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Losing Your Hearing (Patreon)

Published:
2022-01-30 01:23:40
Imported:
2026-09
Tags:

Content

Well gang, we did it. I'm covered in dust and debris and cat poop, but we did it.

We managed to make something different, and personal, and tragic, and hopeful,  and I don't have the adequate vocabulary to really label what this video is, but it is a wonderful thing that we've all made together, and I hope you're as proud of the resulting effort as I am.

I mention this in the preamble. but before I ever had a youtube channel of my own, I had wanted Kathy to tell the story of her hearing loss and there didn't seem to be an outlet for it at that moment in time. Honestly, I don't really know if my music video channel is the place for this story either, but what the hell, right? You only live once, and who wants to have "I played it safe my whole life and then died in an avalanche of spray cheese and day old fried butter" written on their tombstone? Not me thank you very much.

So, here we are, the moment is upon us, and the plan is to publish this video late next week and see what the world thinks. My hope is that if this story helps even one person through their own struggle in some way, you and I will have earned a more respectful epitaph and managed to avoid the aforementioned cheesy-buttery kerfuffle.

As always, thank you for all of your support and I'll see you soon.

Enjoy the video.

-G

Files

LOSING YOUR HEARING

PREVIEW ONLY 😃 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/geoffcastellucci 🍎 Listen on https://apple.co/38YdpSb 🎧 Listen on https://spoti.fi/2VpMvOr 🎵 Grab Sheet Music Here: https://bit.ly/3dDcxo5 🎤 MP3 Version: https://www.geoffcastellucci.com/store 👇You can also find me here if you'd like👇 https://www.geoffcastellucci.com/ https://www.patreon.com/geoffcastellucci https://www.instagram.com/geophr3y/ https://www.tiktok.com/@geophr3y https://www.facebook.com/geophr3y https://twitter.com/geophr3y https://www.thevoiceplay.com/ https://spoti.fi/2VpMvOr https://apple.co/38YdpSb

Comments

Carl Thomas

Thank you both. It takes courage to talk about adversity like this.

Angie Woollard

I’m teary already and I haven’t even watched it yet. I suddenly lost my hearing on July 31, 2017. Will probably add more to this comment after I watch the video. ETA: I’m having trouble adding to my comment here. This video has affected me profoundly.

Jessie

❤️

Eileen Parkman

Thank you for this. It's really informative for folks who don't have hearing loss. I have moderate mid/high range and volumetric hearing loss, coupled with advanced tinnitus. After fighting with insurance companies for YEARS!, I finally saved up enough and got my hearing aids are in-canal hearing aids on my own and actually heard, for the first time, the unmuffled and with mostly-good tone voices of my grandchildren. I cried. We discovered the problem when I could not properly hear a G tone when turning a guitar.

Leah Hanson

Sonic Boom Alarm Clocks have a vibration mode that might be helpful for waking up -- you put the thing in your pillow case and the vibration wakes you up. https://www.sonicalert.com/SBJ525SS-Alarm-Clock As far as weather alerts, this page might be helpful: https://www.weather.gov/wrn/dhh-safety I think you might find useful solutions for making sure things like fire alarms wake Kathy up at night when you're not home by looking for solutions for the deaf; flashing lights and devices that will vibrate the whole bed are things I've seen before.

María Gabriela

This was beautiful, Geoff. I was teary-eyed the whole time while watching the whole video. I'm so glad that you decided to make this, not only for Kathy (who we all agree is amazing and she sadly had to struggle with this issue a lot) but also for anybody else that may be suffering from this condition. Your video is also super well researched and I loved that. I also enjoyed every picture you put of your dating life together while being so young! Regardless, great video. It will be super-well received. I'm so glad you and Kathy found eachother.

Gillian Drysdale

You have a lovely lady Geoff and that was way more moving than I imagined. wishing you both the best always❤️ I would love to see you talk to some other people like other musicians you have a great presentation style

Eileen Parkman

Get a bright light that flashes obnoxiously when an emergency call comes in. Vibrating alarms are great, too. Also, ask your audiologist if your hearing aids can handle multiple programs. Mine have three programs (Automatic, Noise/Party, and Outdoor/Traffic) for various situations. Oh, and don't listen to Geoff when your bass is turned all the way up. I did it accidentally and my head vibrated so hard, I got a headache and my aids fell out! LOL

Maggie S

Excellent job expressing the important public service of opening a dialog of hearing loss. Thank you both for the gentle, informative way, this subject was presented.

Tabby Livingstone

Wonderful video Geoff and Kathy. It was nice to get some info and to see you two interacting together. You're such a sweet couple. :)

Bard

Geoff, please tell Kathy we love her. I commented on YouTube, but I want to restate my gratitude here. It's hard as hell to figure out how to move on from the initial stages of coping with an invisible disability and Kathy is so amazing. She gives me hope. I am so grateful to you both for sharing her experience.

Tabby Livingstone

My boss also has hearing aids. Same ones as Kathy. He doesn't like when I have Geoff on I always wondered why because he generally does older songs that my boss would know... it was the bass messing with his hearing.

Katie D

This was an incredible, informative, and humorous video. Thank you, Kathy and Geoff, for sharing this with us, and (eventually) the world. More people need to be aware of this. Both my cousin and my boyfriend suffer from hearing loss, and it has affected their lives profoundly 💕

Huldra Draco

you can get alarms with flashing strobe lights, or even ones that shake the whole bed for emergencies like smoke alarms.

Caitlin Binedell

What a great video. ❤ I had no idea it was so common. Thank you for shedding light on something I think not many people know much about. You two are so cute together. 😊

Jordi S

Thank you for making this. It is so, so important and no one talks about it.

John & Sarah Hodge

I understand that the deaf community has solutions for some of the things you’re talking about. If I remember correctly there is a way to connect your lights to a house alarm so if a smoke alarm or a burglar alarm goes off the house lights will flash as well alerting the hearing challenged to realize something is amiss. Connect with the deaf community and learn sign language as well. It will give your son a second language and you, Geoff, can be an ambassador for a hearing impaired person who may need assistance at a store or eatery.

Kimberly Friend

I know there are some alarms that use vibration to alert people. This was an incredible video and I thank you for posting this. It has helped me understand my sister's situation a bit more. So thank you again. ♥️

Debs Badger

I feel honored that you and Kathy decided to share her story with us. Thank you.

