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Life After Deaf: My Misadventures in Hearing Loss and Recovery
From a renowned media critic to a man with sudden and full hearing loss, Noel Holston ran the gauntlet of diagnoses, health insurance, and cochlear implant surgery.
On a spring night in 2010, Noel Holston, a journalist, songwriter, and storyteller, went to bed with reasonably intact hearing. By dawn, it was gone, thus beginning a long process of hearing-restoration that included misdiagnoses, an obstinate health-insurance bureaucracy, failed cochlear-implant surgery, and a second surgery that finally worked. He negotiated the gauntlet with a wry sense of humor and the aid of his supportive wife, Marty. Life After Deaf details his experience with warmth, understanding, and candor. It’s the story not only of his way back to the world of the hearing, but of a great marriage that weathered serious testing. Their determination and resilience serve as a source of inspiration for all.
Life After Deaf is not just for the more than forty million people in the United States alone who cope with some form of hearing loss, but is also for their wide circles of friends, family, caregivers, and audiologists. This highly readable book will be an invaluable guide and source of hope for the large number of baby boomers now handling hearing loss.
On a spring night in 2010, Noel Holston, a journalist, songwriter, and storyteller, went to bed with reasonably intact hearing. By dawn, it was gone, thus beginning a long process of hearing-restoration that included misdiagnoses, an obstinate health-insurance bureaucracy, failed cochlear-implant surgery, and a second surgery that finally worked. He negotiated the gauntlet with a wry sense of humor and the aid of his supportive wife, Marty. Life After Deaf details his experience with warmth, understanding, and candor. It’s the story not only of his way back to the world of the hearing, but of a great marriage that weathered serious testing. Their determination and resilience serve as a source of inspiration for all.
Life After Deaf is not just for the more than forty million people in the United States alone who cope with some form of hearing loss, but is also for their wide circles of friends, family, caregivers, and audiologists. This highly readable book will be an invaluable guide and source of hope for the large number of baby boomers now handling hearing loss.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published November 5, 2019
62 people are currently reading
366 people want to read
About the author
Noel Holston
3 books4 followersNoel Holston is a Laurel, Mississippi, native who for years wrote about popular culture for newspapers in Orlando, Minneapolis and New York. His prize-winning criticism, commentary and features have been published by more than 100 newspapers, magazines and websites.
His memoir, "Life After Deaf: My Misadventures in Hearing Loss and Recovery," published in 2019 by Skyhorse, is still one of the most popular books about hearing loss and overcoming disability on Amazon.
Noel's books include a second memoir, "As I Die Laughing: Snapshots of a Southern Childhood" (2023), and "OZmosis" (2025), an exploration of the influence of "The Wizard of Oz" on artists of all kinds -- filmmakers, poets, cartoonists, novelists and more
He lives in Athens, Georgia, with his wife and collaborator, singer-composer Marty Winkler.
His memoir, "Life After Deaf: My Misadventures in Hearing Loss and Recovery," published in 2019 by Skyhorse, is still one of the most popular books about hearing loss and overcoming disability on Amazon.
Noel's books include a second memoir, "As I Die Laughing: Snapshots of a Southern Childhood" (2023), and "OZmosis" (2025), an exploration of the influence of "The Wizard of Oz" on artists of all kinds -- filmmakers, poets, cartoonists, novelists and more
He lives in Athens, Georgia, with his wife and collaborator, singer-composer Marty Winkler.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 8, 2019
Life After Deaf is a very frank tale of one man's quest to regain his ability to hear again. It's sprinkled with humor and easily readable, and it presents the common struggles of a deaf person in our incredibly inaccessible society (think along the lines of companies and departments that work solely with helping deaf people being only available through the phone and having no email to reach them through, or how sign language classes are actually geared towards people who CAN hear and are aimed at teaching translators, meanwhile being a struggle for someone actually deaf to participate in.) The author recalls the countless instances where his insurance company or doctors seemed to want to just get rid of him, pigeonholing his problem and not actually wanting to help, and he also talks about the lack of information needed to educate oneself about the opportunities or choices one has if they want to reclaim their ability to hear.
