| Hearing loss, who has it? I do, and maybe you do, too. | | | | 3. Asking people to repeat sentences |
| My loss developed slowly. The first sign was not being | | | | 4. Missing key conversation/meeting points |
| able to hear my husband if he spoke from another | | | | 5. Misunderstanding words, names, numbers |
| room. "What?" became a frequent question at our | | | | 6. Straining to hear what is being said |
| house. Finally, I had an audiogram and, though it | | | | 7. Fatigue (Straining to hear is tiring.) |
| showed a hearing loss, I didn't get a hearing aid | | | | 8. Missing television/movie dialogue |
| because I was so busy. | | | | As soon as the audiologist received my audiogram I |
| My days were filled with family matters, twin | | | | went in for a hearing aid consultation. "You need a |
| grandchildren, volunteer projects, a writing career, and | | | | hearing aid for your left year," she said, tracing a red |
| a book publicity campaign. To save time and money I | | | | descending line on the audiogram. Hearing loss or not, I |
| ordered a $300 hearing aid from a mail order | | | | heard that sentence clearly, and my mind added a |
| company. It came with three ear inserts, large middle, | | | | cash register "ka-ching." "You also need a hearing aid |
| and small, and none of them worked. So I gave up on | | | | for your right ear," she added, tracing a second |
| the idea. | | | | descending line. |
| But the hearing issue resurfaced when I was taping a | | | | "Could I get by with just one hearing aid?" I asked. |
| radio program. Musicians were recording a CD later | | | | "You could," she replied, "but you'll always be turning |
| that day and chairs and sound bafflers were clustered | | | | your head to the side and that looks funny." |
| about the studio. Due to microphone placement the | | | | So I ordered two hearing aids. Technology has |
| host sat on the far side of the studio. When he asked | | | | improved vastly during the last two years. Now |
| a question I didn't hear it and, to cover my mistake, | | | | hearing devices have tiny computers in them. Some |
| answered the next question in the script. Had I | | | | are adjusted by hand, others by remote control, or |
| answered the right one? | | | | automatically. I chose a type that adjusts automatically |
| The experience was so distressing I didn't listen to the | | | | for small groups, crowds, and telephone conversations. |
| program when it aired. But I did make a medical | | | | What's the moral of my story? Instead of being |
| appointment. According to Minnesota law, you can't get | | | | reactive, as I was, I urge you to be proactive about |
| a hearing aid if your audiogram is more than six | | | | your hearing. Watch for early signs of loss, especially a |
| months old. My audiogram was eight months old, so I | | | | ping in your ear, an indication that a nerve cell is dying. |
| had to be re-tested. Results: additional hearing loss in | | | | Be alert to the symptoms listed above. If sound seems |
| both ears, especially at high frequencies where | | | | to be fading, get your hearing checked immediately. |
| consonants are heard. | | | | Though it will take time to adjust to hearing aids, I know |
| Deafness runs in my family and I might have picked up | | | | my quality of life will improve. At meetings I'll be able to |
| on my hearing loss if I knew the symptoms. Here are | | | | follow the discussion. I'll be able to hear my husband |
| the main ones. | | | | whisper, "I love you," my grandkids exclaim, "You're |
| 1. Turning up the volume | | | | funny!" or a reader say, "Thank you for writing this |
| 2. Difficulty in hearing when there was background | | | | book. |
| noise | | | | |