Kate Warwick is a long time friend of Blue Badge Style. She’s been mentioned in the past on BBS as ‘PR Guru Kate’. As part of our series for Deaf Awareness Week we interviewed her about Ménière’s disease.
When did you find out you have Ménière’s Disease ?
About seven years ago, in early 2006, after I had my first cluster attack.
Had you heard of Ménière’s before that?
No, when I had my first attack, I wasn’t really sure what was happening. The closest thing I can describe it to is being seasick, with that sense of the world moving under your feet.
What is Ménière’s Disease?
Ménière’s disease is thought to be an inner ear problem, manifesting itself as a combination of tinnitus, hearing loss and vertigo, which makes me feel dizzy. It tends to occur in clusters, so you can get a few attacks over a few days/weeks, but it usually goes away reasonably quickly, after a few hours. It does affect people very differently and to different degrees. There’s more on the NHS website about its symptoms and possible treatments.
In what ways and to what extent does it affect you personally?
I have tinnitus and some hearing loss in my right ear. Occasionally I have a mild dizzy moment, which only tends to last a few minutes, but they often happen regularly over a month or so and then go away again. I have had three clusters attacks, which get so bad that I can’t move without being sick, which is hard to manage as it comes on very suddenly. I carry anti-sickness and anti-dizzy tablets with me.
The hearing loss means I sometimes have to ask people to repeat things, or hope the conversation continues and reveals what they were talking about! I don’t really mention it to people though, unless it becomes an issue.
Has it affected how you approach things at work?
Yes, I can only hear properly on the phone in one ear and it helps me greatly to use headphones so that I get some input into both ears. I always like to be able to see people when I’m speaking to them and people speaking quietly in a noisy room is really tricky.
Has it changed where you go in your spare time? Do you have any tips for stylish places to go for people with hearing loss?
I was never very keen on very noisy pubs, but now even less so as I can’t hear what’s going on and tend to zone out. My hearing aid just tends to make everything more noisy in bars and you sometimes end up being able to hear more of the conversation going on behind you than the one you’re involved in… which is occasionally a bonus!
My favourite places to go are:
Polpo – I’m increasingly fed-up with the no-booking policy in all the restaurants I want to go to, but the Venetian small plates on offer at Polpo are fantastic and you never usually have to wait too long. The downside is it’s difficult to go with a large group, but in Soho they have a great Campari bar to whet your whistle (downstairs though).
Happiness Forgets – a fantastic cocktail bar in Hoxton Square. You have to sit down so it never gets over crowded, or too noisy. Cocktails are sparkling and the service is perfect; attentive, but not intrusive. The only downside is there’s no wheelchair access, but I gather they’re now doing cocktails for the restaurant upstairs too so that would be more accessible.
Anchor & Hope – again, no booking, but I think this is some of the best food in London, certainly the best value; the shared pies or fish are always a good bet. Keep your party small, get there early and be prepared to share a table. They run a very efficient waiting list, there’s no queue jumping, so you can have a cold sherry at the bar whilst savouring the no-nonsense menu.
Carpenters Arms – there’s barely a boozer in the East End that doesn’t lay a claim to the Kray twins, but this one was apparently run by their Mum. Now it’s a small, but perfectly formed pub with a great selection of beers on tap and in bottles. I go for a few pints of something decent and good conversation on a Friday night.
What would your advice be for someone recently diagnosed with a hearing impairment?
Speak to the NHS about all your options and investigate what works for you and what you can live with. I have a hearing aid, which I use when it’s really important that I hear everything, like in meetings for example, but it’s not the perfect solution.
I was able to put the tinnitus in perspective when I discovered that some people’s tinnitus is so loud it wakes them up in their sleep! Mine is most annoying in a quiet room when all I can hear is the fizzing in my ears, but mostly I’ve learnt not to listen to it.
Also, what works at the beginning doesn’t have to be your only solution. Technology changes and your needs change, so keep checking-in to see what’s available.