Confession: I'd Choose Death to Hearing Loss

Yesterday was incredibly frustrating and downright exhausting. In the end, I popped on some music and just sat on the couch for awhile and calmed down. In that moment I realized I would rather die than lose my hearing.

Of course, it's not all about music. I can't imagine not being able to easily talk to my husband or chat on the phone or enjoy my beloved Everybody Loves Raymond reruns. Most importantly, I can't imagine summers without concerts. Not being able to hear new songs by my favorite bands is just too much to consider.

Basically, it comes down to this: I could lose all sorts of other things I love or take for granted, but hearing just isn't one of them. Yes, I honestly think I'd choose death over deaf. Was that cheesy? Whatever. What do you think?

Comments

[kari]

i've said this as well....if my hearing ever goes you may as well put me in the ground! It's about my worst fear (other than falling off a bridge in a car). TAke my eye sight, take my limbs, put me on a respirator, whatever, just please dear lord, Don't ever take my hearing! Amen.

[Vincent]

I'd rather die than lose my dick.

[bryon]

I'm with you on that. Regardless of what is going on, music is a constant companion and I couldn't imagine going without.

A word of advice -- if you see a lot of shows, protect your ears. I damaged mine in my early 20's due to a lot of excessively loud shows and have slight hearing loss + tinnitus. The unfortunate thing is that by the time my ears started ringing, the damage was already done and there's no way (at least right now) to fix them. All I can do now is to protect them so that I can keep going to new shows, and keep on listening to as much music as possible!

[Allyson]

@Bryon,

Agree on the ear plugs. My husband and I always wear them to shows. I often get mocked, but I could care less. Hearing loss is so easily preventable, I'm baffled by those who choose to pass on the ear plugs.

- Allyson

[Greg]

I have hearing loss. I actually need hearing aids. Not always hearing my wife and daughter, along with others, is extremely frustrating. However, I would prefer to go completely deaf than not watch my daughters grow up. Hell, I'd rather see my family and friends smile,love, care and just plain live than hear music. I have 40 years of music in my head.

[Brian]

What Greg said (and said very well, I might add)!

[Metalboy!]

Look, I love music a little too much, too...

And I get your point...

You'd rather die without your music...

But let's face the obvious reality...

You could still function in the world a lot better and a lot easier if you still had your eyes and not your ears. Not as much, I'm afraid, in the transverse.

Given the choice, even taking into consideration my undying love for all things Rock'n'Roll, I'd much rather have my eyes than my ears.

p.s. Thanx for the reminder to get ear plugs for M3. With ear plugs, hopefully I'll never be confronted with the loss of hearing. How I made it this far after having had my ears exposed to the likes of everyone from AC/DC (8 times!) to Led Zeppelin ('77 off "Presence", no less) to Zappa (R.I.P., but once was enough!) at point blank range, is a mystery to me. "I got my damned machine. Got my electronic dream. Sonic Reducer. Ain't no loser" -- Dead Boys

[kchaze]

Agreed, music has been huge part of my life, more like a sound track, in Iraq third time, and music is my escape, in OIF V we were getting hammered daily, everytime we would get into a firefight I would be singing Vain, Beat the Bullet, to stay calm think I realized then, how important music was. now thats cheesy

[Tony]

I am with Greg on this one - I too have hearing loss & need hearing aids. It can be frustrating as Greg says. But, I too would prefer to go completely deaf than not watch my kids grow up. I only have 30 years of music in my head - they have a whole lifetime to share with me.
A member of my family is facing death from cancer in the not too distant future (maybe years, but maybe only months) & I would gladly go deaf to save her life.

I love my music - but death before deafness? That is a step too far, music is the soundtrack to my life - it is not my life.

I hope that none of you really have to make that choice.

[bryon]

Although my preference would be to not lose any of my senses, I'd keep sight over sound. Losing either would suck, but it's a hell of a lot harder to get around without sight than it is without hearing.