It was a warmly written book and it was certainly interesting. More than that, it doesn't just deal with the doctor and insurance company drama - it was as much about coping with the change as it was about the technical aspects of it - about what one needs to do in order to not go nuts, having just lost one of their main senses, having their whole world changed all of a sudden, what with the way everyone you know seems suddenly unreachable to you, unable or even unwilling to communicate. The author wants to tell people who have newly become deaf that there are things they can do to cope emotionally and to learn to see that the rest of the world is still there, even though it seems to have faded in the aftermath of this personal tragedy.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
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It was a warmly written book and it was certainly interesting. More than that, it doesn't just deal with the doctor and insurance company drama - it was as much about coping with the change as it was about the technical aspects of it - about what one needs to do in order to not go nuts, having just lost one of their main senses, having their whole world changed all of a sudden, what with the way everyone you know seems suddenly unreachable to you, unable or even unwilling to communicate. The author wants to tell people who have newly become deaf that there are things they can do to cope emotionally and to learn to see that the rest of the world is still there, even though it seems to have faded in the aftermath of this personal tragedy.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
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December 29, 2019
I’ve been a cochlear implant audiologist since 1994, so noticed a couple small technical errors, and one clinical recommendation the author was given with which most other AuDs would disagree, but the rest of the book MORE than made those things fade to the background. I especially loved the chapter Realm of the Senses, and the gentle humor throughout the entire book.
As to the insurance and other logistical difficulties experienced by the author, I wish they didn’t happen - but am grateful for his example of persistence.
A very engaging memoir from which many will benefit from its candor with regard to how hearing loss affects not only the individual, but those in their life.
As to the insurance and other logistical difficulties experienced by the author, I wish they didn’t happen - but am grateful for his example of persistence.
A very engaging memoir from which many will benefit from its candor with regard to how hearing loss affects not only the individual, but those in their life.
March 7, 2022
Noel woke up with sudden and total hearing loss one day. How terrifying. Even when senses start to go gradually, a complete and immediate loss is something one is never prepared for.
Noel’s dad jokes and punny humor are endearing. He’s dealt with his hearing loss with a great attitude, and it makes for an enjoyable and easy read. Most older people tend to constantly complain about their ailments, but this memoir is not that. It’s a journey about adapting and fighting the system.
His insurance woes made me personally angry. It’s ridiculous how much these companies that we pay thousands of dollars a year can jerk us around, especially in regards to the most important thing: our health. Marty, his wife, is feisty, and I like her drive.
Noel addresses sex after hearing loss, which, let’s be honest, we were all curious about. He also talks about the daily challenges he faces, the disappointing quality of captions and inaccessibility of most customer service. Although by now dated, he also details some of the (then) latest technologies available to those who are hearing impaired.
I would recommend this book to anyone, even those who are not struggling with hearing loss. It’s a powerful story of overcoming a physical challenge and doing the best you can to continue life with the help of new knowledge and new technologies.
Noel’s dad jokes and punny humor are endearing. He’s dealt with his hearing loss with a great attitude, and it makes for an enjoyable and easy read. Most older people tend to constantly complain about their ailments, but this memoir is not that. It’s a journey about adapting and fighting the system.
His insurance woes made me personally angry. It’s ridiculous how much these companies that we pay thousands of dollars a year can jerk us around, especially in regards to the most important thing: our health. Marty, his wife, is feisty, and I like her drive.
Noel addresses sex after hearing loss, which, let’s be honest, we were all curious about. He also talks about the daily challenges he faces, the disappointing quality of captions and inaccessibility of most customer service. Although by now dated, he also details some of the (then) latest technologies available to those who are hearing impaired.
I would recommend this book to anyone, even those who are not struggling with hearing loss. It’s a powerful story of overcoming a physical challenge and doing the best you can to continue life with the help of new knowledge and new technologies.
December 24, 2019
He went to sleep hearing abled and woke up deaf. Can't imagine it, although having a hearing loss that was gradual, I can empathize. This one is a handy 'how to' if it happens to you. It is written with some hard truths (how hearing disabled are judged, the absence of music, social situations), some ugly realities(battling BCBS), but plenty of humor, (what's more important, a sense humor or hearing?) and beautiful notions (appreciation and development of ALL the senses you do have). Praise has to be given to the medical doctors who have gone beyond past boundaries. But mostly kudos given to NH for keeping those chapters ("Ear we go again") moving quickly, keeping a smile on my face, and keeping at it. Is there a prize for never giving up? For that, he'd be given 5 stars!