Hunter

I found this very informative and I remember there was a time when they did hearing tests in my elementary school to test peoples hearing and they picked me because they thought I was “slow” because at that time I did/do have a mental disability (Me cannot do math or arithmetic cause my brain sees numbers and goes nope) that has nothing to do with hearing loss, but I vaguely remember having to take those tests. Hearing, speech, memory. All of it. Been there. Done it. I really got a kick outta the editing of this. Light-hearted humor that I love, and Oof, I was tearing up at the end. It only makes me admire Kathy more. (P.S. I work with seniors, totally feel you both on the feedback from hearing aids.)

Amanda W

Thank you for sharing this. I can only imagine how hard it is. I've been putting off getting my ears checked again. I don't feel like mine are bad, but my manager has noticed my problem at work. I don't want to think my hearing has gotten worse, but it might be time to have that conversation with my doctor. 💜

Lady D Richter

Thank you for putting this out! I have ADHD, so auditory processing disorder gets to be part of the package! I hear tones just fine, and can pick up any new song right away, but add words and it doesn't always make sense! And too much auditory input makes me dizzy! Does Kathy wear a smart watch? Can one be programmed to buzz/vibrate in an emergency situation? Love and blessings to you both!

Emily McLaughlin

Tuesday is the one year mark of my mixed degenerative hearing loss diagnosis. You have no idea how much I needed this video tonight. Kathy, thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. I turn 22 this year and have spent the last year feeling so alone and not understood because I was “too young” to have hearing loss. Thank you Kathy for helping me to feel a little less alone and a little more hopeful. As for gadgets, I am also looking forward to reading through comments to find a better solution than wearing my smart watch to bed and hoping the vibration will wake me up for my alarm 🤣

Tine

Geoff, Kathy,.. This is such an incredibly special video. Thank you for sharing your story, the downsides, the unexpected upsides, the wonderful call to action and such a strong message for you to share. You truly made this your own Geoff. It made me tear up, yet smile and laugh at those unexpected moments. Thank you both for sharing something so incredibly personal and shedding light to such an important issue. You are definitely inspiring me, as I am certain many others in different ways and hearing some of the descriptions, I am definitely considering getting my hearing tested in the near future. Thank you for adressing such a topic, as it can't have been an easy one. It certainly is a topic that scares me to think about potentially suffering from hearing loss. Thank you. A thousand times over. ❤

Christina Dowdican

Thi video hit Me hard. I have had aa slight prigression of hearing. Loss the last few years. But now it's time to face this head on. Thee only way i can hear my music is to put my ear buds in (also because no one else likes my music, (Acapella) annd. I still need to crank it up. So now my new plan for the year is to gget my hearing tested & see what my options are. I waaant thank you & Kathy for doing this video & as dar as I'm conccerned it well worth it! I also love watching the two of you. Love to both. See ya soon

Jordi S

I see people have already left comments about notification solutions for deaf people. But yes, there are vibration things for pillows, flashing lights that can be installed to go off when a fire alarm goes off, etc. If it wasn't for COIVD I would have already gone and gotten my hearing checked because I've been loosing clarity in some speech sounds the last year or two and always use close captioning when I watch tv, etc now.

Brontesaurus Rex

That was really cool! I'm already thinking about how it could work in the classroom. Dinosaurs provide an excellent hook for children's attention.

Huldra Draco

Thank you for also addressing the importance of protecting you hearing against repeated loud noise. As someone affected by hearing loss and tinnitus due to this exact thing, I can't stress enough the importance of protecting your ears! Once the damage is done, there's no going back. There's no healing over time, there is no reversal, no drugs or surgery you can do to get back what is lost. Protecting your hearing is almost free. Regret costs so much more...

Hana Keindlová

Thank you for making something so personal, inspirational and informative. I learned few things and I am really gratefull you decided to not only taught us something but also gave us a closer look into your lives, as I always found that as a huge privilege. I absolutely love how you managed to keep it serious and funny at the same time. I really do enjoy your sense of humor and how you put it in actually a very serious topic in really great. In short, thank you for making this video, I am sure it will help many people out there. Especially many thanks to Kathy for being so open about it. I am getting maybe kinda too sentimental now, I know, it's just the way I am. And heck, I am gonna say it anyway, love you guys, you both are huge inspiration.

Tal and Bard Lampner

Thank you both so much for doing this! I really appreciate having Kathy tell her story and what she experiences daily. Also, I really liked Kathy talking about the positive and negative ways her life has changed since her hearing loss, especially once she received her ears. We don't talk enough about disabilities, especially invisible disabilities like Kathy's hearing loss. Both myself and my partner Bard (who's also a patron!) cope with multiple invisible disabilities and trying to just exist in a world that frequently doesn't acknowledge or accommodate for that can weigh you down really easily. Again, I'm so glad that Kathy shared positive things that have happened since she was diagnosed because it's so easy to fall into despair over being disabled. The goofy shenanigans also helped lighten things up too. ;) You and Kathy are so lucky to have each other and you are both so adorably smitten whenever you're on camera together. Thank you for sharing this with us and for jumpstarting a conversation about disabilities and how we can help those we love who are coping with a disability. For what it's worth, I'm going to forward this on to my dad who worked in disability support and advocacy for 30 years and it's still something he's very passionate about even though he's now retired. He may also know of some emergency alert systems designed for people with hearing loss as I know it was a big issue for the people his organization served too, so hopefully he has some resources I can pass on to you both! And one last thing: it was nice to see the brief, triumphant return of the cursed piano from Shenandoah! 😂

Carol Franklin

Thank you both for sharing your story. I’m 20 odd years older than you & know a few people who have some form of hearing loss. Some won’t address it. I think having a younger person explaining how to manage will help a lot of people accept the use of hearing devices. It’s awesome you can do so much with the phone now too. It’s also just lovely to see you together & happy.

Tara Congo

Kathy and Geoff, thank you so much for sharing this with us. Whether you have a disability or not, Kathy's message at the end talking about struggling through what was essentially a grief cycle and then coming out the other side to find new passions and possibilities is hugely inspiring. And what a great reminder that you never know what someone's invisible struggle is - in a world filled with so much division, especially now, we need empathy, love and patience with each other. Thanks once again.

Camila Rokiski

That was such an informative and sweet video. My mother had surgery to remove a benign brain tumor (schwannoma) 6 years ago, at 50 years old. After the surgery, she became deaf of one ear and have a discreet facial paralysis. She used to get embarrassed of coming out of the house and not being able to understand conversations, got afraid of driving or even crossing the street, because she couldn't hear a car coming fast or something like that. A while ago, she started to use a different kind of hearing aid, that has similar functions of the ones Kathy uses. She HATED IT at first. She was like "why is the house so loud?!". Also, she'd be a little off balance, for being used to be able to hear with just one ear. Now, she still doesn't like it very much, but she have so much more freedom to do what she wants to do. Most of the people doesn't have a clue she has a disability. It's so nice to know of people who have the same kinds of struggle she has, and how the things they did to overcome it. It's very inspirational and touching for me and for her. Thank you so much! Lots, lots, lots of love to you both! 🖤

Arlene Jacobs

Thank you for enlightening us with this information. Truly enjoyed learning about it. Thanks for being so open about it.

