Persevere through your disabilities

by Ali Flores, staff writer

I was 10 years old when it happened.

I was losing my hearing, and I couldn’t understand why. After seeing the doctor, I was diagnosed with a 78-percent hearing loss in my right ear and an 84-percent loss in my left ear. That meant that I needed hearing aids, bad. Suffering from hearing loss can be so difficult to deal with sometimes, especially when there is not much help available. 

When I was in junior high school, I was supposed to receive speech therapy, because my hearing loss was causing me to slur and mumble my words. But, sadly, I was put on a “waiting list.” The counselor had told my mother that my grades were very good, and I needed to attend all my honors classes, so there’d be no time for therapy. What did my grades have to do with my hearing? It wasn’t fair. I was being punished for trying to make the best of my disability, and I was refused help. I went on ignored, because I had a disability that didn’t seem to be a big deal.

Two years later, I was a high school freshman. I remember explaining my disability to my band director Bonnie Anderson. That day, she said, “Ali, I know there is help out there. I’ll try to find out what I can do.” I told her good luck. Help is practically non-existent for my situation. Time went by, and some people were stunned when they discovered I had hearing loss. Others never knew. Finally, during my senior year, Bonnie Anderson finally had found a way for me to receive help.

She had researched the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). She met a woman who also had a child with a hearing disability. She explained my situation to her, and told her she wanted to help me get new hearing aids and get help to go to college.

After going through all the appointments and paperwork, I was finally granted hearing aids and money to pay for tuition, books, and supplies. But getting there wasn’t easy. It took years, and without the help of Bonnie Anderson, who tried to search for numerous options, I never would have gotten the help I receive now. I am so appreciative to have had her help and support throughout the years.

I want to let everyone know that help is out there. No matter how much frustration you get, when you feel that there is no help for you, never give up. I wish people were able to find out about the services to aid them with their disabilities. Rehabilitation services, groups, or any other type of support programs need to advertise their assistance to not only help others who have hearing loss, but other disabilities as well. If they never let others know about what they can do for them, somebody could always end up short-handed. I was lucky to discover exactly how important my situation was, and how it could make a huge impact on my life. I should have been granted this support a long time ago, but it was not known. Other people may be able to live their dreams also, as I am now. I am going to college and getting whatever help I need.

I hope, as years go on, support will be more well known and heard of. To other people with disabilities, I say persevere. I did, and now my disability is not ignored.