In November 2013 my life has changed. #kaimikhail was 5 months old. I have had surgery on my right ear and I woke up with a massive #hearlingloss which got even worse during the following 18 months due to scar tissue.
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As my hearing loss got worse, so did my personality and confidence. I felt disabled, victimised, humiliated, ugly, betrayed by the world. I found no psychological support in the system and I didn’t ask for help. ⠀
Young, Confident, Successful, Beautiful …. BUT can’t hear much… all is muffled. I was a young mother, wife, career woman. I have an important role in this world as a right hand of an important family, we give jobs to 35,000 globally and I am behind all these people. BUT Can’t hear speech…. meetings in person were impossible. I was hiding from the world with depression. Then all the autism came and seem to have finished all that was left of me.
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Eventually I was told I couldn’t have an internal implant (for which I secretly hoped for) and I was suggested to go and see an audiologist at @londonhearing.
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I was fitted with best state of the art #hearingaids. It is quite cool and invisible and cute. I have chosen mine to be colour of “champagne”.
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It took me another 6 months to live with aids physically, mentally and emotionally.
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I found that there is a huge stigma attached to aids and hearing loss. These are often associated with old age, disability and something untouchable and unspeakable.
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I have had a long journey to come to this state of mind and to SHOW YOU ALL NOW MY EARS AND MY AIDS. I am a successful survivor living with disability.
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I have started talking to people about hearing loss, #autism, disabilities and stigmas. I am overwhelmed by how much we, as humans, don’t know and how cruel we are to ourselves and others, all this is due to pure and utter ignorance.
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My movement ACTIVISTESS is to battle with stigmas. I have partnered with the strongest professionals, organisations and charities to offer best support and knowledge TO EVERYONE.
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Today I am born to Unify.
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I am #activistess for hearing health.