others, the following consequences: Irritability, negativism, anger, fatigue, tension, stress, depression, avoidance or withdrawal from social situations and relationships, reduced alertness and increased risk to personal safety, Impaired memory and ability to learn new tasks, reduced job performance, diminished psychological and overall health, increased risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Now the question again… Why audiology?
Because…
- No tissue is big enough for the tears of the same 5 year old’s parents…
- Nothing else have more meaning than an elder widow telling you that she can hear in church again, her only social interaction opportunity for 1 whole week!
- No one can stop the waterfall of tears when you are hugged and told, God has sent you to make a difference in my life.
- What’s better than being able to say that you assisted someone in being able to use a phone for the first time in 20 years.
- How great is the feeling when a little girl puts her arms around you every time she sees you and says, “Thank you for my ears”!
- Seeing a big grown man burst out in tears and telling you how he did not know how deaf he was really touches your heart.
Being an Audiologist has changed me, taught me and shaped me into a better person. I love every moment of what I do, and thank God for using me in the lives of people to really make a difference.