People Born Deaf That Later Had It Restored Reveal The Sounds That Surprised Them Most

People Born Deaf That Later Had It Restored Reveal The Sounds That Surprised Them Most
[rebelmouse-image 18354067 is_animated_gif=It's the gift we never knew we were given.
Hearing is an act, like breathing, we don't think about too much. That is, until the day comes when we can no longer hear. Maybe old age, or maybe an injury, can lead to people losing what they never considered. Some of us, though, are born without hearing. They're born deaf and grow up wondering what the world sounds like. Thanks to advancements in medicine, many people are having their hearing restored, and what they end up hearing may not be what they thought it sounded like. Many of these people were asked about this in response to Reddit user, u/linkman0596, who asked:
Redditors who were born deaf but had your hearing restored, what sounds nothing like what you expected?
When Going To The Loo Is A Challenge
[rebelmouse-image 18354069 is_animated_gif=I was born deaf in my left ear and about 40% hearing in my right. I wear a hearing aid that is inside my right ear. I think the biggest thing for me was hearing the toilet flush. It was so loud that I simply couldn't believe it. Most people say they'd never notice I was hard of hearing because I interact just like any other person.
Coke. Who Knew?
[rebelmouse-image 18354070 is_animated_gif=I wasn't completely deaf. It took me several surgeries to get to the almost normal hearing level that I have now. I remember how I got home from the doctor who just removed all the bandages etc from my ear and I had dinner.
I was drinking cola and searched for 5 minutes where this weird sparkling sound comes from. Apparently cola bubbles make sounds. Never imagined that.
Those LOUD Bees
[rebelmouse-image 18354072 is_animated_gif=I was born deaf, and got hearing aids at 6.
Honestly ? The bees. You can't describe them or imagine them till you have heard them all buzzing with pollen in Sicily's summer.
Also, the old 56k modem screech and my nonna screaming over it to get it faster (never worked obviously). I thought it would be more melodious, bizarrely.
Yeah Dude, Cicadas Are The Worst
[rebelmouse-image 18350289 is_animated_gif=I wasn't deaf but I only started wearing aids at about 20. I had no idea cicadas made noises.
They are f-cking awful I had no idea
First Time Tweeting
[rebelmouse-image 18354073 is_animated_gif=My nephew couldn't hear well. We thought he was just delayed in speech. Once he finally got his ears fixed (I don't remember what all they did).. he was sitting in the living room a couple days after he got them fixed and was so astounded by a certain noise from outside.
Turns out the sound of the birds in the tree near the window is what he was hearing...
He had no idea what birds sounded like.
Our Flag Is Loud
[rebelmouse-image 18354074 is_animated_gif=Something I can finally contribute funny to!
Born half deaf (left ear complete deafness) and low range on right ear.
First time I got hearing aids, I remember coming out of the clinic, and I hear this metal hitting and I'm like WTF!!!! But then I look around, and it's the godd-mn flag pole hitting metal to metal during wind.
I start crying. Like hearing overload.
I get into my car, put my flicker on, ITS SO LOUD!!!!!
Despite all this; grateful for technology to rectify my hearing difficulties.
Karen, That's Some Loud Silverware
[rebelmouse-image 18354075 is_animated_gif=I was born like at least 70% deaf. I got hearing aids when I was about 6. I never heard birds chirping, bugs buzzing, or silverware clinking. It was very distracting and overwhelming to the point of headaches. I only wore them at school.
I don't wear them anymore. Deafness is very isolating, and sometimes it's nice to shut the world out. Plus all blu rays and tv shows have subtitles. I do fine.
Confusing Laughter
[rebelmouse-image 18354076 is_animated_gif=Not born deaf, but I lost my hearing a few months before I turned 2, so I don't remember sound at all. I got cochlear implants when I was 19. Things that surprised me:
- Toilets. Holy mother of God. The first time I flushed one, it was a good thing I'd just pooped or I'd have sh-t my pants. It's like the f-cking whirlpool in that Pirates of the Caribbean movie, ready to devour all of existence.
- Eating is f-cking loud. Holy sh-t. Bang, clang, screech, clatter, smacking, so on...
