This photo? A moment of not taking life too seriously. That’s important in education. It was “Wig and Workout Wednesday” at work today (I work in a high school). Many laughs!
But here’s the part you don’t see:
Every “fun” accessory comes with a layer of logistics when you live with cochlear implants.
A wig isn’t just a wig. It’s something else competing for real estate on my ears. The same ears that already juggle my processors, my glasses, and, on the less glamorous days, a mask looped behind them when I’m sick.
It sounds small until you stack it all together. Then it becomes a daily exercise in balance, pressure, and trade-offs.
People ask why I don’t use the Kanso (off-the-ear) model. Thick hair plus a magnet means an increased chance of those devices slipping off. And when your hearing depends on them, “falling off” is a major problem if they are lost.
So, I usually must choose between style and function. It’s not just about what looks good but about what works.
Most of the time, for me, accessibility doesn’t have big, dramatic barriers, but small, constant negotiations most people never have to think about. It gets tiring. Sometimes, I have the energy for it. Sometimes, I don’t.
Today it’s a wig; tomorrow, it’s something else. Still, we show up, adapt, and carry on because invisible disabilities affect us all when they block connection.
Overall, the day was still fun and worth the temporary discomfort. So grateful my cochlear implants let me participate in life much more than before even through muffled sounds and tired ears. 😊
Bernadette Griffith 
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