CookieVA

Thank you both for sharing this. I actually never told anyone but my doctor thinks I’m slowly losing my hearing and I’m only 19. This has inspired me so much. Kathy you are a powerful, strong and beautiful woman. Love both of you and you both have inspired me so much. 🥰

Debbie Buck

This is a touching and informative video. Thank you for sharing with us all. This helps me to better understand some of what my family and friends deal with and experience. You're both very special people and i value having you as part of our world.

Sophie Plourde

This hit so close to home!! My sister and I have believed for years that our mom is experiencing a bit of hearing loss, and you named off the EXACT THINGS that happen in my house (tv too loud, she thinks I'm mumbling, etc). She refuses to go get her hearing checked, but my hearing has been heightened my whole life, and sounds can be very overwhelming (much like Kathy's one hearing aid but in both ears) so you can imagine that this creates huge problems. I want to show my mom this video and see if it helps! Thank you both so much for making this video, I love how lighthearted it is and it is definitely a very important conversation to have and very interesting to hear how Kathy and others in her situation perceive the world! And huge thank you to Kathy for talking about this openly and sharing your situation❤️

Nana Koranteng

Wow very informative video thanks for sharing your (and her) story with us about hearing loss I definitely be more mindful of it going forward.

Angie Woollard

Just thought I’d let you know there’s a typo on the title “National Institute for Deafness and other Communication Disorders.”

Jennifer L. Cramp

I feel it was important that you both share this part of your story as it will help others with their own journeys with disabilities. You show that there can be a silver lining to the dark cloud of an illness or disability, especially when you take care of and look out for each other. I enjoyed how you interjected some humor in to the topic, not letting it get too heavy. Even those of us not dealing with hearing loss can benefit. I am a 3 year survivor of aggressive stage 3 oral squamous cell carcinoma. I've had part of my tongue removed so I sound like Elmer Fudd when I'm tired, along with having all the lymph nodes removed from the left side of my neck. I deal with permanent nerve damage to the left side of my face made worse by the 33 radiation treatments that also has destroyed my thyroid. The chemo has messed up my kidneys too. My friends and my faith have carried me through and keep me going. Kathy's comments about finding fulfillment in learning and embracing new skills and experiences are encouraging. Thank you very much for sharing this part of your story. I find the positive attitudes of both of you to be contagious. The dancing dinosaur was amazing. Thank you Geoff and Kathy. 😊

Alisha Watson

While I don't have hearing loss (yet), I have worked with many seniors and some members of the deaf community. As others have mentioned, there are quite a few devices out there that can help with emergencies and everyday life. www.hearworldusa.com and diglo.com might be a couple of good places to start. While it was quite a serious topic, I love the amount of humor you two put into this. That poorly tuned piano had me in stitches all over again🤣 This was both entertaining and informative. Thank you two for sharing something so personal with us.

Ruth Feiertag

Geoff and Kathy, It took some real courage to make that video and to post it here where people aren't expecting such a topic to be addressed. Thank you. I do indeed know people who are either grappling with hearing loss or denying that they have it as well as dealing with invisible issues of my own. Every one of us who owns up to our problems makes it easier on others to ask for help.

Diane Hodge

I have multiple people, (my Dad, Step-mom, and three of my sisters), in my family that have profound hearing loss. It's hard to deal with sometimes and there are times that we all sit down and there are tears because of the sense of purpose each of them has lost. I have learned ASL and BSL because of this. We try each day to tell each other at least one thing we are grateful for that the loss has given to us. So thank you ever so much for sharing, as we all know, a problem shared, is a problem halved. Love to you all and keep pressing on.

Amanda W

About the emergency thing. There are vibrating mats for people with hearing loss, that you put under your sheets, and it will vibrate when your alarm goes off.

Joanna

Awesome message to spread. As a person who works in Occupational Health and Safety and has done testing of occupational noise levels, I and am always having conversations about how noise induced hearing loss is one of the easiest occupational diseases to prevent. As you pointed out ear plugs are such an inexpensive way to protect your hearing. So many workers say oh if my hearing gets damage I will get hearing aids and we try to explain that while the technology is good they will never replace your natural hearing.

Amanda Hovendon

Thank you both so much for making this video and shedding a light on this topic. You both are special people❤️❤️❤️

Lois McCray

Thank you so much for sharing this hearing loss journey with us. I also found and watched your amazing journey to have your little man. Geoff's adorable mini-me. The grandma in me is starting to show, getting all mushy. This was so enjoyable and look forward to seeing what you come up with next time.

Carly Smith

Thank you guys so much for making a video and sharing your story with us. You guys are definitely a huge inspiration to me, and many others.

Jasper_Tree (They_Them)

Thank you both for making this and sharing Kathy’s experience. 💚 I feel like it is going to be a really useful and informative video for a lot of people to see. As far as alerting Kathy in an emergency if Geoff isn’t around - you can install a system that flashes lights and vibrates for all sorts of situations from smoke alarms to the doorbell ringing. The one I’m familiar with is Bellman Visit Alert System but I’m sure there’s others out there. 😊

Alex Walker

Kathy and Geoff, you are both amazing people! Thank you so much for making this touching video and sharing it with us! I love you both for doing it! My disability was always very visible, as I walked with a limp, and my left arm doesn't have full movement. I still managed to overcome my limitations, and lived a normal life, even having 2 wonderful kids. A few years ago, I needed a hip replacement, and it didn't go well. Now I can't walk at all, stuck in a wheelchair. At first it was very frustrating not being able to babysit my grandkids, but now that they're past the diaper change phase, I can do some (with my husband's help sometimes), and the kids love me anyway! Besides, thanks to being retired and spending most of my day in front of a computer, I found you guys!! The important thing is not to give up, learn to live with our issues, and still do our best! 💗

J.L.

