I finally got a hearing aid!

Nurses Disabilities

Published

I've had a mild hearing loss for years but have put off getting the aids, mostly because of money and, I confess, fear of change. As annoying as missing a lot of stuff was, I was also in my comfort zone and it wasn't usually ME who was annoyed at the television being too lod.

The audiologist decided I could go with only one, since my right ear is appreciably worse than the left with a greater loss of the frequency in which one hears consonants - hence those familiar to many, I'm sure, misunderstandings. "You want a Coke?" "Why would I want a coat? It's hot in here!"

Well.

Everything makes noise! I never realized that the reference to a mouse click is because it actually, you know, clicks! My keyboard is a noisy little sucker, and my SLIPPERS make noise! The dogs' toenails make noise!

This was so worth doing. He told me it could be a long adjustment period - he's wrong. I got it this morning. I. am. THRILLED.

:)

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i am glad for you, if it had been two ears, i could definetly see the adjust ment period

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

Very, very cool!!!

I toy with the idea once in a while; I have partial loss in my left ear, but I've become accustomed to it and have adapted.

I'm glad you've had the results you did; very nice!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
:yeah:
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Don, reconsider that you have adapted. This. Is. Better. I really can't get over the incredible difference. You're missing out and you don't realize it.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

I know in my head that you are absolutely correct. I've "adapted" for so long that it really has become who I am now, and I know it could be better. Maybe reading your post is the incentive I need!

And I probably will, when I can afford it, after graduation... I know that sounds like I'm putting it off, but I'm really not. Starving student here!

Thanks for posting your experience. I'm very happy that the improvement in your hearing has made you so enthusiastic about the difference!

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I understand the broke part, Don. Believe me.

It's a good thing, though. I'm shocked at the ease of the transition. I expected that I'd hate it and here I'm forcing myself to take it out - you're not supposed to start out wearing it all day.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I have a lot of internet friends who are deaf or at least very hard of hearing because I belong to an online club for people with hearing impairments. It's always fun for me to read their stories as they get cochlear implants and discover all of the stuff around them that makes noise. Like you, most never realized that keyboards and mice make noise.

The discovery that shocks some of them most is that public restrooms are not silent either. It never occurred to them that other people could hear the sounds they make as they use the toilet. (I fiugured I could mention that on this forum because we're all nurses here.)

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Well, I knew keyboards made noise. My impairment is mild, and I almost hesitated to use this forum, but where better?

One thing I *am* embarrassed about is that I KNOW I have, ahem, broken wind around others and I am now CERTAIN that people are very polite!

Are you hearing impaired?

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I can also say, though, that I can see that it will be nice, at times, to retreat back to HOH.

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I had worn analog aids since I was 15. Till then, no one knew I couldn't hear. Certain tones, some high, some low are lost in my hearing and the analogs basically cranked up the volume of those sounds I could hear. In 2004, I received digital aids. They turned up the bands for the sounds I couldn't hear all of those years (I'm 48).

The first thing I heard was my own voice! I would start talking to the audiologist and crack up laughing, settle down, talk again, crack up laughing again.

I went home and it started snowing.

I never before knew snowing made a sound! It was wonderful.

Birds singing, the leaves on the trees rustling, and the refrigerator motor!

Very worth it. I hear sounds people take for granted.

I think it is almost a gift, the hearing loss, because of appreciating those sounds I had never heard before.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
Are you hearing impaired?

I'm sorry I didn't answer you question before, Sue. I didn't see it. But now that this thread has been resurrected ...

15 years ago, I suddenly lost 100% of both the hearing and balance function in my right ear. In the span of about 10 seconds, that ear went from totally normal to totally non-functional. My other ear has remained normal.

There are hearing aids for people like me with uni-lateral hearing, but not everyone finds them helpful enough to be worth it. So, I have chosen not to wear an aid for now. But if my left ear ever starts to go, that will be a whole new ballgame.

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