Me? Old at 23? Hmm...
Nah. Not really, but sometimes I do think my senses are slowly fading as I age. ha ha. Let me explain --
#1
First, I've been noticing that I often have some difficulty hearing (not that I don't listen). I've found that when I am in a room where everyone is talking (such as at a party; loud restaurant; large gathering) and someone begins talking to me, I have a lot of trouble focusing my attention in on what that one person is saying to me. It's hard to sort out all the background noise. So, I don't know if that's more of a "hearing" difficulty or an attention one. Secondly, if someone is more than about 10 feet away from me and speaking to me it often sounds like they are mumbling. This happens to me quite a bit at my internship. It can be embarrassing sometimes because I'll ask the person to repeat and when they do I still don't hear it. There are various other situations where people sound like they are mumbling. Who knows -- maybe they all really are mumbling!
#2
My eye sight seems to slowly get crappier as the years go by. I've worn contact lenses sense high school (I think it was) and they usually work pretty good, though they can't make things perfect. Lately I've had to focus a lot harder while driving at night because, though I'm wearing my contacts, it has gotten harder to see at night. My mom says I need to be eating carrots and getting more vitamins (is that Vitamin D?). I suppose I should -- I just don't like carrots and I don't like taking vitamin pills! Also, I got some new contacts a few weeks ago that are my usual brand and prescription but for some reason they are a little blurry. Maybe the company messed up my prescription.
#3
Also, this has nothing much to do with the topic but -- I SUCK at reading lips!! Never have been able to master that talent. A person was trying to ask me something the other day during a staff meeting but I could not, for the life of me, interpret what she was saying. I felt really stupid. lol.
Anyways, just had to share. Maybe I'm on some Totally Hidden Video show where people are playing games to make me think I can't see or hear that well. How cruel those mind games would be!
P.S. Have YOU experienced any of these difficulties?
#1
First, I've been noticing that I often have some difficulty hearing (not that I don't listen). I've found that when I am in a room where everyone is talking (such as at a party; loud restaurant; large gathering) and someone begins talking to me, I have a lot of trouble focusing my attention in on what that one person is saying to me. It's hard to sort out all the background noise. So, I don't know if that's more of a "hearing" difficulty or an attention one. Secondly, if someone is more than about 10 feet away from me and speaking to me it often sounds like they are mumbling. This happens to me quite a bit at my internship. It can be embarrassing sometimes because I'll ask the person to repeat and when they do I still don't hear it. There are various other situations where people sound like they are mumbling. Who knows -- maybe they all really are mumbling!
#2
My eye sight seems to slowly get crappier as the years go by. I've worn contact lenses sense high school (I think it was) and they usually work pretty good, though they can't make things perfect. Lately I've had to focus a lot harder while driving at night because, though I'm wearing my contacts, it has gotten harder to see at night. My mom says I need to be eating carrots and getting more vitamins (is that Vitamin D?). I suppose I should -- I just don't like carrots and I don't like taking vitamin pills! Also, I got some new contacts a few weeks ago that are my usual brand and prescription but for some reason they are a little blurry. Maybe the company messed up my prescription.
#3
Also, this has nothing much to do with the topic but -- I SUCK at reading lips!! Never have been able to master that talent. A person was trying to ask me something the other day during a staff meeting but I could not, for the life of me, interpret what she was saying. I felt really stupid. lol.
Anyways, just had to share. Maybe I'm on some Totally Hidden Video show where people are playing games to make me think I can't see or hear that well. How cruel those mind games would be!
P.S. Have YOU experienced any of these difficulties?
posted by Holly at 8:49 PM
3 Comments:
Yes, hello! I have the exact same difficulties. Here's what I have attributed it to. First, I saw a speical on 20/20 one time about adult ADHD. I checked it out and that really helped me. I'm not crazy or stupid, i've jut got this jazzed up configuraiton called ADHD. Also, about the not understanding people,yes yes yes that happens all the time. How frustrating. Another thing I have attributed it to is that when I was 6 I had open heart surgery. Before that I had lots of convulsions and was given phenobarbital daily for years. I read something, one time, in a book about there being some sort of "aphasia" (nomenal aphaaia???) something like that with people who were given phenobarbital in their youth. Essentially, you have trouble with first impressions. You know that the word is, say, "tree" but then that initial impression seems incorrect somehow. it's like all of a sudden the other person is speaking a foreign language. They have to repeat it and repeat it.
I'm 40, whoops, 41 now and I've finally gotten to a place that when I close to people I just explain it to them. "Hey, there are going to be times when I'm not going to have a clue what your're saying. I can hear you but it's like a foreign language. The one thing you can do is just say the same thing in a different way--"Please hand me the book" instead of "let me see that book." Everyone in my life has been totally understanding.
You can find me at reutersvard.blogspot.com. You're the only other person I've ever heard explain what I go through.
Good luck and take care. I'll try to find the name of that aphasia thing and come back here.
I'm totally new to blogging so it was extremely cool to find your site.
Hey, me again, I've actually had to deal with the things you're talking about. If you're interested, and I wouldn't be offending you, let me know at my aforementioned blog and I will give you some more of my experiences. I totally know what your going through. You are NOT stupid. I felt the same way and have myself officially tested for ADHD. My IQ was terrific (not a rocket scientist mind you) but my pencils are definitely sharpened.
Wow, now I found someone who actually experiences it the same way I do.
Ok, take care.
Dear Holly,
I've put on the way-back machine and searched the internet. I'm no doctor and I have a pretty hard time understanding even a third of the sites I'm going to give you. But I can tell you that for me it fits my history. I had lots of post-operatie seizures before the age of 6 and what I read here fits the general picture of my childhood. I'm not seriously impaired or anything. What is written in these posts, however, definitely fits my experience. Also, I think the exact wording for what I go is Auditory/verbal information Agnosia. Here are two sites I found that I seem to find talking about what goes on with me:
http://www.epilepsy.org/ctf/landau_kelffner.html
http://www.psychnet-uk.com/dsm_iv/agnosia.htm
Reading those cheers me a little because at least I'm not going crazy or stupid. I find it very validating to know that other people are going through it too and I'm not just making it up.
I'm really enjoying your blog. I especially liked the Sonic story. I'm brand new at this and have learned a lot from your very wonderful blog.
Take care and stop by someday at http://reutersvard.blogspot.com/
Post a Comment
<< Home