- ...People laughing. Not what I expected. I don't know how to describe it.
Avoid Wal-Marts Like The Plague
[rebelmouse-image 18354077 is_animated_gif=I wasn't born deaf but I lost a significant amount of hearing in my right ear (AT-4 rockets are super loud) I didn't realize how bad my hearing was until I was driving and had the window cracked. My daughter was behind me and talking and I didn't hear a word. I went to the VA and got my hearing checked and ended up getting a hearing aid.
I wore it out of the VA hospital and was overwhelmed by the amount of things I could hear: a guy tapping his ring on his cane, EVERYONES conversation, birds were way louder, it was amazing. Then I went to a Walmart and almost had a panic attack because of how much I could hear going on around me. Now I only wear my hearing aid when I go to class.
I can't handle it otherwise.
A Learned Speech Impediment
[rebelmouse-image 18348916 is_animated_gif=I was born hard of hearing (apparently some hairs in my inner ear didn't grow right). They didn't find out until I was 5 years old in school, and I got hearing aids and put in a speech class. I had to learn the R sound (I pronounced it like W), the L sound (I pronounced it similar to a W), the Z sound (I pronounced it like SH), the S sound (I pronounced it like SH), and of course differentiating the CH/SH sounds.
Apparently I had learned a lot of sounds wrong, which is why basically only my sister could really understand what I was saying most of the time.
Seriously, Bees?!
[rebelmouse-image 18354078 is_animated_gif=was 4yo when she first got super powered hearing aids (nowadays in Australia they do hearing checks on babies as standard, but she was born before this was normal). The first time she ever encountered bees after getting her hearing aids she said " they're talking!" Apparently the sound of bees buzzing is exactly the same as what normal conversation sounded like before she got hearing aids.
Also important to note, this didn't happen til she was like 6 or 7. She hadn't learned to speak by the age of 3.5yrs and seemed to "ignore" or "not engage" with people, which is when testing revealed she was deaf.
How Do You People With Two Ears Do It?
[rebelmouse-image 18354079 is_animated_gif=I was born with only a left ear, I'm completely deaf on the right side. I've always understood what stereo sound was, and I thought I could imagine it too. Boy, was I wrong.
I got a BAHA on the right side when I was ten and my world literally changed. It took me a few weeks to realize what was going on, noises coming from everywhere was very disorientating. It took me a few months before I could localize sounds without thinking. It took me a few years before I started having dreams in stereo sound too.
Honestly, it's exhausting and I don't know how you guys do it, listening to things with two ears 24/7. Most weekends, when I don't really leave the house, I don't even put my hearing aids in. It's too much sound, and too difficult to process. The only thing that was absolutely a 100% improvement was music. Listening to stereo music, while being used to mono sound is like discovering a full rainbow of new colors.
Cooling At High Volume
[rebelmouse-image 18354081 is_animated_gif=My loss was discovered in kindergarten and Ive had aids since then.
The first thing that caught me off guard is air conditioning. Its white noise for everyone else--but when you hear it for the first time, its strange to think about how loud it is. White noise is every where.
I Fear The Clocks Grow Louder
[rebelmouse-image 18349632 is_animated_gif=I was with my grandfather the day after he got his hearing aids. He started complaining that he could hear me 'stomp' my feet on the carpet (he was never able to hear normal footsteps/scuffles) and he took the battery out of his clock because he couldn't stand the ticking sound.
He also didn't know that cats make noise when they pur.
Chattering Chatter
[rebelmouse-image 18354082 is_animated_gif=chatter in public places. absolutely unbearable. i dread being around it. i don't know if i'd feel this way if i'd been born hearing crowds. but hearing them for the first time now, at age 56, it's the worst thing i've ever known.
Just...Birds...Everywhere
[rebelmouse-image 18354084 is_animated_gif=Just born with really crappy hearing, I'm fairly decent at lip reading, so I got by until about my early 30s, about four years ago.
First thing I noticed was a ticking sound when I got my hearing aids, had no idea wall clocks were audible without placing your ear on them. Other things I can distinctly remember is the birds, holy crap, so many birds, everywhere...
