As one who has been totally deaf in one ear all my life I don't understand why so many older people feel that dearfness in any degree is something to be ashamed of. I have never felt shame over being deaf. The reaction that I sometimes get when I tell people that I didn't hear them because they are on my deaf side has always puzzled me. When I was younger people would not accept the fact of my deafness and accused my of not wanting to hear them. Now I find that people will not repeat what was said, tell me that it is none of business or that what they were saying doesn't matter. My question is, is it better to tell someone that I can't hear them, or what?