Hearing Aids for Me

 Sheri has been bugging me for some time about getting hearing aids.  I finally  visited the audiologist in Kingman and was referred for hearing aids for both ears to help with hearing higher tones.  Higher tones help distinguish some consonants, especially s's.  

Whether this lack of hearing is due to loud noises, such as at Del Monte, or listening to kids' garage bands or is genetic I could not say.  Suffice it to say others in the family have also had hearing loss, siblings and kids, which may mean it is more genetic.  

I have had tinnitus for over twelve years.  There was the hope that adding hearing aids may effect this for the better.  However after three weeks I have not noticed any difference.

When I have the hearing aids in sometimes they tickle the insides of my ears which canbe frustrating.  I have always had dry flakey inner ear and the hearing aids do not help.

Tinnitus

I wish I would have noticed these letters when tinnitus first became an issue with me. 



The doctor seemed to think that the cause of my tinnitus was a history of loud noises, Del Monte and boy's bands.  He gave no hope for ever having something that would alleviate the tinnitus.  Number 5 says to be wary of hopeless prognostications from doctors.  The How is the problem treated section doesn't hold out much hope, except for the vitamins.  They may prove helpful.  Reducing stress and getting enough sleep are other important things to remember.  Usually I don't note my tinnitus.  It is just there in the background.  However I have gotten negative at times, thinking I will never hear silence again, and I miss silence sometimes.  However the habituation of the tinnitus has happened, and I deal with it; much better than when it first started.  I was pretty anxious for a while, but this went away.  I have also noticed that if I am overly tired, or stressed, the tinnitus is louder.  I can handle this. 

**My Experience with Tinnitus

I have been living with tinnitus for the past six or seven years now.  I first developed it when I had bad allergies, and a stuffed eustachian tube putting pressure on my ear.  I hate that, and was steaming my ear frequently, trying to get it to go away.  This was the same year mom came to California after breaking her neck.  Anyway the tinnitus started about the same time the stuffed ears went away.  I concluded it must have been related.  However the ear doctor did not agree, and says it was the consequence of loud noises, Del Monte when I was young, and loud music when I was older. 

When it first developed it drove me crazy.  It triggered great anxiety.  I received a blessing from Brother Rod Tueller.  The tinnitus didn't go away after, but my ability to live with it has increased.  I hardly notice it any more, except when I get too tired, or when it changes tones which happens every once in a while.  If I listen for it, it is there.  But if I am busy doing something, I don't even realize it is there.  It still bothers me I really don't have silence any more.  However if I don't think about it, I'm OK.

The only worry is the doctor says it may portend hearing loss, which may be progressive.  I hope not, but Sheri worries my hearing is getting worse. I have a hard time hearing something from the other room, but if people get my attention I hear fine.  I also hear fine on the phone.  So I'm good for a few more years yet.