...Ventilation, that one was annoying to get used to. Rain on the roof, I like that one, also nice to know it's raining outside without having to look first. And retail stores are really loud, had no idea there was that much background noise.
Windows?
[rebelmouse-image 18354085 is_animated_gif=I was born completely deaf, got my cochlear implant at 4 and a half...
...-Windows. I didn't realize opening the window made sound. Like I knew the window itself would make a sound, but I didn't realize you could hear the rush of air inside, you know?
Always Cover Your Ears When Tying Your Hair Up
[rebelmouse-image 18354086 is_animated_gif=Born with rubbish ears, only got hearing aids in my early twenties. I didn't know hisses and crackles and rustles were supposed to describe sounds I always assumed they described textures or things you could feel. Also bloody hell the shower is loud. Washing dishes is loud. Eating is a straight up cacophony of weird tiny wet noises and slurps and clinks. In large crowded spaces there's this low background roar of undifferentiated noise I never knew existed. Tucking my hair behind my ear for the first time and hearing it rustle was pretty wild.
A Laundry List
[rebelmouse-image 18354087 is_animated_gif=Obligatory, I wasn't born deaf but became so at 7 years old. My brother hit me square on the ear with a 2x4 and it ruptured my right drum causing a near total loss in the right ear and 40% loss in my left ear.
I hadn't ever thought about it until I got hearing aids at 23, but I had never heard drum cymbals. Or any higher pitched noises.
For a solid 6 months I was listening to the most drum heavy music I could find.
I finally understand "nails on a chalkboard"
I had no idea my e-cig made such a loud whooshing sound
Hard winds hitting cracks in the door, windows etc
Rain on the roof
My husband mumbling.
The Stuff Nightmares...
[rebelmouse-image 18354088 is_animated_gif=I didn't gain the ability to hear until I was around 22. Up until this point, I never understood that farting made a sound...
...Are Made Of
[rebelmouse-image 18349639 is_animated_gif=My sister had hearing aids as a kid but her level of hearing increased dramatically when she got a cochlear implant at the age of six.
She was in the kitchen and farted incredibly loudly. With a look of abject horror she turned to my mother and said 'IT MAKES A NOISE!?'
H/T: Reddit
Life can change in an instant.
It can always change for the better.
Just ask any lottery winner.
Sadly, life can also take a turn for the worst and leave people shattered beyond repair.
Watching someone's life fall apart in a short amount of time is difficult.
You have to wonder if there really is such a thing as karma, bad luck, or Voodoo.
Redditor OkImagination5852 wanted to hear about the times we've been witness to personal disaster. They asked:
"People who witness a person's life crumble in a single day, what happened?"
I have lived through a lot of bad days. But thankfully they've been one disaster at a time days. So I guess I'm lucky.
Horror
"A friend of a friend had his entire family killed overnight. He was from my college and was home visiting his family. His parents, siblings, and extended family were all there together. One night, while they were all asleep, his father got up, took out a gun, and went on a shooting spree. He then killed himself."
"Everyone except this guy died on the spot. When my friend visited him at the hospital, the guy was still in shock. He had no idea why his father did that. This was more than a decade ago, and I have no idea how he's doing now."
DeadOnDeparture98
The IRS Called
"Knew a guy who had a nice house, wife, 3 kids. Machine shop in his garage, Snap On tool truck, sign out front, great mechanic. Never incorporated, didn't pay taxes on his business, cash only. Took nice vacations, bought a boat, then a camper. Five years later, the IRS came. I don't know what they estimated he owed but they seized everything. He lives alone in a trailer now."
Nobody_Wins_13
2 at Once
"My mom’s dad and dad’s mom both died on the same day. Completely unrelated. We were pretty messed up for awhile. It was 2010. Mom's dad had emphysema (lifetime smoker) and was pretty sick for a few weeks. I was in college at the time and came home to be with him, because we knew he was about to pass. Dad's mom was in the nursing home, as she had had a stroke and also had dementia (she often thought I was my dad, she thought we were in the 70s, etc.)."