September 4, 2023
Incredibly written and such wonderful storytelling. I felt the constant hardships of Noel and Marty and was in awe of their ability to push forward when faced with repetitive difficulties
December 13, 2021
I am pretty open about my hearing loss issues yet it is one of those invisible disabilities where it can be easy for people to forget I have it. This autobiographical story is about a man who was already somewhat hard of hearing and wearing hearing aids when suddenly and without warning, he was nearly completely deaf. I liked the first half of the book the best because he does a great job of explaining the challenges of being deaf or hard of hearing. I sometimes wonder if my deafness will ever be as great as that of my Grandma Book. It was scary to read some of the things that I wonder if one day it could be my reality. Overall, though, I was comforted in reading about someone who knows what it is like and how much effort it takes to communicate with others. Here are some excerpts:
"It’s a disability that can be hidden, at least in the short term, and most hearing-impaired people don’t hesitate to try. To acknowledge deafness can be risky. You may be perceived as older, slower, or dumber. Katherine Bouton, author of Shouting Won’t Help: Why I—and 50 Million Other Americans—Can’t Hear You, actually gave up her job as an editor at the New York Times because she couldn’t bring herself to explain to management that she had not become incompetent or antisocial, just seriously hearing impaired."
I used to be afraid of the stigma of wearing hearing aids when I was in my 30's. It didn't take long for me to get over that because the benefits were HUGE.
"I expended so much energy and focus just trying to sort out what people were saying, comments and comebacks occurred to me long after the subject had changed. focus. Missing just two or three words at the beginning of someone’s comment to you can leave you to play a hopeless game of catch-up. Context is paramount. You have to ask people to look directly at you when they are speaking to you. Even if you can’t speechread (the new term for lipreading), there are clues in a speaker’s expressions and body language that you don’t even have to be actively aware of to incorporate into your understanding. We hear with our eyes, too. If you are part of a group gathering, you have to ask people to speak one at a time. This last is not easy. Even friends with the best of intentions often get carried away in the excitement of a conversation and forget your request. I still loved Athens after my hearing loss, but Happy Hour? Not so much. Even at an outdoor patio table with less surrounding noise, trying to keep up with a conversation that jumped like an eight-way air hockey match was challenging and ultimately defeating. You listen so hard it strains your brain. Your eyes dart this way and that, constantly, looking for lip movement to go with what sound you do hear. Occasionally, you catch a phrase you recognize, but by the time you extrapolate a larger thought or sentence from it and think up a comment or retort, the conversation has shifted or moved on."
^^^ THIS! Parties are hard. Team meetings are hard. Happy hours are hard. I love the banter and jokes yet when everyone is talking at once, it is nearly impossible to keep up. And as stated above, by the time you catch up, it's too late to make that joke. At work, we have a lively group and we all get along well. And we all like to interrupt and jump in on conversations. When two, three or four people are talking at once - I end up tuning out because it is just too hard to keep up. Side conversations? Very difficult for me as well. Background noises are amplified and interfere. Team meetings are EXHAUSTING because of all of the stimulation and hard work of trying to follow along and participate.
I do have enough hearing to make it all work. Holston's experience with total deafness was interesting:
"We hear faint echoes that help us know how low to duck our heads when we climb into a car. Hearing helps us gauge where we end and the rest of the world begins. At my most deaf, I banged my head getting in and out my car and cracked my noggin on the underside of kitchen cabinet doors I forgot I had opened. I had to start making a conscious effort to notice spatial relationships. It was either that or buy a football helmet."
This next story made me laugh! I will give the excerpt first then explain what happened to me just this last week!
"I climbed the stairs to the third floor, and there was my Mazda. Running. I could see a light stream of exhaust fumes coming out the tailpipe. I ran to the car and pulled on the front door handle. Locked. I barked a long string of expletives I could not hear. I had apparently gotten distracted when I had gotten out of the car. Not being able to hear the warning beeper, let alone the engine, I had instinctively flipped the lock and walked away. I’m a longtime AAA member, but I couldn’t call for assistance. Couldn’t hear. Couldn’t text them, either. AAA doesn’t do texting."
I busted out laughing because earlier this week I was cleaning. I take my hearing aids out and instead put on some noise cancelling headphones and clean while listening to a book. After using an electric stick vacuum I propped it up where we store and and took some things down to the basement to put them away. When I came back upstairs I could see the lights on from the vac. I never turned it off! I didn't hear it because I had my headphones on but this totally could happen if I were 100% deaf. At least it is not as bad as leaving your car running!
There were a few sections about the technical aspects of the Cochlear implant that he eventually had ..."installed"? and the process for re-learning how to hear because everything sounds so different. I liked reading about the process but the explanation about the surgery and what goes on inside the head I skimmed because that kind of stuff makes me squeamish.
