|
WHAT DID YOU SAY?
It
probably began when I was in my fifties and
could not hear the high-pitched continuous
tone from the portable TV when the main
power switch had been left on. Under
pressure from my family I had my hearing
checked, was diagnosed with high-frequency
hearing loss, and advised to see the
audiologist to arrange for hearing aids. My
vision of an old man with big pink plastic
things protruding from each ear, and tufts
of ear hair sprouting around them like some
grotesque floral arrangement, quickly
convinced me I could manage quite well with
only high frequency hearing loss.
For
the next five years this was true. I enjoyed
life and as I had not yet begun to
experience any significant problem, I gave
my hearing no further thought. When I began
to have difficulty understanding dialogue on
the television, I invested in "TV Ears”, a wireless headset that is very
comfortable to wear and works beautifully.
However, it is limited to TV viewing, and I
still had problems with movies, theatre,
etc. Gradually, and without my really being
aware of it, my hearing was continuing to
deteriorate.
Eventually it was
embarrassing to me, and certainly annoying
to others, that I seldom understood what was
said the first time. “What did you say? I’m
sorry? What? I didn’t understand you,” were
used more often than not in my everyday
conversations. If I knew the topic or could
lip-read I was just fine, but very often I
would give an answer that made it glaringly
obvious I had misinterpreted the question,
or I found myself hesitating to respond at
all while I tried to figure out what had
been said.
In group discussions I
missed a good deal of the conversation,
making me reluctant to participate for fear
of saying something irrelevant. I would also
have to tell my precious grand-daughter,
struggling with her first sentences, that
Nana didn’t understand her, all the while
trying to convince myself the fault was
hers. My “hearing problem” was becoming the
family joke.
Finally, my daughter and
I attended a meeting where I understood very
little of what was said because the
microphone failed, and the speaker had to
continue without it. Afterwards, as we
walked to the car, she gave me an ultimatum;
“I love you Mom, but I’m not going to attend
another event with you until you’ve had your
hearing checked.”
And so, still
fighting the very idea of wearing something
in my ears, I made an appointment with a
highly recommended otolaryngologist (E.N.T.)
at Medical City. While I sat in the waiting
room for my 3:30 appointment, my mind was
racing through the pros and cons of what I
was about to do. Could I afford to do this,
but more importantly, could I afford not to?
I still couldn’t help thinking it was one
more confirmation of my advancing years.
Never mind I had worn a reading/computer
bi-focal for almost twenty years and on the
advice of my ophthalmologist, had recently
begun wearing a second bi-focal for reading
and long distance, the latter having made a
huge improvement in my quality of life.
As I was ushered into the
exam/consultation room, I was immediately at
ease with the warm and friendly nursing
staff, and was soon exposing my vanity and
communicating my concerns over this whole
hearing aid business. During what could be
described as a really enjoyable counseling
session, one of the nurses said, “You know
I’m wearing hearing aids.” She wore her hair
pulled back, and even with this recent
disclosure, there was no way to tell without
close scrutiny. I was
very impressed.
I was no less
impressed when I was taken through to
audiology for a complete hearing evaluation
and within minutes my test results were
displayed on the computer screen in the
diagnostic area. The doctor proceeded to
explain the technical, physical, and
financial aspects of correcting my hearing
loss, which was considerable in both ears.
She said it takes a full range of tones to
understand the spoken word, and that’s why I
could hear, but not comprehend what was
being said. We explored all the options and
the different aids available, and then it
was up to me. I remembered my son’s words,
“Please don’t come away from this
appointment without having done something
about your hearing,” and I knew I had to
make a decision then and there.
If I
was going to wear hearing aids, the smallest
ones that fit in the ear were the logical
choice for me, then no-one need even know
they’re there. This type required a mold of
each ear canal which, along with the
prescription, would be sent to the
manufacturer for the aids to be custom made.
By the time I left the doctor’s office that
evening, the molds had been taken, and the
process had begun. I was feeling quite
pleased with myself, and even though I was
still apprehensive about the whole thing, I
was more than a little excited at the
prospect of being able to hear well again.
It seemed like no time at all before
I was back to take delivery of these
marvelous little pieces of electronic
genius. The computer was used extensively to
fine tune each device, and surprisingly I
had no trouble inserting them in my ears,
nor were they at all uncomfortable. The
improvement in my hearing was quite
remarkable.
Because hearing loss can
be so gradual, it’s easy to remain in denial
and compensate. I was so concerned that
wearing hearing aids would make me seem
“old”, and yet the opposite has been true. I
am much happier and more vibrant now I have
the confidence good hearing brings. If
anything, I feel years younger. Of all the
reports I’ve heard from those who, like me,
have finally sought help for this problem,
there is one common sentiment, “Why ever did
I wait so long to correct my hearing?”
Aging wisely
is knowing when you need help.
Aging
gracefully is accepting that help.
|