Indeed, friendly dinosaurs. Roar. You just had to avoid fist-bumping the T-rex as accident could easily happen. So much good points in this video -- and so much cute stuff! I suffer from an 'invisible disability' as well (chronic pain that makes me for ever tired etc), so the more that can be shared in whatever form to bring awareness the better. Emergency things, not sure. Some kind of, pardon the pun, emergency lights? Audio-visual things? No idea if that exists, but like in a lot of military places, lights that let you know the 'status level'? Perhaps there is something like that. Thank you for sharing this, and the sheer cuteness in your relationship too. ^_^

Rosie Boughen

This was simultaneously the most hilarious and heartbreaking video. Two amazing and funny people with great editing, talking about such a horrible subject. When I first read about Kathy having hearing aids, I hoped it was a troll comment, but seeing other people confirm it broke my heart. To have a husband with such and incredible voice as Geoff’s, and have your whole life revolve around music, but to not be able to hear it properly - that just makes me so sad. Listening to Kathy raise her voice when she took the hearing aids out, and lower her voice once she put them back in was such a contrast. But you both have such a positive spirit and outlook on the whole situation. Gaining empathy and being able to mute some crazy family members 😉 has its perks! And it’s not like the hearing loss has stopped her - what would VP be without our amazing Kathy keeping it under control?! 😁 Thank you for sharing your/her story. I know I take my sight and hearing and general health for granted, and I shouldn’t. This is definitely a conversation that needs to happen with more regularity, and this video was so tastefully done! You’re both incredible! 💜🤗 P.S. - Products such as Amazon Alexa can alert you when it hears alarms or glass shattering when you’ve left the house (“Alexa, I’m leaving!”), and my Fitbit buzzes with timers/alarms and notifications all the time. This makes me believe there’s got to be other features that allow emergency information to be shared via your Apple Watch / vibration alarms etc. to give you peace of mind. You probably know this and utilize these features already, but I just thought I’d throw it out there. 🙂

Tracy Z

This was awesome. We need more voices speaking out. Now, what can we do to continue the advocacy. You two are great. Also, why can’t movies have subtitles? Advocate for accessibility!

D. Maenad Schluter

I have a sleep disorder and can second the bed shaking alarm clocks. I can sleep through almost any sound, but the shaking is very effective.

Margo Zimny

I'm really grateful to you both for sharing this journey. I'm so impressed with you, Kathy. It must have been really hard to make your living as a singer and then have that slowly taken away. You are an inspiration and have helped remind me to be aware of those who are silently struggling with things that aren't visible. And thank you Geoff for sharing your sweet wife with us! You both are amazing and fantastic together!

Gretchen G

Kathy, Geoff, thanks so much for doing this. Learning about your experiences has opened my eyes to what some people in my life are dealing with on a daily basis. A family member of mine has been slowly loosing his hearing, and then a year or two ago he developed severe pulsatile tinnitus in one ear. [Content warning folks, this can be anxiety inducing, at least for me.] This means that he constantly hears his heartbeat in that ear, so loudly that it drowns out other sounds like people talking. The only way he can sleep is to exhaust himself to the point that even the sound can't keep him awake anymore. He's tried everything, even brain surgery, but nothing has helped. (It actually was gone when he woke up after the brain surgery, but then it came back a couple hours later. That was pretty devastating, as you can probably imagine.) Pulsatile tinnitus isn't physically life threatening, but mentally . . . that's a concern for people suffering from this. It's absolutely hellish, and I worry about him. He's been really open about it, but I've been kind of afraid to really talk to him about it. This video has taught me a lot, and I hope I haven't been making things harder for him out of ignorance before now. I'm realizing now how important these conversations are. Love you guys. Thank you for this. 💙

Eileen Parkman

I'm sorry your family member is dealing with that. I have what most people think of as tinnitus, the neurologically-caused constant high-pitched whining/ringing in my head, with occasional bouts of the pulsatile type. I hope he can find some methodology that can help him get sleep. I've had some luck with leaving the television on in the background - the constant voices and music seem to help trick my brain into thinking the sounds in my head are part of the program and I can gradually ignore them to sleep.

Karyn Morrison

Really cool video. Thank you for sharing. My ex had hearing aids that were connected wirelessly to a watch which you could you to discretely change the mode. One mode let you hear everything, the second mode focused on the area in front of you, so would allow you to still have a conversation in a crowd. Now, this was 15+ yeas ago so was probably fairly new technology. Unfortunately he wouldn't wear them. Probably like Kathy said about fighting the change, which is a shame because they would have helped him a lot.

Shauna Tramutolo

Thank you so so much for doing this video. My husband has lost a great deal of his hearing after spending 20 years in the Air Force as an aircraft mechanic. He has tried hearing aids before, but all they did was increase background noise for him. I’m definitely going to show him this video, and hope that he will try again with another doctor. I’m also going to try harder not to get as frustrated when I have to repeat myself 5 or 6 times before he actually hears what I’m trying to say. I really do appreciate both of y’all for being so open and honest about this.

Suzy Bailey

Bless you both for sharing your story. I found it quite sad that with both your lives revolving so completely around music that Kathy can no longer enjoy it as much. But also, what an inspiring video to see and hear your positive outlook on things. Geoff, your blend of clear precise information and fun worked brilliantly. I admire and appreciate the both of you! Love to you both! 👍💜

Tina Greenfield

Thank you both so much for sharing Kathy's story. As an instrumental music teacher in Qld, Australia, we are fortunate enough to also be given regular hearing tests and musicians earplugs for free(which I use every day). I wish more businesses would do this too. At the moment, I am teaching a student with profound hearing loss the Saxophone. They picked the Saxophone because it was the only instrument they could hear with some clarity and watching them succeed and perform with such great musicality brings me so much joy. Every since I started teaching, I always try to make time to talk to my students about hearing loss and what they can do to protect it. To me, this is something that should be taught in every school worldwide.

Rachael Heidi

I'm looking forward to watching this after I've sorted my dogs out this morning. Thank you both so much for doing this.

Primal Skies: an Urban Romp in the Vampire Midwest

I've struggled with tinnitus in both ears for as long as I can remember. it's my normal. and yes, I've been yelled at over the TV volume many a time. so thank you for this. way to make Old & Boring be funny & entertaining! to Kathy, always nice to see you on this side of the camera! I also get it about the lip reading. in my pharmacy a few of our patients are hard of hearing, and it's especially difficult with masks getting in the way. occasionally (don't let corporate hear this) I'll have to pull my mask down so they can lip read. double-darn you, coronavirus! as far as alarms, I recently got a Fitbit and discovered that it can be set with an alarm that gently vibrates on your wrist. I've no particular need for such a device, but Kathy might benefit from that.

