Single sided deafness is not exactly something I would recommend to a friend, but I like to look for the positives whenever possible. While I was in the hospital recovering from my Acoustic Neuroma surgery that resulted in single sided deafness, I wrote a list of all the reasons why it is good to be deaf in one ear. Below is my list I wrote then as well as some additional benefits others have shared with me.

1. I am like George Bailey in It’s A Wonderful Life.
2. I can’t be drafted.
3. I just need to sleep on my hearing ear and I am out of baby monitor duty.
4. I get to miss out on the ridiculous statements my mumbling friend shares.
5. My awesome friend who is also ssd teaches me cool tricks and tips.
6. It is a built in excuse for getting out of things.
7. It is easy to get some peace and quiet (which is a trick with kiddos).
8. I only need one headphone or Bluetooth headset.
9. My husband says it gives me an endearing character quirk.
10. It is easy to fall asleep anywhere/ to sleep with a noisy partner.
11. It is easier to focus when talking on the phone as you don’t have any audio input coming in the other ear.
12. You really get down the smile and nod- which comes in handy often.
13. It is great for situations where you want to tune out.