"She took a turn for the worst, and so my dad left the hospice my grandpa was at and went to be with her. The towns they were in were about an hour apart, so I stayed behind with my mom to comfort her when her dad passed. A few hours go by, and he passes peacefully (huge thanks to the hospice workers for their respect and grace during this time)."
"Within an hour or so of his passing, we get a call from my dad saying that his mother had passed as well. It was a terribly dark day in our family, and the next couple years for me in college were pretty much a blur. Thankfully, things got better in time and we are all doing well now."
She lost everything...
"Her husband left her after previously persuading her to remortgage their house to save his business and he's already made her take multiple credit cards out in her name. She lost everything. He did it the week after their youngest turned 18 so he wouldn't have to pay child support. He'd obviously been planning for years."
Ieatclowns
a black sheep...
"My cousin was in a motorcycle accident with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend died. She broke her back. When she was in the hospital she learned she was pregnant. It's been 16 years and we're still trying our best, she took an all too familiar path of drugs, burning bridges and more pregnancies."
"At this point she's fairly stable and clean as far as I know but a bit of a black sheep. Her mother has custody of all one of her kids. She has her youngest and seems to be doing good by her, but who knows. It's been hard on everyone, especially her mother and her brother."
Paradigm6790
Well this is the stuff of nightmares. I'm grateful for every moment I have alive.
Several lawsuits are filed...
"Here is multiple lives ruined in an instant. A friend was over at some other people house, drugs were involved. They had been playing with a gun. My friend points the gun at a girl, pulls the trigger and shoots her in the head. Girl dies, friend gets locked up until he turns 18. Parents at the house get arrested because they knew what the kids were doing. Friends mom goes into a depression and ends up getting evicted from her house. Several lawsuits are filed."
sentondan
Gone Forever
"It was me... got in a car accident and suffered a traumatic spinal and brain injury that I had no chance of surviving... a 7 vertebrae spinal fusion, yrs of physical and mental therapy... 18 yrs later and the pieces, though many forever gone, are finally coming back together."
2boneskuLL
A Bad Night
"He trashed his fathers vacation house with an axe before setting it on fire, stabbed the neighbor nearly to death, stole their car and then crashed it into a cop car so bad the cops were injured. He also got his girl pregnant, so once he is out of prison they're gonna start a family."
Dumbing_It_Down
"dangerous"
"Pregnant friend found out husband (43) was having an affair with young woman (19) who was a volunteer at their ecolodge. Friend had 'dangerous' pregnancy and had to spend a lot of time in bed. This betrayal destroyed their marriage, split the little town where they lived and caused two employees to quit because witnessing the affair going on was just too painful."
"She had a beautiful baby girl (to go with her other two girls, lol) and after the breakup was clinically depressed. Worked hard and got a divorce (she had a great lawyer); got the business back on track; beat her depression and now is planning a great vacation trip with her girls."
"Meantime, Dad has generous visitation but just 'hasn't gotten around to' buying a car seat so he can pick up the baby and for a long time asked my friend, 'Can you drop the girls off at my Mom's?'"
NoBSforGma
Lost it All...
"Recently, I know of a guy that had borrowed all his family’s life savings for the most part to participate in the whole game stop stock thing happening… he lost every penny of his money (credit card advances), and his parents retirement, and every other dime he could get… it makes me sick to even think of it."
Bangbangsmashsmash
Well those are A LOT of bad days. Good luck to all of you.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/
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Those who are wealthy have the luxury of acquiring the best of the best–whether it's dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant or status-identifying clothing from Chanel or Yves Saint Laurent.
But even the rich have their limits when it comes to frivolous spending before casting judgment on friends or colleagues.
Curious to hear examples of this, Redditor Sasquatchfl asked:
"Rich people of Reddit, what's the craziest/most unethical thing you've seen people in your circle spend money on?"
Expensive experiences were a priority over prized possessions.
Live Sushi
"An ex worked for Dell in the late 90s/early 2000s. He was pretty high up and there were lots of partiers in his work circle. Went to a party hosted by one of the dellionaires and there was a body sushi girl. I don’t know what was paid to her, but it was one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen."
