Senior Health: Part Eight

I was approved for hearing aids!

I will not have to learn sign language

unless I have nothing else to do! 

Yesterday I got them! 


Sure, I hear,

but not well,

and under the line

of acceptable hearing.

Why did I decide to get tested?

• To see if I can be a better listener to people in my life.
• I am in Toastmasters and cannot evaluate speeches that aren't clear to me. I remember years ago when I was in my 40s a senior citizen in Toastmasters taught me to speak up. Now I want people to speak up and even told a lawyer in Toastmasters he should enunciate, but really it was my hearing that has been the problem.
• My sister-in-law, Sally and my husband all notice my poor hearing.
• I do not hear children well and stopped substitute teaching in elementary school for that reason. When I teach youth and adults I often have to tell them to speak up and classroom talk is often garbled to me.
• Others laugh at things and I have to ask what was funny. Imagine missing out!
• It was time. Hubby says something in another room and I cannot hear him. I go to see what it is.

"You should have heard me the first time," he says and we laugh because we both know due to his Alzheimer's he cannot remember what he said.

You can hardly tell
I have them on.

My audiologist Shanin told me about a program with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. This took some time, but I was approved and my hearing aids were funded so I can teach and live without hearing impairment.

You can hardly tell I have them on with these behind-the-ear Siemens instruments. The manual says "life sounds brilliant". Shanin first crumpled paper when I had them on. What a difference! These aids have a thin tube with an open tome for natural sound and a part that goes into the ear that enhances highs where my loss is, I use a battery and monitor how long it lasts by marking the calendar. If there is a small whistling when I put my hand behind my ear, then the battery is still good. I take them out at night and will open the battery door to save that battery. I also take them out when I shower, swim, have my hair done. They have two programs; I can switch from all sounds to only hearing sounds in front of me.

What a difference! I think I like them! Yesterday morning I got my new hearing aids and last night I taught a three hour session of my current class for DUI offenders. When I taught last night I could hear the students. Now when I substitute teach students will not sound like they are mumbling.

Carol