There was an interesting section where he shares a tale of how he was stopped and searched by TSA. I found it interesting that he associated the reason that he was stopped to his deafness. I would not have thought that at all! Just goes to show that we see the world through our filters. It was a very frustrating time for him and I think he may have been hyper-sensitive to all of the new inconveniences caused by his deafness. Anyone can have their bags searched by TSA if you pack liquid shoe polish in your carry on. Or in my case, pumpkin bread!
His marriage had its highs and lows. A week after he had his Cochlear implanted - that's it - implanted, not installed - his wife underwent her own surgery for breast cancer. There were some very real struggles where his wife grew frustrated with him for it always being all about him. He did come off a bit self-centered at that time and I applauded his wife for sending him away for a week and asking for what she needed. Absence did make the heart grow ...mostly fonder.
Around page 300 his focus shifted from complaining to gratitude as he focused on what he COULD do - he could SMELL wonderful smells, he could TASTE good foods, and indulged himself in comfortable clothing the he loved FEELING on his skin.
HR Linda here laughed at this part - when he was talking about the frustrations of his not having a way to talk to the insurance company because he could not talk on the phone and instead having his wife call for him but then they wouldn't talk to him. This was in 2010-2013 so I think we probably are more aware of the need to provide ways for the hearing impaired to reach out to customer service. But the funny part is how he repeatedly referred to HIPAA as HIPPA. "She ultimately learned that I needed to fill out something called a HIPPA form". Even HR professionals spell that wrong. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act - HIPAA.
Last comment - he talked about closed captioned TV (GOD BLESS AMERICA) and then the CapTel phone. The former has seen a lot of improvement over the years yet the telephone he also found severely lacking. Not only is it inaccurate but it is so awkwardly slow. I don't use mine anymore either. Then again, with bluetooth hearing aids, I can hear that way. Technology is a wonderful thing!
"It’s a disability that can be hidden, at least in the short term, and most hearing-impaired people don’t hesitate to try. To acknowledge deafness can be risky. You may be perceived as older, slower, or dumber. Katherine Bouton, author of Shouting Won’t Help: Why I—and 50 Million Other Americans—Can’t Hear You, actually gave up her job as an editor at the New York Times because she couldn’t bring herself to explain to management that she had not become incompetent or antisocial, just seriously hearing impaired."
I used to be afraid of the stigma of wearing hearing aids when I was in my 30's. It didn't take long for me to get over that because the benefits were HUGE.
"I expended so much energy and focus just trying to sort out what people were saying, comments and comebacks occurred to me long after the subject had changed. focus. Missing just two or three words at the beginning of someone’s comment to you can leave you to play a hopeless game of catch-up. Context is paramount. You have to ask people to look directly at you when they are speaking to you. Even if you can’t speechread (the new term for lipreading), there are clues in a speaker’s expressions and body language that you don’t even have to be actively aware of to incorporate into your understanding. We hear with our eyes, too. If you are part of a group gathering, you have to ask people to speak one at a time. This last is not easy. Even friends with the best of intentions often get carried away in the excitement of a conversation and forget your request. I still loved Athens after my hearing loss, but Happy Hour? Not so much. Even at an outdoor patio table with less surrounding noise, trying to keep up with a conversation that jumped like an eight-way air hockey match was challenging and ultimately defeating. You listen so hard it strains your brain. Your eyes dart this way and that, constantly, looking for lip movement to go with what sound you do hear. Occasionally, you catch a phrase you recognize, but by the time you extrapolate a larger thought or sentence from it and think up a comment or retort, the conversation has shifted or moved on."
^^^ THIS! Parties are hard. Team meetings are hard. Happy hours are hard. I love the banter and jokes yet when everyone is talking at once, it is nearly impossible to keep up. And as stated above, by the time you catch up, it's too late to make that joke. At work, we have a lively group and we all get along well. And we all like to interrupt and jump in on conversations. When two, three or four people are talking at once - I end up tuning out because it is just too hard to keep up. Side conversations? Very difficult for me as well. Background noises are amplified and interfere. Team meetings are EXHAUSTING because of all of the stimulation and hard work of trying to follow along and participate.
I do have enough hearing to make it all work. Holston's experience with total deafness was interesting:
"We hear faint echoes that help us know how low to duck our heads when we climb into a car. Hearing helps us gauge where we end and the rest of the world begins. At my most deaf, I banged my head getting in and out my car and cracked my noggin on the underside of kitchen cabinet doors I forgot I had opened. I had to start making a conscious effort to notice spatial relationships. It was either that or buy a football helmet."