– 5hrs4hrs3hrs2hrs1mor
Pissing Contest
"Paid a group of homeless guys to only use the bathroom on a competitors business. Eventually bought that place for a massive discount."
– Haboobalub
Let's Work Out
"My mother woke up one morning and said she felt she was way too fat and she wanted to get a treadmill. The treadmill wouldn’t be a problem, but then she saw where it would be and didn’t like the lighting. Fast forward 2 months later there’s a 40k outdoor gym built and connected to the house. She hasn’t used it once."
– Herrera5449_
Taking A Leap
"Travelled with a bunch of ex 'friends' all fairly wealthy."
"First trip to SE Asia together and as an ex-local I was a de-facto tour guide (despite not being there in over a decade)"
"They somehow found and offered a bunch of kids diving off cliffs to jump for spare change."
"They increasingly challenged each other to land their coins as close to the cliff base and small surrounding rocks for the kids to dive for."
– Satakans
It's about the finer things in life.
Expensive Party Gag
"A 3k ouija board from Gwen Paltrow's store. I didn't even know it was a thing until the dude brought it out. I really wanted to cut it up and see what it was made from. Looked nice don't get me wrong but the thing is basically a party gag. For 3 grand, it better summon a demon that's all I'm saying."
– con_this
Slow Burn
"$600 USD for a candle."
– Jeffranks
It's not always about the things you acquire.
Minor Inconvenience
"I know a guy who went to get a new drivers license and had to pay ~$100k in back parking tickets, then joked about it after."
"Apparently he couldn't get a permit to park in front of his house, so he just did anyway, and accepted like a $200 fine everyday."
– melodyze
For A Successful Election
"Not me, but I know a guy who crowd funded (read: threw a bunch of money into, then solicited more at a flea market) $80,000 toward his friend's DA election campaign. The guy won. So far, this has paid back at least $120K in avoided legal fees. I know some rich people. Most of them are more boring than you think. Hell, most of them drive Hondas, Toyotas, and Nissans."
– KP_Wrath
The Lance Corporal
"I was stationed with a Lance Corporal who was wealthy beyond means after selling some of his patents. He owned and piloted four helicopters. Lived in a palatial waterfront house in Jacksonville, NC."
"The cheapest one cost 400K. That's the one he trained on. The most expensive was about 1.2 million. That's 1.2 million 1981 dollars. The two he's got now are about 5 million each."
"Had a floating landing pad out back moored to his dock and another landing pad in the back yard. Kept two helicopters and a Rolls inside his custom-built hangar at Norfolk International Airport."
"He drove a pair of Rolls-Royces. He also toyed with a 900K Miami-Vice type speedboat. He also housed and transported his squad to Camp Lejeune and back in a custom mini-bus."
– ApplicationConnect55
The dude was very giving and lived a very clean life. He'd fly us to Norfolk, pickup the car and we'd do our shopping and eating. Hop in a chopper and return home. He'd fly his fire team down to Miami on weekends. He kept a Limo there and wore a chauffer's outfit and did all the driving.
He bought a full-service and licensed pub in Northern Ireland. He lives there with his wife. Does a lot of charity work there. We still keep in touch."
– ApplicationConnect55
When there's plenty of money going around, there's no need to worry about a single thing.
That peace of mind is a luxury in itself.
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When marriages or relationships fall apart, infidelity is not always the cause.
Curious to hear from strangers online, Redditor Liam_Tang asked:
"People who've divorced, aside from adultery, what were the irreconcilable differences that ended the marriage?"

You think you know a person when you walk down the aisle.
These Redditors were in for a rude awakening.
Pet Neglect
"My wife divorced her ex for many reasons, but the final straw was when she went out of town for a few days, and when she got back he had not fed or given water to the dog. The dog lived a long and happy life after that."
– StrangeCrimes
Obsessed With A Crush
"Not me, but I had an old coworker that divorced his wife for spending their entire savings on candy crush and games of the same type."
– Hexis40
Compatibility Musts
"ITT: Intimacy (sex/romance), beliefs (religion/spirituality/politics), kids, and I haven’t seen it yet but it’s coming: finances."
