Found out yesterday that I need Hearing Aids

[LJC1861]

I have had pretty poor hearing for many years now....and recently I have noticed that it is getting worse. Lisa is constantly repeating what she says and if I can't see the person I am talking to, I generally can't hear them. So, now that I have health insurance again it was off to see the audiologist.

After about an hour of intense testing of all sorts....including having to guess at words I couldn't hear let alone understand to verbally repeat back to her I have a moderate to severe loss in both ears....right at the conversational speech tones in the spectrum. I was basically told that the only thing that can possibly be done to correct it is hearing aids in both ears.

Now, I am a singer who has sung in choirs for many years. I can still sing and learn music, it just takes me a bit longer than it used to. The audiologist tried to reassure me that hearing aids have come a long way in the technology and can now be programmed for all sorts of use. I am still not happy about this, especially since my insurance does not cover any of the cost of buying or maintaining them.

I know I can continue to get by without them for awhile, but this loss is only going to get worse as I get older. I guess I just have to start saving......anywhere between $1000 and $5000 for the two. Funny, a trip to WDW costs about that much, but is much more fun to save for.

Oh well, life goes on I guess....this is not the biggest problem, or the end of the world, it just has me a little bit sad and down in the dumps about it all.

Linda

 

[dbarker]

I don't have any advice or anything. Just thought you need some hugs and pixie dust. I would suggest going over to the disAbilities Board. Those guys will have lots of info and advice (and hugs and pixie dust also).

Good luck. I think you will like your hearing aids once you get them in and can hear again. DFIL just got some and they are clear and I nearly didn't see them (I'll never let him know I see them). He told DH that getting the hearing aids was the best thing he did last year.

 

[Servants of Evan]

One of my co-workers went through the hearing aid process a year or so and it was truly interesting. He started with the in-the-ear type, about the size of a pinkie-nail. He couldn't stand to wear them when he was eating. Crunching on a carrot or crouton was as he described it, "Worse than nails on a chalkboard." He tried a few others and finally settled on a pair of nifty behind-the-ear digital ones. They are pretty darn small and are completely inconspicous, and they have a tiny fiber-optic looking tube with a small silicone type "mushroom end" which feeds the audio into the ear. Because they are digital, the audiologist can easily program them to accuntuate only the frequency ranges he is lacking and not overwhelm everything else. The only drawback is battery life -- I understand the tiny batteries only last for around two days (and yes, he turns them off at night).

 

[escape]

Yes, there are worse things in life. However, it's still a bummer when you find out that you need them.

When I was in college, a few years back , I had problems understanding some of my professors. I also had problems understanding soft speaking people. A sorority sister suggested I go to her ear, nose and throat doctor. I thought he might discover that I just needed my ears cleaned out a little but turns out I had a hearing loss. I was in shock. No one in my immediate family had hearing problems except for maybe my ederly grandparents.

Anyway, my hearing loss was mild to medium and he suggested I get hearing aids. Well, that didn't go over too well with me. I was too vain at the time to wear them. Unfortunately, I missed out on some good gossip back then.

Move forward a few years.....
It became apparent in my job that I was not going to be able to fake my hearing loss. I had to break down and buy some hearing aids. At that time, my parents were able to help pay for them. I didn't wear them all the time. I only wore them when I attended meetings or when I was around certain people.

To this day, I only wear them when I'm teaching a class or in department meetings. When I'm at home or with my friends, I rarely wear them. However, I could not do without them. I depend on them to do my job. The hearing aids will definitely make a difference in your life. They are not the perfect answer, but it's better than not hearing and having to ask people to speak louder all the time.

Your audiologist is right. The hearing aids are much better now than when I first started wearing them. I have the digital, in the ear aids now. They were terribly expensive - around $4,500 three years ago. Luckily, my insurance paid for part of them. I think it's a tragedy that most insurance agencies will not pay for these things. How can the average person afford this?

Good luck with your decision on getting the aids. I think you will be happier with them than without them. Saving for a trip to Disney is more fun but not nearly as satisfying as being able to hear again.

If you have any questions, just send me a pm and I'll be glad help you in any way I can.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm sorry that you have to deal with this but I've heard too that they're really advanced nowadays so hopefully it won't be too hard to adjust to them. You might even be thrilled with how much better you can hear!

Hang in there.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Good wishes with them, Linda. I am glad you went and were checked. I bet they will be like glasees (though more costly) in that if you need them later in life, as I did, you will be amazed at what you are/were missing, like a whole new world. And as one who has heard your wonderful singing, sure would hate to have that silenced by not hearing what you need to. You'll do great with them when you get them, Linda.

 

[icebrat001]

Oh Linda, I am sorry to hear about that. I hope you are able to save the money soon and purchase yourself a hearing aid. I never knew they were so expensive.

 

[NC Belle]

My FIL wears hearing aids in both ears and sings in various choirs. I can tell when he has them turned down or off. I also noticed that some phones bother my FIL more than others.

 

[FreshTressa]

I just discovered that one of my professors that I have done a lot of work with over the past year. It took me a year to even notice!

It's a bit of a bummer...but be glad that we have the technology that we do so that you can be helped.

Here's to a whole new noisy world for you!

 

[Sleepy]

I know I need a hearing aid, but I just don't want to go to that next level yet. My problem started when i was 2 and stuck a Q-tip in my ear. Ruptured my eardrum and things were never the same after that. I started noticing a real problem about 7 or so years ago. I suppose when i get tired of telling people to repeat what they are saying or stop talking to me from another room or when there is background noise like bad wind or water running...I will get that hearing test. LIke Dan said....I guess this is just like getting glasses. You just don't want to do it and have no idea the difference there is once you put them on your face.

 

[barkley]

realy explore what is available. i lost a major amount of hearing in my right ear due to a stroke a few years back. when i went to investigate hearing aids one of my concerns was about performing. i sing and do theatre-i had heard horror stories about hearing aids over amplifying sounds so i envisioned not hearing the other actors on stage but hearing every sound in the audience. one of the hearing aids i looked at had several settings for different situations-the one that appealed to me had a setting that amplified within so many feet only (it was marketed as being useful in a crowd type setting-you could hear someone talking directly to you but not be overwhelmed by all of the other sounds and voices). so there are some incredible advancements in technology.

i took the audiologist's advice and decided to wait a year or so and see if i could adapt without hearing aids. i still have to have people speak up a bit, my kids know not to talk to me from behind or on the right, and the few performances i've done i've explained to the other performers how my hearing is and they've been great at working with it (i've had some great directors/choregoraphers who have blocked me with my "good ear" in mind).

best wishes to you-don't let it deter you from doing what you love.

 

[Big V]

It's too bad insurance doesn't cover some of the cost. I think you will be happy when you get them though. Good luck on saving up enough money for them.