Veronika Troll

Thank you for telling this story! I am 100% sure it will help people who deal with hearing loss and also those who don't because they can understand it more. It's a super special video. :)

Laryn A. Tapp

Thank you for doing this...I'm sure it will help people. I don't have experience with this other than the normal decline of hearing in elderly people. But Kathy says something that made a huge impact on me so no offense, this is for your wonderful wife. Kathy- I sincerely hope that you never think that you don't make an impact...don't make a difference with a comment. You mentioned "something that deviates your path" and it's okay to be upset or mad. I started crying when I heard you say that. Somehow, despite being a trauma counselor, the daughter of a psychologist who thinks just like him...I never gave myself permission to be angry or sad. Nobody ever told me that even though I knew it from a psychological perspective but not emotionally. I turn 58 on February (tell your husband to hush about being old!!) and four years ago was diagnosed with a progressive degenerative brain disease with no treatment and no cure...there's a genetic link on my dad's side...he died in 2008. In June I was diagnosed with a second brain disease that isn't related to the first one and it will kill me faster than the first one. Whenever I feel tears starting, I make then stop. If I start feeling anger I shut that down. Obviously, that's not the healthy way to deal with this but I'm afraid that if I start crying, I won't be able to stop. If I let the anger run its course, I might say something mean to someone so I don't take a chance. One of the ways I make all of this go away is music. Losing myself in a beautiful voice helps me so I thank Geoff for sharing his gift to the world. His voice and his kindness are special to me and hearing him helps. I am so glad to finally meet you...you are an amazing woman! I wish you all the very best. Sending warm regards from Kentucky~Laryn

Melisendre

My father lost his hearing like his sister and brother. It was the same like you told. I remember when I was a child I often couldn't sleep because the TV was too loud. He never got used to his hearing aids. My uncle was completly deaf at some point. Then he decided to get a Cochlea implant. It changed his whole world. Now the next generation in my family looses hearing. My sister and my cousin already have hearing aids and I'm very frightened that this could happen to me too. I can nothing do to prevent this. Thank you for your video and sharing your story. It helps the people to understand how it is to loose the hearing.

Gamesz

Thank you for sharing this! The last part, when you talked about live changing and that you might find something new or/even better on the other side was very powerful. Yet i can imagine how hard it was. I‘m glad you managed it so well (with a lot of humor, which is the best life guide in my experience 🤣)

Jacklinka

Thank you for sharing your story, you struggle and your love for each other. You both are so strong and so beautiful and so talented! And Kathy is a true hero, with all these circumstances she played in Pattycakes vid really flawless! Kathy, we love you! ❤️ And I would say a personal special Thank You to Kathy for support in Shenandoah. Btw, everyone always complains that I'm shouting while I'm not shouting, I've just used to speak loud because my husband has low hearing, he was in artillery in the army. ☺️

Snappy

Thank you both for sharing this with us 💖 In the last years I noticed my hearing is slowly getting worse, probably from working in a loud place, but I never actually went to have it checked out by a doctor. I'm also worried about all those looks and comments I would for sure get at work if I show up with hearing aids one day. It's just my stupid social anxiety talking but it's been keeping me from getting myself checked. Maybe I will finally get some courage now to finally make an appointment.

Janine

Thank you both for such an open conversation about a subject many people try very hard to avoid through either fear or just not having enough knowledge. I have been dealing with (some days worse than others) a so called invisible illness myself since i was a child. It causes a multitude of secondary issues one of them being low level partial loss of hearing in one ear. Coupled with just one of the other complications of severe photophobia it can completely change your life, so its so wonderful to hear you talk about such a serious subject in the way you have and to see the support you obviously give each other. It is a conversation that definitely needs to be had more often and more people need to understand that just because someone is young or doesn't appear to have anything wrong, you never know what is under the surface. Kathy- you are obviously an amazing person and so wonderful to have been so willing and open to talk about and share this part of yourself with everyone. It takes a very strong person to share a part of themselves like that so thank you. Invisible illnesses need to be talked about and understood more. Thank you for the video and for your openness it gives me hope that more conversations like that can happen in the future.

Rachel Blackthorne

Thank you so much for sharing this experience with us. Kathy you are such an inspiration and I hope that you find all the things you need to make your life easier. Invisible Illnesses are the bane of anyone's life but you are bringing them to our attention with grace and poise and showing us that there are ways to move on. And Geoff, it is wonderful to see someone who supports their partner through the hardest moments. Your love for Kathy is adorable and definitely shines through in everything you do. Thank you both for sharing such an insight into your life together. I know we are your fans but it is things like this that makes you feel like friends. 💗 From one survivor to another, onwards and upwards...x

Veronica Thunander

It’s so nice to see you on this side of the camera, Kathy! This was very interesting, thanks for sharing!! It’s great to get some insight into this and to remember the fact that we don’t always see what might be ailing (is that the right term?) a person. I have some “hidden” diseases and I appreciate your encouraging words. Sometimes I dream of being able to go back to being who I was before (i.e. doing things I could do then), but I need to move through and look forward to everything that is possible now. There’s so much to be grateful for! Thanks to the two of you for being so wonderful!

Maegodorel

Thank you for sharing this. I really liked what Kathy said about being aware of other people' disability. It's also very beautiful to see you two being supportive of one another.

Barbara Binney

Hubby complains the tv’s too loud ✔️ Hubby mumbles a lot ✔️ I guess it’s time to go get my hearing checked. This video has made me realize that I should not have put it off for as long as I have just because I didn’t want to admit to myself that I was losing my hearing. Thank you for sharing something so very personal in such an open and informative manner with just the right amount of humor. Kathy, you are an amazing woman and truly inspirational. Geoff, your are a wonderful, supportive partner. Your love and respect for each other is so obvious every time you’re on screen together. #couplesgoals One housekeeping issue: at 4:31, I think “comminication” is supposed to be “communication”. P.S. Generally speaking, “affect” is a verb, and “effect” is a noun.

Sarah Roberts

A former coworker- deaf all his life- had a special vibration alarm clock. He doesn’t trust doctors so refused to get new hearing aids sadly. Very paranoid guy who assumes everyone is talking about him. But the information on about this special alarm clock might be something to look into.

Alison L

Thankyou both for sharing this part of your lives with us, I've learnt some things and found myself agreeing with some things as well. I work in a school and help run girlguiding and scouting units - we've had children with varying degrees of hearing loss in all 3 settings and the itchy ears is one thing they've all mentioned.