This next story made me laugh! I will give the excerpt first then explain what happened to me just this last week!
"I climbed the stairs to the third floor, and there was my Mazda. Running. I could see a light stream of exhaust fumes coming out the tailpipe. I ran to the car and pulled on the front door handle. Locked. I barked a long string of expletives I could not hear. I had apparently gotten distracted when I had gotten out of the car. Not being able to hear the warning beeper, let alone the engine, I had instinctively flipped the lock and walked away. I’m a longtime AAA member, but I couldn’t call for assistance. Couldn’t hear. Couldn’t text them, either. AAA doesn’t do texting."
I busted out laughing because earlier this week I was cleaning. I take my hearing aids out and instead put on some noise cancelling headphones and clean while listening to a book. After using an electric stick vacuum I propped it up where we store and and took some things down to the basement to put them away. When I came back upstairs I could see the lights on from the vac. I never turned it off! I didn't hear it because I had my headphones on but this totally could happen if I were 100% deaf. At least it is not as bad as leaving your car running!
There were a few sections about the technical aspects of the Cochlear implant that he eventually had ..."installed"? and the process for re-learning how to hear because everything sounds so different. I liked reading about the process but the explanation about the surgery and what goes on inside the head I skimmed because that kind of stuff makes me squeamish.
There was an interesting section where he shares a tale of how he was stopped and searched by TSA. I found it interesting that he associated the reason that he was stopped to his deafness. I would not have thought that at all! Just goes to show that we see the world through our filters. It was a very frustrating time for him and I think he may have been hyper-sensitive to all of the new inconveniences caused by his deafness. Anyone can have their bags searched by TSA if you pack liquid shoe polish in your carry on. Or in my case, pumpkin bread!
His marriage had its highs and lows. A week after he had his Cochlear implanted - that's it - implanted, not installed - his wife underwent her own surgery for breast cancer. There were some very real struggles where his wife grew frustrated with him for it always being all about him. He did come off a bit self-centered at that time and I applauded his wife for sending him away for a week and asking for what she needed. Absence did make the heart grow ...mostly fonder.
Around page 300 his focus shifted from complaining to gratitude as he focused on what he COULD do - he could SMELL wonderful smells, he could TASTE good foods, and indulged himself in comfortable clothing the he loved FEELING on his skin.
HR Linda here laughed at this part - when he was talking about the frustrations of his not having a way to talk to the insurance company because he could not talk on the phone and instead having his wife call for him but then they wouldn't talk to him. This was in 2010-2013 so I think we probably are more aware of the need to provide ways for the hearing impaired to reach out to customer service. But the funny part is how he repeatedly referred to HIPAA as HIPPA. "She ultimately learned that I needed to fill out something called a HIPPA form". Even HR professionals spell that wrong. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act - HIPAA.
Last comment - he talked about closed captioned TV (GOD BLESS AMERICA) and then the CapTel phone. The former has seen a lot of improvement over the years yet the telephone he also found severely lacking. Not only is it inaccurate but it is so awkwardly slow. I don't use mine anymore either. Then again, with bluetooth hearing aids, I can hear that way. Technology is a wonderful thing!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2021
If you really want to know what your future might look like as your hearing deteriorates, read this book. We owe a huge debt to our spouses who help us with the challenges. The chapters on his experience with his cochlear implant. I am HoH and might need this surgery if I become as deaf as my 98 year old mother is.
December 2, 2021
It is so interesting to read how others lost their hearing and then decided on a cochlear implant. I, too, lost the hearing in my one hearing ear (on the right) rather suddenly, and got a Cochlear Americas CI six years later after my hearing aid wasn’t helping all that much. Upgraded to a Nucleus 7 last year. A CI does help one hear, but comprehending everything, as the author writes, is something altogether. I miss being able to hear music (classical and opera) but it sounds, as Noel says, like “mush.” But like him, I can “listen” in my mind. It was well written and I liked his lyrics included in the book.
March 8, 2020
Wonderful read! Interesting, funny, and informative.
July 27, 2022
A personal story that provides a window into the world of cochlear implants and what it is like to live with hearing loss in general. With the author, you discover all of the everyday things that hearing folks take for granted, but suddenly become much more difficult without sound. You navigate the medical system and the labyrinthine systems of coverage that make it difficult to get an implant surgery paid for-- fighting insurance providers who insist that restoring your hearing is "not medically necessary." I found it got a little rambly toward the very end, but it is still a worthwhile read. Take care of your ears, folks!
