At the age of 3 1/2, my parents discovered I was partially deaf.
Being the first child, they had no one to compare me to and were unaware of my hearing loss. I was a VERY good lip reader and I heard low sounds pretty well. Why would they think I had a hearing loss when I would come rushing into the kitchen after my dad would try to sneak a cookie out of the ceramic cookie jar??? (this story has been told by my parents – I have no memory of this!) hee hee. They actually grew concerned because I wasn’t talking as a “normal” child would at my age. They took me to a speech therapist and that is when they checked my hearing and discovered my deafness. My parents were in complete shock! Apparently, that was the first time I ever heard a phone ring. It all made sense to them now.
I do not remember getting my first pair of hearing aids. I was told I didn’t want to wear them because, “It’s TOO loud! Too Loud!” I would say. My mom said that I started to wear the aids as soon as I realized that I was missing conversations and missing on important things.
Back in the day, hearing aids just had an on and off switch. It amplified everything so there’s ALOT going on. I had trouble hearing my teacher in school (1st grade), even with teacher and I wearing FM boxes. She would always forget to turn them off when she would talk with other teachers! (including the principal!). I eventually begged my mom to homeschool me and was homeschooled until I graduated High School. It was the one of the best decisions they made for me.
No I did not wear prairie dresses, or sew my own clothes, or win the spelling bees. I was sheltered but not naïve to the world. I dye my hair crazy colors at times, have 8 ear piercings, 1 nose ring and a tattoo. I am just a normal gal who got to stay home and learn. 🙂
Moving on….. I cant remember how old I was, but I remember the first time I got my first pair of digital hearing aids. WOW. Technology blew me away then! The hearing aids are programed to MY own hearing loss and adjusts as it seemed fit. My audiologist would then make adjustments as needed to make it comfortable for me to hear. The colors (brown) matched my hair and I loved that they were thin and comfortable.
In 2007 it was time to get another pair because mine were over 10 years old. I kept having to send it in for repair (that is COSTLY!) I knew it was time to look into getting a new set. I was living far away from home so I didn’t have my childhood audiologist and that was really nerve racking. BUT, I started on a year long process with the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR). It took a year because the state was waiting on the government to fund the DOR and it was taking them forever to do so. I was blessed to have been approved 100 % financing for the hearing aids!
“They don’t make em like they used to” is a very true statement. My hearing aids are now about 6-7 years old and already has a crack which broke and has been glued back together.
It was TIME to look for another set (per advice from audiologist too). I knew I didn’t qualify for DOR anymore since I am not working outside the home and I do not plan to. Especially since I need to be focused on my daughter’s health, treatments and CPTherapy. So I kept searching. Friends and family helped by finding a list of possible organizations to contact. I figured I would try one more time and I sent an email to my audiologist and asked them again if there was ANYTHING they could do for me. It turned out they could! AN ANSWER TO PRAYER!!! A huge weight lifted off of me.
These are high top of the line hearing aids that are blue tooth compatible, no funky tubing, smaller (see photo!), color isn’t my style but THAT’S okey. Oh and they were digital. I can hear higher sounds that I knew existed but just never REALLY heard them. I actually requested the high sounds to be turned low than from my previous aids because the technology just wasn’t that advance yet and it still amplified and it was too much.
But these are different….
~I can hear the T’s, P’s and PST sounds at a comfortable level now.
~I heard the crackling of a plastic bag
~The rattle of ice cubes in a cup. Again, I’ve heard them but not HEARD them. Like it’s more crisp and clear and new to me!
It’s not perfect of course. I still miss things. It was actually very over stimulating to hear all those new/different sounds. Call it BRAIN OVERLOAD.
The hardest part was being at home and hearing how noisy it was!
The AC unit??
The fridge fan running like that?!?! Has it always done that????
My hardwood floors creaks THAT much?!?!?!
Whoa….the water is loud coming out of the faucets. No wonder no one ever hears me over the water running.
Those are little simple things that don’t matter to me. I know right now everything seems loud. I know because my brain hasn’t processed it as “background noise”. It’s all new. It’ll probably take a week or more for me to get used to this. After being home for an hour, I just wanted to take them off. Take a break. But I needed to hear my kids (especially since they both were napping at the time). I texted my husband telling him that I wish he was home so he could help confirm the sounds I was hearing. And also to take a break and go into my quiet little world.
I wanted the OUT!
Funny enough, even when I prepared myself for the changes, I was still overwhelmed and emotional.
The next day I was very hesitant to put them on in the morning. I waited a very long time. I just wasn’t ready to hear all the new sounds again. Odd? Maybe. But it tires me out! It’s like a crazy guessing game 24/7. What’s that?! Oh that’s my son’s toy…I didn’t realize it sounded like that. ETC. ETC. ETC.
By the third day (which is when I am writing this post), I am noticing that noises aren’t so LOUD anymore. I think that means I am getting used to it! I did not hesitate to put my aids on this morning and it felt….GOOD. I had no tears today. In fact, I think it had a lot to do with expressing my feelings to my husband last night and him telling me that all those noises such as floor creaking may be very beneficial to me in the future, especially when I may not see.
I was reminded that I will be relying on my ears more than my eyes and I should be thankful and embrace the changes. Today was a GOOD DAY.
You want to know what the best part about this whole thing is?
Hearing the adorable tiny crispness voice of my 2 1/2 year old son.
Yup. I had NO idea he sounded like that and how clear his voice was. It makes me tear up every time I think about this and how thankful I am to have the technology these days to help me to hear better and better.
Hearing my son’s voice, now THAT is a beautiful sound.