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    Back to UnFictional

    UnFictional

    Silence

    Two stories of silence. A young woman's hearing gradually goes away, so she and her family weigh their options. A radio producer with chronic tinnitus can't stand silence.

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    By Brian Calvert • Aug 3, 2013 • 28m Listen

    Amanda McDonough is a 22-year-old graduate of Cal Poly Pomona. All her life, she's had hearing problems. She wore hearing aids and hid the fact from everyone she knew. Mostly she got by. But then, last year, everything changed. Independent radio producer Brian Calvert spends some time with Amanda and her family.

    Read the transcript for Amanda's story.

    Paolo Pietropaolo has struggled with tinnitus since 2004. Sometimes, noise is an ally, especially at night. It's made him think about what makes us call certain things noise, silence or music, and it’s led him to believe we're suffering from a sort of societal tinnitus.

    Amanda McDonough and her family

    Banner image: Amanda McDonough

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Brian Calvert

      Independent Producer

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Bob Carlson

      host and producer, 'UnFictional'

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Paolo Pietropaolo

      Independent Producer

      CultureArts
    Back to UnFictional