Hearing Aid Subsidies

I encourage all my HOH friends/contacts to stay educated on the various Hearing Aid subsidies that are available to you. We all know that hearing devices can be very expensive so any help is always appreciated. Check out this link for information in Ontario.

Firsts

I have been reading a lot lately about people's experiences post CI surgery and it made me think back to when I wore my hearing aids for the first time. As an 18 year old I was absolutely mortified at first that this was going to be a part of my life and who I was. However, this quickly lead to a feeling of astonishment at what I was actually able to hear; there was an entire world of sounds that I had never heard before.

So, I empathize with those who are going through this experience. Imagine the thrill you would feel by hearing your child for the first time, being able to understand the lyrics to your favorite song or waking up to the sounds of birds chirping outside of your window. These are all experiences we sometimes take for granted that aren't true for everyone.

Thank you to those who are sharing their experiences with the world. Your openness allows others to see life in a different light.

My Arch-Nemesis'

It's been a few days since I've blogged so I have some catching up to do. I continue to be impressed by the new ears. I am definitely hearing a lot better and I am beginning to feel more confident wearing them. They have even defeated one of my worst nemesis' ... wind. With my in the ear hearing aids I was useless on a windy day because the sound of the wind was just so strong. Finally, because the mic is located behind my ear I can finally carry on a conversation with someone outside in a windy day!

My second nemesis is moisture, I cringe every time I see it raining outside. My second challenge is with sports, particularly when I play hockey. My behind the ear hearing aids don't work in my helmet and I'm terrified about sweat damaging them. So, when I play I just put in my old pair that way if something does happen it's not the end of the world. The second rough part about hockey is the shower after. Obviously, I have to take out my hearing aids out when I hit the showers after hockey and if standing in a big communal shower with a bunch of guys isn't slightly awkward already, not being able to hear what they're saying magnifies that. Luckily, most of the guys talk loudly anyways but, when in doubt I can always fall back on the "smile and nod", which could lead to it's own set of problems ...