Claudia Russi Fischer

Good video, very important topic! 6 years ago, at the age of 58, I was on our yacht anchored somewhere on Great Barrier Island. „That’s weird“, I said to my husband. „I am hearing the song of crickets; Didn’t expect that in New Zealand…it’s more a Mediterranean thing, innit?“. Well, there were no crickets. I was just starting to realize, that I had this constant noise in my ears. I am hearing „crickets“ even now that I am living in the Swiss alps. Understanding the spoken word is getting more and more difficult. Hearing aids will be the way to go in a few years. It makes my sad, but if a young musician suffers from hearing loss, that’s so much worse

Sophie Llewellyn Smith

❤️❤️❤️Geoff, Kathy, thank you for making this video. This is an important subject, and something that has had a huge impact on Kathy's life (with knock-on effects, of course). You dealt with it in a way that was both factual and light-hearted (loved the dinosaur!), down to earth and inspiring, and also very compassionate. In short, it was characteristic of the two of you (or at least, what the public sees of you). It's also very touching to see the intimacy between you, and the look in Geoff's eyes when he says he's proud of you, Kathy. ❤️❤️ Kathy, your message at the end is a real life lesson for all of us. Sometimes unexpected hurdles crop up in our path, or things don't go the way we want or expect, but in time, while mourning what we've lost, we can be open to new opportunities and lessons. Hearing loss is an important subject for me, because I'm a spoken language interpreter at major international conferences. When I'm at work, I wear a headset to listen to the speaker and I talk at the same time in a different language. At any time, one of the speakers at the meeting may tap loudly on his microphone to check it's working (ouch!), or I might get a blast of feedback, or someone might launch a short video without checking the volume levels and deafen the interpreters - sometimes literally. Some of my colleagues have suffered acoustic shock in the past couple of years, and/or developed such bad tinnitus that they can't work any more. So I definitely recognise the important of protecting your hearing. Many thanks again for producing a video which maybe made you feel vulnerable. That vulnerability is what makes the two of you so real, not just public personas, and (speaking for myself) I love that about you.

Victoria Robinson

What a great video about an important subject! I work in manufacturing and have to wear earplugs all day so it definitely resonates. On the emergency situation aspect…they make watches that will vibrate with alarms and phone calls so maybe that’s an option?

Rebecca Mangelsdorf

Have you thought about having a Smart Home? There are panels in your house that are hooked up to lights - t.v. and appliances. Also there are beds that hook up to this that would help your wife.

Gretchen G

Angie, I'm sorry that's the case. I'm wishing the best for the both of you. 💚

Esther Reeves

I have hearing loss in one ear and have profoundly deaf family. They have doorbells and alarms which have flashing lights instead of sound. If you make another video about hearing please consider not having music and effects etc behind the speaking it means we have to focus harder to hear your voice instead of the background. For me, background sound and voices merge into one and then I struggle to hear. I also lip read a lot. If you are wearing headphones make sure you don't have them too loud that can damage your hearing very easily.

Cindy Barber

This was a wonderful video, and you two are just amazing as always. Kathy, thank you so much for sharing, and I'm glad you two made this video. My dad is struggling with some of the things you were discussing since my mom passed. She was always his "ears" when they would sleep, cause much like you were describing, he can't hear alarms or what not. The option he has found so far for himself is to use an older hearing aid that just fix just into his ear in one side. His also hooks up to his phone so it allows him to hear if a phone call comes in, but also should alert him just enough to any other alarm. It's a tough thing and I'm sure there are other options out there, that was just his way of handling it so far. With all that said though, thank you again for making such a lovely video and it's so great to always see both of you. Your care and love for each other is so obvious, I'm sure there are many people out there who need to hear those final thoughts about it being ok to take the time to be sad or angry or what not, but then to also keeping moving and something unexpectedly good could be waiting on the other side.

Hugmany Foemen

If the engagement here is anything to go by, your music channel is exactly the right place to have this conversation. Patrons are going to be more inclined to respond, but this video has struck a chord with so many in this relatively small community who have to deal with other invisible disabilities as well as hearing loss, that it should have a broad reach 'outside'. That's badly phrased, I'm trying to say that there are tens of thousands among the following you have accrued on various platforms who will relate to this, and more who will learn from it. You are using your fame to make humanity just a little more understanding and a little better. I'm just a little more proud that the Patrons have contributed to this than anything else. I can only imagine the grief process that you both had to endure to get to this stage of acceptance and positivity. As Kathy said, this is the sort of support and knowledge that she could have used. Thank you for generously sharing something so personal for the benefit of others.

Lois Taysom

Thank you for sharing this. It was very informative.

Joey Hatch

So, this made me cry. I been losing my hearing slowly over the last 20 years and I've been reluctant to do anything about it. I didn't even know where to start ,and I've been so afraid of what happens after that train gets rolling. This gave me so much hope. Thank you and Kathy so much for sharing this.

Tracie Schlaak

What a great video! I too have hearing loss and had to bite the bullet to get hearing aids. Geoff and Kathy, you are an inspiration to all of us. Sharing your story must have been hard, but I'm so glad you did. Your love and admiration for each other is astounding. Keep up the good fight and thanks for being you!

Constance Christensen

This is close to the story of my life!. I have a wire in one ear due to otosclerosis (anvil bone in my left ear fused over and no longer vibrated). If I slept on my right side I did not hear anything, including a crying child. It is hereditary. Once I had a gold wire put in to act as the anvil bone everything was so loud! One downside was tinnitus and I could hear my heart beat at times. I did adjust overtime. I read lips but cannot hear some men's voices which made it hard to follow some lectures when I went back to school. I often do not hear someone talking behind me. I can hear bass! Nice. It bothers me to watch tv when the sound is not synced correctly or to watch someone talk who doesn't move his lips much.

Jamie T.

This was such a special video. Thank you Geoff for doing this and thank you Kathy for sharing your story. I too have "hidden" disabilities so I really related when Kathy mentioned that. After suffering for many years with a bowel disease called ulcerative colitis and being allergic to every single drug used to treat it I ended up going through several major surgeries and now have a permanent ileostomy. I also suffer from tinnitus. I've been very upfront about telling people I know and work with about my conditions and have never regretted it. More than once I've had friends & co-workers seek me out because they or someone they knew were facing a similar situation and had questions. I guess what I'm trying to say is I know from personal experience that sharing your story like this WILL help people and that is such a blessing to give.