November 26, 2019
Life after Deaf by Noel Holston is a fantastic, honest account by the author of his time with sudden hearing loss, the isolation he felt, etc. A must read for anyone dealing with this challenge. It is a must read for the families and friends of those who have experienced devastating hearing loss as well. He uses humor to discuss the struggles, losses and the gains. Sometimes I cried, sometimes I laughed. Thank you Mr. Holston.
January 7, 2020
Excellent rendition for those who suffer from or have family who suffer from hearing loss.
I found this memoir consistent with my experience living with a hearing loss. The author gives a vivid account of the challenges for both those afflicted and those who deal with them regularly. The novel provides some excellent true to life feedback... I recommend it!
I found this memoir consistent with my experience living with a hearing loss. The author gives a vivid account of the challenges for both those afflicted and those who deal with them regularly. The novel provides some excellent true to life feedback... I recommend it!
April 19, 2020
Just ok
The author's voice is sometimes arrogant, and he is not as funny as he thinks he is. I did not like the insertion of poems and song lyrics, I thought it self-indulgent on the part of the author.
The author's voice is sometimes arrogant, and he is not as funny as he thinks he is. I did not like the insertion of poems and song lyrics, I thought it self-indulgent on the part of the author.
July 7, 2025
This book was okay. Honestly I was more upset with how the author’s wife and stepdaughter treated him than anything. First off though: to anyone who is considering getting cochlear implant surgery who is a worrier, catastrophizer, or has anxiety I would NOT recommend this book to you. If there was ever a trigger warning need this would be it. The author had something happen to him after surgery that was rare and atypical and some of you could spiral reading about it.
I appreciated Noel’s honest take on living as a deaf person and felt seen in the passages where he talks about how deaf people adapt to a hearing world. I appreciated his honesty with his CI experience as well.
I felt bad for him because of how his wife treated him after he had surgery. In her defense she discovered a lump in her breast around the same time her husband had the CI surgery but then she proceeds to blame him for her not catching it in time. She tells him she needs to be alone. What?!!!! I was blown away by her selfishness. Tween he originally loses what’s left of his hearing overnight (he’d worn hearing aids) and had to learn to manage his sudden complete hearing loss, his stepdaughter told his wife that he had “lost a bunch of IQ points”. I was honestly disgusted with this statement as I have profound hearing loss myself. A person’s hearing disability (which trust me we don’t ask for or want), has absolutely nothing to do with intelligence. The wife then makes her husband drive alone to another state to stay with his aunt because she needed him out of the house because she wanted to be alone and not take care of him or help him after his surgery and he couldn’t hear anything during the trip. I just could not with this woman. I would have divorced her asap.
I also did not think his poems and songs were good at all and I skipped the ones at the end. Quite full of himself in this respect.
I appreciated Noel’s honest take on living as a deaf person and felt seen in the passages where he talks about how deaf people adapt to a hearing world. I appreciated his honesty with his CI experience as well.
I felt bad for him because of how his wife treated him after he had surgery. In her defense she discovered a lump in her breast around the same time her husband had the CI surgery but then she proceeds to blame him for her not catching it in time. She tells him she needs to be alone. What?!!!! I was blown away by her selfishness. Tween he originally loses what’s left of his hearing overnight (he’d worn hearing aids) and had to learn to manage his sudden complete hearing loss, his stepdaughter told his wife that he had “lost a bunch of IQ points”. I was honestly disgusted with this statement as I have profound hearing loss myself. A person’s hearing disability (which trust me we don’t ask for or want), has absolutely nothing to do with intelligence. The wife then makes her husband drive alone to another state to stay with his aunt because she needed him out of the house because she wanted to be alone and not take care of him or help him after his surgery and he couldn’t hear anything during the trip. I just could not with this woman. I would have divorced her asap.
I also did not think his poems and songs were good at all and I skipped the ones at the end. Quite full of himself in this respect.
November 13, 2022
About 13% of Americans above the age of 12 have some hearing loss, and the percentage rises with age. Older people's hearing loss tends to creep up gradually, but for author Noel Holston, deafness occurred literally overnight. His book describes his efforts to find a satisfactory diagnosis and remedy, both of which were complicated by recalcitrance from his insurer, Blue Cross. Eventually convinced that his hearing loss was permanent, Holston opted for a cochlear implant -- a device that holds the promise of restoring some degree of hearing to the deaf. Unfortunately, his first implant did not work properly, so he eventually had to have a replacement installed, which carried additional risks as well as resistance from his insurer. Luckily, it was successful, perhaps especially due to Holston's assiduous attention to hearing exercises and speech therapy.