"The big four. You REALLY need to discuss these things in detail BEFORE getting married."
– rabbiskittles
Physical violence is a legit reason for people to peace out of a relationship.
The Flattening
"She threatened to hit me with a hammer."
– michaelrohansmith
Hitting The Bottle
"She became an abusive alcoholic. It was sad but I had to get out."
– diegojones4
Emotional pain is too damaging to recover from.
Truth Hurts
"She told me as we stood in front of the judge ending our 7 year marriage, 'I never loved you, I just wanted kids.'"
– Pinch_Dogs
Can't Fix Angry
"She was beautiful/smart but an angry angry person. I thought I could be sweet to her and 'fix' that. Heh. She kicked the crap out of me emotionally. Wife II has been a walk in the roses for 32 years now :)"
– lowlandr
A change of heart is worthless if comes too late.
"We Could've Had A Nice Marriage
"He could not understand that my wants and needs were as important as his wants and needs. We tried to make it work for 7 years. During that time, for things that were really important to me, I tried explaining logically, asking nicely, begging, crying, yelling, passive aggressiveness... cycled back through all of these options multiple times."
"(If I knew something was important to him, I would do that. For example, he was really into sports, so I went to all his events, even though that is not at all my thing.) When I finally threw up my hands and told him it was time to get a divorce, he suddenly panicked and said 'What can I do? Do you want me to do half the chores? I'll do it! Do you want me to get a job? I'll do it! Do you want me to buy you presents for your birthday? I'll do it!'"
"So, in other words, he could have been doing that all along, but just couldn't be bothered. That made me so angry. We could have had a nice marriage that we both enjoyed, but no, by the time he saw the light, that ship had sailed."
"We are both happily remarried now (to different people) and I joke that his new wife owes me a thank you note. It was his experience with me that taught him to listen to her and take her needs seriously."
– Bluebird-True
"What Can I Do?"
"My ex was exactly like this. I didn't marry him but when I told him let's break up, he went all like, what can I do? Let's get engaged, let's look at houses, etc. Basically all the pre-marriage topics that we should be discussing about after being together for 7 years."
"I got so angry and straight up told him it's too late... I don't need you anymore."
– gudetarako
As much as a couple wants to stay together, unforeseen circumstances can eventually tear people apart.
Very few people can maintain healthy long-distance relationships.
When a new job opportunity takes a significant other away, would you begrudge them for wanting a better position to earn more money? Or is it better for them to reluctantly turn down the opportunity so they could stay with you? Do either scenarios breed resentment?
These were questions I've often asked myself with past relationships, and my answers varied depending on the person I was with.
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Childhood can seem like a magical time.
Anything is possible.
But that magic doesn't always make it to adulthood.
Redditor tobybarron16 asked:
"What strange abilities did you have as a child that you have since lost?"
Teleportation
"I could teleport. I fell asleep in the car and woke up in my bed."
- mightaswellgiveup87
Flexibility
"I could bend over without groaning."
- jugularhealer16
"I could put my feet behind my head and walk on my hands. I'll be 40 this year and I pulled a muscle in my neck getting dressed for work this morning."
- ATXKLIPHURD
*yawn*
"I didn't wake up tired."
- N013
Happiness
"I had the ability to be happy."
- TabbsTheBat
Dreams
"Lucid dreaming. I used to have lucid dreams almost every night. As an adult, I have them very rarely, almost never."
-SenorKaboom
Looks
"Attractiveness. I used to be a model as a kid. I did not age well."
- BlahGame
Energy
"I could stay up til 3-4am and be fresh as a daisy in the morning."
"Now, I come home from work or training, wash, eat and I'm passed out by 9ish lmao."
- iJustRollBrrrrr...
"I used to be 100% impervious to cold when I was a kid. I could run out in the snow in my underwear for hours and be just fine."
"Now here I am, where a slightly chilly breeze could freeze me to death."
- DeltaSolana
Entertaining
"I used to be able to entertain myself by doing nothing. For hours and days. Now sometimes I am quite restless doing nothing, not sure where that happened."
- SafeDress9950
What abilities did you lose with age?
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