Shirley B Karr

I can't imagine the grief and pain of making my living as a singer, surrounded by beautiful music, only to have that sound taken away. I'm in awe that Kathy has made such peace with it and found positives. Yes, this video is different from most of those on your channel, but not the first time you've shared some of your personal life with us. Watching "Our IVF Journey," I cried too when y'all got the call that Kathy was finally pregnant. (We'd been married 20 years before I was able to conceive.) I still get choked up watching the end of Daddy Sang Bass. May I suggest the whole family (including VoicePlay) learn sign language? I know, another to-do in an already crazy busy schedule. But the ability to converse in ASL would help Kathy be less isolated in noisy environments and other situations where her hearing aids aren't helpful, and not be completely reliant on technology. Growing up bi-lingual would also offer opportunities for William. Geoff already can't talk (or sing) without his hands, so this would just be gestures with more meaning. We used sign language with our son. None of us have hearing problems, but babies are able to express their wants and needs with their hands much younger than with speech, and our kiddo has always had strong opinions. He signed back for the first time at 17 months, to let us know he was hungry. Within three months we had a vocabulary of 100+ signs. No more tantrums because he wanted yogurt but I'd served applesauce, for example. It also sped up his language acquisition. By his second birthday, he not only spoke in complete sentences, he spoke entire paragraphs. I wish we'd kept it up because it came in handy when he was on the far side of the playground, or when I had a bad cold and lost my voice for a week. A friend who is deaf has had some success in getting co-workers to wear masks that have a clear panel so she can still read lips. Thank you for sharing this part of your journey together. I loved the touches of humor, and looks at your "ancient" history -- Earl at your wedding, dancing with Tony as Dracula, singing with a giant doughnut… I may be traumatized by Blond Geoff, but yes, you totally looked good in a teddy bear backpack.

Dee Herrera

This was really informative as well as fun. Bless Kathy for being so incredible!

Amanda Gentry

Hello Geoff and Kathy! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I can’t imagine what it’s been like to go on this journey. I am a musician myself and one of greatest fears is losing my hearing. It just confirms for me just how much of a badass Kathy is (I mean, she’s a mom, wife and working woman while tackling hearing issues? You are a better, braver woman than I Kathy Castellucci!). You may have been suggested something like this already (there are 96 comments as I write this so….) but I may have something that would help with the alarm clock issue: I noticed in the video that you are both wearing smart watches. My significant other and I work shift work and tend to have very different sleep schedules. I try to get up and out the door without waking them up if I can avoid it. So I set an alarm on my Apple Watch and turn off the sound, while turning up the vibration as high as it will go and wear it to bed. And so, when my alarm goes off, no sound to wake them up, but the vibration on my wrist wakes me up. Half the time they never even notice when I leave. (Imagine the wrath when they wake up to find I’ve gone and didn’t bring them coffee!!!) And you can set phone calls to come through the smart watch this way too. There may even be a way to program other alerts: severe weather reports, maybe even the smoke alarm. I hope this is helpful. Continue to be your inspiring badass selves! Much love! -Amanda G. Lake Charles, Louisiana

Viktoria Kovacs

Thank you so much for this video. One of my closest friends has almost entirely lost her hearing, and she uses a special app that uses light and vibration instead of sound to alert her to calls and emergencies. Like, it flashes a really really (I've been next to her when it went off one time and it woke me instantly and her soon after) bright light while vibrating.

Christine Stromberg

Thank you for sharing, I would never have guessed. Some people have hearing dogs who can alert you when things happen. I don't know how your cat would feel about that.

Sarah Reach

I always say how proud I am to support your music/projects, but never have I been more proud to support a video as I am for this one. This is such an important topic and conversation to have. It clearly resonates with a great number of people. I find it fascinating how many of the Patrons have been touched by this issue themselves or in their close relationships. I don't have any hearing loss that I am aware of, but all the older men in my family have age and workplace related hearing loss, so I am vigilant in protecting my hearing by making good use of my company provided earplugs and also making myself keep the volume low on my headphones. Also, I have to comment on what an amazing couple you two are. I am not a particularly romantically minded person generally, but I absolutely love how much you guys love each other!

eternalizzie

this is a beautiful video, and i'm sure it will help a lot of people. and as always, you guys are so sweet and lovely.

Nellie Daugherty

I appreciate the video quite a lot. One of my (three) sons has experienced hearing loss his entire life. We struggled to figure this out at first because he was such a pleasant, happy baby, who interacted well, but didn't seem to have so much to say. Beyond my son specifically, many of us, myself included, have tinnitus all of the time. Sometimes softer, sometimes not so soft. And not all of us process sounds the same, to be certain. I am one of those very many people who have trouble with sound piled on sound--that is, words and music together. I will get the music solid. The words? Pardon me, what words did they actually sing? So I turn look up lyrics to most songs and turn on subtitles to nearly every movie and most videos. All of that doesn't change that in order to be sure I heard correctly (over the tinnitus, over the music) I constantly check words. It's not an issue with general conversation, or with audible books, or even cross conversations, up to three of which I can follow at a time, if music isn't involved. For these reasons, I particularly appreciated Kathy's perspective that we really don't know what [conditions] other folks deal with because we truly don't. Folks themselves may not even be fully aware. Also, what she said about not giving up or giving in when we look for solutions to make our lives work better is great advice. The range of talented professionals that can make a positive difference in treating many kinds of physical conditions is astounding. In that way, the times in which we live are tremendously good. We may have to go through many practitioners to find one that actually listens thoroughly, tests well, is trained well and practices well, but those practitioners are out there.

Doug Beck

Thank you for this! I've been clinically deaf over thirty years. After surgery, implants, and electronics, I understand about 20% in a quiet environment, but zero in noisy and crowded places. I also use the bluetooth capabilities. I enjoy music, but it takes earphones, inner and outer hearing aids, and environment. Unlike many, I enjoy the vibrations of the lower frequencies. Thanks again!

Valorie Rose Lyons

What a wonderful video, and starting point to discuss how one person's hearing loss can affect the entire family. My best friend has lost quite a bit of her hearing. Thank you for starting the conversation. And you two are the sweetest and most darling couple. Much love to you both, you're an inspiration.

Carrie Robb

This is wonderful, thank you! Suggestions for devices that would help notify Kathy of emergencies. They do make things like specialty smoke detectors that use light with the sound and bed shakers for alarms.

Frédérique Boudet

Thanks for sharing this with us, usually i try in english but for this one i can't, merci Katy de partager ton histoire avec nous, je pense que ça va vraiment aider de nombreuses personnes. Vous voir parler de ces difficultés avec une telle simplicité est vraiment encourageant. Vous traversez ça tous les deux avec force et amour. Vous êtes adorables tous les deux, ne changez rien, c'est pour ça qu'on vous aime. même de très loin, dans mon tout petit coin de France

Jojo Hale

Thank you both for sharing this with us. ❤️ My husband is dealing with hearing loss due to old brain injuries, and I am beginning to get hearing loss due to degeneration (it runs in my family). I’ve noticed in myself the “red flags” you talked about, with the volume on my car radio going gradually higher and higher for me to hear it correctly, and I swear people are always mumbling! And subtitles are ALWAYS on in our house too. Anyway, it is heartening to see your perspective and the ways you’ve coped. It really isn’t talked about enough, especially in the music community! Again, thank you for sharing this with us. Love to you both!