This book is a useful guide for anyone who is facing a hearing loss so severe that a cochlear implant is the only viable solution (if not a panacea). Although Holston is a professional writer, his jaunty staccato prose invites skimming but does not command admiration, and his gratuitous inclusion of his own song lyrics and poetry may gratify his own ego, but surely will not win him a Grammy or any literary prizes. His Appendix, which reproduces some material from the FDA's website on cochlear implants, is informative, and his story illustrates how hearing loss affects one's place in an entire social network. It helps a lot to have a patient and sympathetic spouse or partner, especially one whose hearing is acute.
This book is a useful guide for anyone who is facing a hearing loss so severe that a cochlear implant is the only viable solution (if not a panacea). Although Holston is a professional writer, his jaunty staccato prose invites skimming but does not command admiration, and his gratuitous inclusion of his own song lyrics and poetry may gratify his own ego, but surely will not win him a Grammy or any literary prizes. His Appendix, which reproduces some material from the FDA's website on cochlear implants, is informative, and his story illustrates how hearing loss affects one's place in an entire social network. It helps a lot to have a patient and sympathetic spouse or partner, especially one whose hearing is acute.
February 15, 2023
I lost my hearing when I was 5 months old (from spinal meningitis); it is interesting to see so many parallels to someone who's lost their hearing later in life. I share many of his observations, especially the attitudes of people towards those who have severe to profound hearing loss.
However, perhaps BECAUSE I lost my hearing so early in life, I learned to push to be included in conversations. I have zero issues with butting in and asking what we are talking about and telling people what I need for full communication. If they don't want to, fine, move on. I have no use for people like that; I figure they are not compassionate, reasonable people towards others in their lives either. It's all on that person, NOT me.
I was fascinated by his attempts to get his CI corrected - how awful that the array wire extruded from his eardrum - and the hassles he went through to get approvals, work with insurance, etc.
He gets most of the technology description right, but there are some errors. It's possible that it's due to having the operation in 2010; there have been significant technological advances since then.
The constant poetry and song lyrics got annoying, especially toward the end. I'm not interested in that; I'm interested in the journey.
Overall a good educational book, and well written/engaging.
However, perhaps BECAUSE I lost my hearing so early in life, I learned to push to be included in conversations. I have zero issues with butting in and asking what we are talking about and telling people what I need for full communication. If they don't want to, fine, move on. I have no use for people like that; I figure they are not compassionate, reasonable people towards others in their lives either. It's all on that person, NOT me.
I was fascinated by his attempts to get his CI corrected - how awful that the array wire extruded from his eardrum - and the hassles he went through to get approvals, work with insurance, etc.
He gets most of the technology description right, but there are some errors. It's possible that it's due to having the operation in 2010; there have been significant technological advances since then.
The constant poetry and song lyrics got annoying, especially toward the end. I'm not interested in that; I'm interested in the journey.
Overall a good educational book, and well written/engaging.
June 13, 2020
Noel Holston's memoir about suddenly losing his hearing and the long journey to finding some help with a cochlear implant, is well-written, funny in places (an alternate title choice was Deaf Be Not Proud) and incredibly real. It also details the travails of working with the insurance system which deemed him initially as 'not deaf enough' although he couldn't actually speak by telephone to that company. He is very real about the strain a severely hearing impaired person can put on even a good marriage. His first cochlear implant failed and he needed a second that was even harder to arrange than the first. For me the book is personal as I'm dealing with some hearing loss, although not this severe, and currently exploring different options.
February 20, 2023
S. Sukup, Michigan
I cannot state how EXCELLENT the author has described hearing loss and it’s many challenging. I have been hearing impaired since my early 20s and experienced increased loss with age. This book, to me, is a text book that should be read by anyone that knows a hearing impaired person. The author opted for a cochlear implant and clearly describes the ups and downs and risks of that method of hearing restoration. I have worn hearing aids since I was 55 but truly should have had them sooner. Thank you Mr. Holston! I will be sharing your book.
I cannot state how EXCELLENT the author has described hearing loss and it’s many challenging. I have been hearing impaired since my early 20s and experienced increased loss with age. This book, to me, is a text book that should be read by anyone that knows a hearing impaired person. The author opted for a cochlear implant and clearly describes the ups and downs and risks of that method of hearing restoration. I have worn hearing aids since I was 55 but truly should have had them sooner. Thank you Mr. Holston! I will be sharing your book.
