As someone who's half deaf
I'll let you in on a little secret- while being totally deaf is not fun, it's not really all that bad.

My left ear is completely deaf- I can only hear extremely loud things in it, and have no stereo hearing. Been that way all my life. My right ear, though, is off the scale in sensitivity to make up for it.

However, there have been times when I've gotten ear infections and temporarily not been able to hear.

In truth I rely on my sight far more than my hearing anyway- I lip read a lot, I look around to see if there are cars before I cross the road, and all kinds of other things. In a situation where there's a lot of background sound I'm functionally deaf as my right ear gets overloaded and I can't make out voices. I find it to be annoying, but not a real handicap.

So don't feel too badly about this. If he was that much of a twat, he deserved it.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Fri 12 Dec 2008, 13:11, 1 reply)

holy crap-another half deaf person
I get along the same way. My hearing is equally shit in both ears but I rely on a combo of lipreading, concentration and guesswork.
(TDub Nunc id vides, nunc ne vides on, Sat 13 Dec 2008, 5:01, closed)