With my hearing dog, Alfie, every day is a good day

Alfie is so much more than a hearing dog: he’s my best friend.

But life wasn’t always like that: not so long ago, I couldn’t imagine how I would ever be happy again after losing my hearing.

I lost my hearing quite suddenly over a period of three months. At first, I thought my ears just needed syringing but the nurse at my GP’s practice referred me to the hospital. At that point I had moderate to severe hearing loss in one ear, but within a month I was completely deaf.

It was really scary. Nighttime was the worst: the silence of nothing.

I couldn’t communicate with hearing people or deaf people; I was in the middle. It was really isolating. I’m still the only person I know who is deaf.

Living in my deaf world, I felt like anything could happen, there was danger everywhere. I couldn’t sleep. I always felt lonely.

My family and friends thought I was okay and coping, but I was putting on a brave face. In reality I felt very vulnerable.

I’ve had anxiety for years, but it became much more severe after I’d lost my hearing. Panic attacks became a regular occurrence where my whole body would just begin to shake. It was not unusual for me to call my daughters to rescue me from a supermarket.

It got to the point where I was afraid to leave my home.

Finding the right kind of support was difficult, but when I found out about Hearings Dogs, it was like someone had thrown me a lifeline. Applying for Alfie is the best thing I’ve ever done.

Please can you help another deaf person find their Alfie? A gift of £25 or whatever you can afford could help someone else like me reconnect with life and start to leave loneliness behind.

Alfie has filled a huge gap in my life. He’s my best friend and my soulmate – and my anxiety has all but disappeared. He’s just brilliant and I know it might sound like a cliché, but he’s changed my life. We take care of each other, and our bond is so strong.

Alfie helps me face the day in a way that I couldn’t have imagined when I first lost my hearing. Every single donation counts towards training another hearing dog meant for someone like me – if you can, please send a gift today.

Thank you for your support.

Lisa (and Alfie)