March 31, 2024
This was a quick read. I definitely enjoyed it. I felt very seen as he described his hardships with hearing loss. I enjoyed his optimism and positive attitude toward everything he went through. The only thing I found upsetting was that the revision wasn’t fully successful. For everything he went through, he needed that win. I’m suffering from my own hearing loss at 38 and have officially gotten hearing aides. They are also not always perfect and feel like a bra you can’t wait to take off at the end of the day. But I continue to push forward and stay positive and learn all I can.
January 20, 2020
The author's hearing has been failing for several years, then he experiences sudden hearing loss in one ear.
Doctors, tests, sign language, enormous hassles with insurance company.
Huge amount of stress on his marriage.
First operation for cochlear implant is not successful. After much fighting with insurance company, he has a second operation - a "revision".
Final outcome - it's an improvement, not a cure.
Doctors, tests, sign language, enormous hassles with insurance company.
Huge amount of stress on his marriage.
First operation for cochlear implant is not successful. After much fighting with insurance company, he has a second operation - a "revision".
Final outcome - it's an improvement, not a cure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2020
Noel paints a vivid picture of his hearing loss journey. This story is one patients experience with sudden hearing loss and the treatment following. As uncommon as his experiences are, this story is a perspective worth sharing with anyone experiencing hearing loss or family of someone experiencing hearing loss.
Noel was truly dealt a difficult path with his hearing loss journey, but his humor when retelling his story never faltered.
Noel was truly dealt a difficult path with his hearing loss journey, but his humor when retelling his story never faltered.
December 6, 2021
I wish to God that this book was required reading. I know how the author feels and so does any body who has a hearing loss. It explains better than I can or anybody else what is going on and how to help. Yes, look directly at who you are talking to. Yes, don't expect us to join in groups. So much more........please read this book! I do not have an implant but the information is so pertinent for any body dealing with a person who is hearing challenged.
June 2, 2022
Holston’s experiences with his hearing loss are spot-on and quite like my own, so I appreciated the education he offers readers who are less familiar with the many nuances of deafness. I didn’t really LIKE HIM, though, as his own issues just *dominated* everything, eclipsing far more serious health stuff his wife was going through, for example. I get it that this book is about his hearing loss, but still…
September 24, 2023
If you are losing your hearing or in relationship with someone who is, please give this a read. Noel goes into depth about the relational losses and challenges that come with deafness, which, sadly, not many people talk about. (And WHY do insurance companies make it SO difficult for people who need hearing aids or cochlear implants to get them?!) My hearing is definitely fading so I found this helpful, but also intimidating as I look ahead.
June 13, 2020
Noel Holston, a journalist, wakes up one morning profoundly deaf. This memoir is the story of his journey through the process to deal with the situation.
With sense of humor, Noel writes about all the trials of his situation, including: misdiagnosis, health care insurance bureaucracy, and two cochlear-implant surgeries.
Very inspirational and educational!
With sense of humor, Noel writes about all the trials of his situation, including: misdiagnosis, health care insurance bureaucracy, and two cochlear-implant surgeries.
Very inspirational and educational!
October 24, 2020
Great insights into life after deaf
A witty and charming story that explores what it is like to suddenly lose your hearing. It was interesting to learn how he, his wife and friends coped with the changes. It's been great for me to understand the mindset and range of implications someone encounters when faced with a sudden and drastic medical implication.
A witty and charming story that explores what it is like to suddenly lose your hearing. It was interesting to learn how he, his wife and friends coped with the changes. It's been great for me to understand the mindset and range of implications someone encounters when faced with a sudden and drastic medical implication.
December 15, 2022
Honest and humorous account of hearing loss. The author includes stories that show how the hearing loss affects friends and family members and the resulting isolation that a hearing-impaired person should recognize. I liked the technical explanations and how persistent he was to keep looking for improvement when the first implant was not working correctly.
November 30, 2024
This was an extremely well done nonfictional replay of the main character’s life when his hearing quit (over night). It was very informative and moved quite fast. Down side was that it got into a little too much detail regarding treatments and surgeries. Some of it went over my head. He did try to keep it light and I appreciated that.
February 27, 2020
Understanding Deafness
A personal account of one man's sudden deafness and his way through trying to maneuver his new world. I didn't find this a book I couldn't put down however it was well written and kept me interested.
A personal account of one man's sudden deafness and his way through trying to maneuver his new world. I didn't find this a book I couldn't put down however it was well written and kept me interested.
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