Hearing Aid Rant

[pieces o nine]

That is a great photo!

I'm envisioning a daring Onion exposé on the terrible state of Socialism on medicine...   

[Sibling DavidH]

I've got them in - one in each ear.  They are truly excellent; hearing doesn't seem different, it seems normal now and different when I take them out.  Despite all the dire warnings about taking time to get used to them, I have no problem, except that my own voice sounds loud compared to other things.  They said I should talk to myself or sing when alone to give my brain more chance to get accustomed!  And Wendy says you can hardly see them - not that I'm greatly bothered about appearances.

So I've got these two which I think cost several hundred pounds each (it's hard to find out) plus free batteries and other bits for life, plus two hours of specialist's time.  All entirely free, within a month of asking my doctor.  Tell that to these folks who don't want socialised medicine.



This is the one, though for comparison they've put a ring in the picture, which I didn't get.

[Opsa]

Whotta ripoff! I would have demanded the ring. 

That is amazing. I don't think we can get them that fast here, even paying all outdoors for them.

Glad to hear that they work so well! Do you think the fact that you hadn't had time to get used to deafness made it easier to adjust?

[pieces o nine]

I'm glad you're starting out on a positive note with them, DavidH!   

[Sibling DavidH]

Do you think the fact that you hadn't had time to get used to deafness made it easier to adjust?

No, I've been getting deafer for a very long time, and had got used to it.  Now I notice all sorts of odd things I never knew about such as the horrible squeaking noise the big freezer in the garage is making!  Flushing the toilet is amazing!

Another good thing is that Wendy says I now have the TV and HiFi turned down to reasonable levels, and I've set the bass and treble back to medium levels.  Poor wife, she never complained.

[Opsa]

They should include the ring so you can give it to your spouse. She is Teh Peach.

[pieces o nine]

No, I've been getting deafer for a very long time, and had got used to it.  Now I notice all sorts of odd things I never knew about such as the horrible squeaking noise the big freezer in the garage is making!  Flushing the toilet is amazing!

Like grandpa's squeaky chair, which we all heard and tuned out, but he hadn't. I'm curious: did losing that register of sound help with being around the piercing treble yelps of small children, or does Capn B modulate his voice better than the average kid?   

Another good thing is that Wendy says I now have the TV and HiFi turned down to reasonable levels, and I've set the bass and treble back to medium levels.  Poor wife, she never complained.

You mentioned a couple posts above that your voice now seems louder to you. Is the talking to self/singing helping reset your 'normal'?

And I agree with Opsa -- they should come with something nice for the spouse.   

[Griffin NoName]

So I've got these two which I think cost several hundred pounds each (it's hard to find out) plus free batteries and other bits for life, plus two hours of specialist's time.  All entirely free, within a month of asking my doctor.  Tell that to these folks who don't want socialised medicine.

Clearly the post code lottery is in your favour re hearing clinics and equipment. Doesn't mean such great service is endemic. In fact, I bet it isn't. And how long it will last in your area is probably not likely good news. <THEY ARE RUINING OUR NHS FREAK >

[Sibling DavidH]

I'm curious: did losing that register of sound help with being around the piercing treble yelps of small children, or does Capn B modulate his voice better than the average kid?  

I don't know yet, but he'll be arriving in an hour or so; I shall find out!

You mentioned a couple posts above that your voice now seems louder to you. Is the talking to self/singing helping reset your 'normal'?

I dunno - I'm not doing it.  But it is getting better.

And you're probably right about the clinic, Griffin, but at least I've got a six-month supply of batteries in hand. 

[Griffin NoName]

I'm glad you got in before the great collapse which is surely just around the corner.

Another PFI failure in the NHS announced in Observer today - don't have ref. to hand, but 2 patients died.

[Sibling DavidH]

As for hearing aids and small boys: Pieces is right; Cap'n B now sounds like a demented banshee on zoom pills.  Oh, well....

[Swatopluk]

Another PFI failure in the NHS announced in Observer today - don't have ref. to hand, but 2 patients died.

Not limited to Britain that. Currently we have premature infants dying from hospital infections around here (and it's not even fully privatised yet).

[Opsa]

As for hearing aids and small boys: Pieces is right; Cap'n B now sounds like a demented banshee on zoom pills.  Oh, well....

The nice thing about hearing aids is that you can take them out sometimes.

[Aggie]

As for hearing aids and small boys: Pieces is right; Cap'n B now sounds like a demented banshee on zoom pills.  Oh, well....

Perhaps this is the evolutionary reason for hearing loss; it makes grandparents fonder of small children.

[Sibling DavidH]

The nice thing about hearing aids is that you can take them out sometimes.

Yes, it's even pretty easy to switch them off in place, but at the moment I'm trying to persevere through thick and thin.  I may resort to stuffing his mouth with chocolate.  

Perhaps this is the evolutionary reason for hearing loss; it makes grandparents fonder of small children.

Less likely to strangle them, anyway.