How did this happen?

My character, Vallrok, is deaf. (And so are all of my others.)

Seriously.

This is LAME.

I noticed when I was doing some dailies and a hunter with a cute little pet came running by. I /pat'ed it, and it didn't do anything. I tried again. No luck. I tried telling the guild, but my chat didn't show up on my screen. I looked at Crekit's (my bro) screen, and my chat was showing up there..

My character(s) are deaf.