Dear Editor,

During these times of the COVID-19, Pennsylvania requires the state residents to wear face masks. My husband and I follow these rules as we know this is important to eliminate the spread of the coronavirus. This requirement can be trying.

I was diagnosed with a hearing loss when I was five years old and have been wearing a hearing aid since I was six. Within a few months, it will be 60 years wearing an aid. My hearing loss did not prevent me from achieving in school, having a successful career in the field of career counseling/consulting, and being a military spouse to a Naval officer for twenty-two years.

For a lifetime, I learned to listen twice as hard and watch people’s lips as they spoke. For a period of weeks, the requirement of wearing masks just made it a little more challenging. What do I do? I do not hesitate to ask others to speak a little louder and slower. I have a speech impairment so when I am wearing my mask, I must also speak louder and slower. I ask people who are hard of hearing not to be embarrassed or shy in asking others to increase their voice volume or slow the speech when they talk behind their masks. The mask hides half the face which makes conversations a little uncomfortable. We can, however, do our best to communicate with one another. I wish all to be safe and healthy.

Respectfully,

Rita Freeborough,

Sugar Grove