Hanne Marit Leikvoll

Thank you so much for sharing this. A lot of the challenges will soon be a part of our daily life too. My hearing is fine, but finally we have got my man diagnosed. All the years I have been mad at him for not listening, and then he actually couldn’t. 😅 I wish you all the best, big hugs from Norway. 🥰

Karen Zaro

Thank you for sharing this. I suffer from hearing loss too. I just got my 2nd one in my left ear and a new one for my right ear. My then-teenage daughter noticed I wasn't hearing too well a few years ago. It means so much to share and support each other. And, my ears itch terribly with these new aids too!! I am so glad I am not the only one! Love your music and you are all in my prayers.

Tina Wiles

Thank you so much for sharing this. After my 24 year old son and I finished watching it, he told me he wants to get his hearing checked. His hearing has felt off for a little bit. The video you and Kathy made inspired him to get it checked out. Thank you! You are both amazing!

Gary Wagner

Thanks for the video. I am in my 43nd year of severe tinnitus. I can't hear any sound that is the same tone as the ringing. I also have what they called partial tonal deafness. There are certain pitches and tones that I can't hear at all. I've tried hearing aids but because I can't hear some things no matter how loud they are - they just make all the other tones I can already hear louder. This video has encouraged me to consider going back to an audiologist (the first pair of aids was from nearly 20 years ago). Maybe technology has advanced and can help me. It is frustrating and I know it drives my wife nuts. Thanks for the video.

thomas maigler

This video is great, thank you very, very much! Since birth i am profound hard of hearing (both ears), on the verge of deafness. After nearly 40 years of wearing hearing aids I finally decided to get CIs (Cochlear Implants) in 2014 (left side) and 2016 (right side) - which are working phenomenal for me - and reading from others lips was the norm for me all my life. Now with CI on both sides and ongoing training i'm less dependent on reading lips and subtitles and i'm happily experimenting (and training my hearing) with listening to music (in all possible styles) and discovering new bands for myself to hear. And perhaps i'm able to phone sometime in near future ... i'll see :) I'm so happy that now I can hear many, many of the nuances of your voices (though not completely all), and I love to explore and train to expand my ability to differentiate the tones genrerally in music and preferably your voices, Geoff & Co. (of course including VoicePlay) :) Onto the topic of waking up ... I'm using some optical signaling system for my alarm clock and the door bell. There are vibrating alarm clocks (portable, but i've seen a few big ones which can be mounted under the bed...) as well (if i'm away from home i use one of these little portables which fit under my pillow). My take of my lifelong experiences is: Never give up! :) (Many Greetings from Germany)

Amanda Yarbro

I have a mild hearing loss in both ears, due to either meds or my medical condition. Not sure about the alert system, but here's a ink to an alarm like what I have, it shakes the bed. https://www.amazon.com/vibrating-Shaker-Sleepers-Hearing-Seniors/dp/B0814VCL7T. I have the sound turned off, because my hubby sleeps during the day and I don't want to wake him. My hubby calls my hearing aides, my ears too! I have to turn them off at the movies because it is too loud. Also, watching things with music, such as The Dragonborn Comes BTS, I have to change the settings on my aides so I can hear the talking parts better. I agree Geoff always wear ear plugs. Hubby and I do at concerts and I can still hear just fine. With subtitles, I agree they are a life saver and now hubby even feels like he's missing something when they aren't available. Thanks Kathy for sharing your story.

Stephanie Skelton

My mom has degenerative hearing loss and I shared this video with her. She cried. She said this was the first time she’d seen her story and experiences explained so clearly. Thank you for helping my mom to feel seen - and for opening my eyes to have a better understanding of what she goes through. She’s never been able to fully explain to us what it’s like and this gave her the voice she’s never been able to find. Thank you. I found Voiceplay and Geoff’s solo work only a few weeks ago and I’m so grateful. (Also, I’m a teacher and my grade 5 students ask to hear your songs daily!! Many have downloaded Sixteen Tons and ask for more!) Thank you so much for sharing your story, Kathy and Geoff. I’m grateful for you.

Karin Berg

This is probably a weird question, but have you and Kathy ever considered spirit keeping, ie inviting a spirit (of your choice) into your family? I have a whole bunch now myself, including three adorable children (who are hoping for Hushabye Mountain in the future...). Many spirits get stuck between worlds because they loved to help people when they lived and just don't feel like they are done helping yet. I am super curious what Kathy could be able to hear with all outside sounds turned off. The spirit might be able to tell her to turn her hearing aid on if they see that you are trying to talk to her. William is hopefully young enough to learn/relearn to see and hear spirits, and tada, you have an extra pair of eyes to watch him. One of my spirit friends actually blew a kid's mind recently. The tot was staring and pointing at the thin air and empty wall behind me, and whispered to his mother "Do you think that he could be a ghost?". The mother was shocked and embarassed and hushed the kid. I didn't say anything  but was thinking that yes that'd be my incubus. 🤷‍♀️

Susan Zoe Bella

Thank you for sharing the positive notes. I have Menieres Disease. It's a hellish ordeal that changed my world August 6th, 1995. In addition to the many other symptoms is hearing loss. Kathy, do you have tinnitus? That is one of my toughest challenges. When the Disease flares the noises in my ear get worse which result in worse hearing loss. It's very scary. I've pretty much isolated myself from the world or the other way around, because everyday sounds that most people don't notice are like addiontal noise to me. I can't do concerts or movie theaters no way. The louder something is the worse I feel. Everything blurs into a roar and circles me until I become disoriented and must retreat to quieter ground. Do you get the disoriented feeling? It's been 27 years with this now and what began in one ear now affects both. I must use CC to watch TV. I don't play much music anymore. One thing that has been a blessing to me are dogs. I've had some really amazing dogs that seem to know I need help. They LMK if someone is approaching, if an alarm goes off, if someone knocks at the door, if something is boiling over on the stove (that happens a lot). I've noticed that I drift into my own world a lot. Does that happen to you? What has been difficult is people of great faith have prayed over me then got angry when I didn't get healed. They accused me of not having enough faith. That would be like them telling my S.O. that his lack of faith is why his amputated foot won't grow back. There is no cure for Menieres Disease. Nobody ever tried to pray his foot back on but for some reason my lack of faith is why I still have progressive Menieres Disease. Anyway, have you ever had to deal with that? And Geoff, you mentioned you didn't have the vocabulary to describe a certain thing but your vocabulary is quite extensive and creative. I enjoy your captions and sense of humor.

Susan Zoe Bella

Oh PS ~ The reason I love your singing is because it soothes my ears and calms the noise instead of making it worse. Den found you on YT, and I got hooked on your voice. I had quit listening to music because it agitated my condition. Your voice does the opposite.