“Sugar House Hill,” a critically acclaimed first novel by Heather Simonsen, is the story of Cassie Wagner. Cassie is a stay-at-home mom to a sweet little girl and she’s expecting another child. She thinks life couldn’t get any better – and then it takes a sharp turn for the worse.
It all begins one morning when Jane, her daughter, wakes her up with a request for juice. For some reason, Jane’s voice is piercing, and Cassie realizes that her hearing isn’t quite right. She feels like she has a cotton ball stuck in her ear. Even though the hearing is blocked on one side, the sounds coming in her other ear are distorted, loud, and confusing.
As the morning wore on, Cassie noticed that her hearing was coming and going. One minute she’d hear nothing, even though the TV was on. The next, the sound would be overwhelming. Her husband wasn’t home and she didn’t know what to do – would this go away or was something seriously wrong with her?
After a long series of tests, it’s determined that Cassie has Meniere’s Disease, and she will lose her hearing altogether. The rest of the book talks about her struggles to accept what’s happening, learning to cope with the changes in her life, learning how to be a deaf mother, and above all, finding the faith to make it through her most difficult challenge.
I did find it a little annoying that Jane continuously referred to herself by her own name – my children never did that, but I understand many do, so I’ll get over it.
At the beginning of every chapter is an excerpt from the journal of Laura Homer, a lady who does have this disease and who helped the author understand the ins and outs of everyday life. I found it interesting to read the real feelings of Laura and then to read the fictional account of Cassie, the two painting a complete picture for my understanding.
I appreciated the chance to learn more about this unusual and debilitating disease, and also to see how it can be overcome. This is ultimately a story of overcoming and triumph, and I recommend it.
(This book was published in 2004 by Spring Creek Book Company.)
Related Blogs:
Making Life with Hearing Loss Easier
Dealing with Friends and Family Who Have Hearing Loss