A very thankful (deaf) Friday

Hurrah! It's Friday and I've made it through the first week of my new job, albeit with a lot of Lemsip on the side.

And for that I am very thankful.

I am also thankful for good advice.

This week has thrown up all the usual issues that a new job throws up, but for me, it's also thrown up some deafness-related ones. 

You see, the longer I am in a job, the less I am reminded about my deafness – the flipside of this being, in a new job, I am constantly reminded about my deafness. 

As I get to know the role and the company, I gradually put in place coping mechanisms and develop ways of doing things that make my life easier and also help me to follow what the heck is going on.

A new job changes a LOT of that.

This week, I had a bit of a wobble. A deafness confidence crisis that maybe I wasn't going to be great at my new job if I couldn't hear. It was horrid. It involved tears, on the Victoria line platform, in rush hour.

And then Art Man brought me back to reality.

He reminded me that he once asked me if I wished I wasn't deaf. And, as I remembered the moment he asked me that and I also remembered how quickly I gave him my answer.

I didn't even think. I just said 'No'.

It's true. I don't mind not hearing. OK, so it can be challenging but it has also shaped who I am, and sometimes I think for the better.

Then he reminded me that I would do a good job, I would be fine, that being deaf didn't change anything and it would be OK.

And just like that it was.

OK, not completely, but what his advice has done is given me the confidence to know that I've done this before. I've had other new jobs. I've worked out what I need, explained what I need, and got what I need to be good at my job. 

And I've also discovered along the way that people like it if you tell them. They usually appreciate the honesty. After all, it's not fair to expect people to know automatically what you need to make life easier. A lot of the time, even I have to discover exactly what that is along the way.

And that's what this is.

Not a scary, oh-my-crappola, I'm deaf blubfest.

It's a brilliant, exciting challenge with new opportunities and wonderful experience in the offing.

And I'm ready.

After I've had some sleep this weekend. And perhaps another mug of Lemsip.

Happy weekend peeps.

DG

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