Gael Hannan

Gael Hannan is an author, speaker and advocate on hearing loss issues. In addition to her weekly blog at the Better Hearing Consumer, which has a passionate international following, Gael has written two acclaimed books, “The Way I Hear It: A Life with Hearing Loss”and “Hear & Beyond: Live Skillfully with Hearing Loss”, written with Shari Eberts. She is regularly invited to present her uniquely humorous and insightful work to appreciative audiences around the world. Gael has received many awards for her work that advocates for individuals to become more knowledgeable and successful at dealing with their hearing loss and a more inclusive society for them to live in.

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No(ah), No(ah) – It’s Too Loud!

In hindsight, we should have picked the movie about the spelling bee over the cute animals marching two by two into Russell Crowe’s ark. I mean, how loud can a spelling bee be, whereas Noah turned out to be a surprise candidate for the Loudest Movie I’ve Ever Seen award. But who knew? The other choices for a movie night

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Wanted: The Perfect Hearing Care Professional

For hearing aid and cochlear implant users, one of the most important people in our lives is our hearing care professional (HCP). This person has more influence on my peace of mind, bank account and quality of life than I would normally give to anyone not a husband, child, parent or BFF. I see my HCP more frequently than I

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What’s That Noise in My House?

Answer me this: in one house, why do three TVs have to be on at the same time? On the same station. With the sound on. Loudly. Right now, in our house, the answer would be that the race is on to the Stanley Cup hockey playoffs. My stepson plays for one of the teams, and, at this point, every

Featured image for “The Golden Thread: Connecting People with Hearing Loss”

The Golden Thread: Connecting People with Hearing Loss

“The healing power of even the most microscopic exchange with someone who knows in a flash precisely what you’re talking about because they experienced that thing too, cannot be overestimated.” ― Cheryl Strayed, Tiny Beautiful Things “Come and sit here by me,” online pharmacy lariam with best prices today in the USA barked my great-grandmother Bonnie. “I can’t hear you

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Hearing What the Bad Guys Say

I have a recurring nightmare. Technically I suppose it’s not a nightmare because I fret about this while I’m awake, not when I’m sleeping. online pharmacy zantac for sale no prescription I worry about being caught in a bank robbery – not doing the robbery, but being in the bank just when Jesse James’ great-great-grandson decides to carry on

Hearing Loss – It’s All in the Face

“I would not know how I am supposed to feel about many stories if not for the fact that the TV news personalities make sad faces for sad stories and happy faces for happy stories.” Dave Barry I am a reader of faces. Not a professional one, although there is such a profession, according to several websites. Chinese doctors

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The Poetry of Hearing Loss

This week, I’m doing something a little different. Hearing loss packs a powerful emotional punch, and many people use poetry to express its impact – rhyming verses, blank verse (which has rhythm but no rhyme), or a free-flowing collection of thoughts that don’t adhere to (or care about) any of the usual poetic rules. A few months ago, I received

Featured image for “Hearing That Pesky ‘S’”

Hearing That Pesky ‘S’

Heard any good s’s lately? A person with hearing loss goes into a bar and asks, “What’s on tap?” The bartender replies, “I’ll tell ya.” They look at each other for a long moment, and finally the patron prompts, ‘So?” The bartender raises his eyebrows and replies, “So…what?” “So, don’t just say I’ll tell ya – and then don’t. So,

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Nitty-Gritty Tips from a Hearing Aid User

I don’t pretend to be a hearing care professional. But for anyone looking for non-biased, trial-and-error insider advice about hearing aids, I reckon that experience is worth at least a year or two of audiology courses. Maybe even a degree. Because after almost 40 years of hearing aid use, I’ve learned an important thing or two about hearing aids.

Unheard Melodies Can Still Be Sweet

Editor’s Note: This week, I am delighted to welcome as guest blogger Katherine Bouton is the author of “Shouting Won’t Help: Why I — and 50 Million Other Americans — Can’t Hear You,” which has just been reissued in paperback with a new introduction. She speaks and writes as an advocate for those with hearing loss, and she is a member of the Board of