Max Payne Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Faygo, you said above that if anybody had any questions on the Cochlear implants, to PM you. I PM'ed with with some questions. No response. I tried again, & found that I was blocked. Naturally, I'm puzzled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 (edited) Howdy After many years of saying WHAT? too often to Mrs Johnson I finally broke down a couple of months ago and got hearing aides. No amount of telling her that she swallows her words at the end of her sentences, and talks facing away from me when speaking with the television on seemed to make a dent. I've known for years that I have some hearing loss after many years of operating loud equipment without hearing protection. Ear muffs in those days were uncomfortable and after a few hours I would just take them off and keep on sawing. Went the whole nine yards, saw an audiologist first to find out exactly what the story was. Pretty much what I expected, hearing loss in the frequencies that make it difficult to distinguish certain words. Went with the Top of the Line Phonak brand, but did not go with any extras like Blue Tooth. I don't even know what Blue Tooth is and I certainly don't want one in my ear. And no, health insurance does not cover hearing aides, paid for them with my own nickel. Pretty much what I expected. After spending more than I would for a couple of new rifles I can hear a little bit better now. Still have difficulty hearing conversations in a noisy restaurant, although my hearing aides have a program that is supposed to help with that. Turning up the volume increases the background noise too, so that does not really help distinguish conversations. The good thing is now when I can't understand what Mrs Johnson says, I can say I did my part, I invested in the hearing aides. Now she has to do her part and speak facing me, stop swallowing her words at the end of the sentence, and turn the volume down on the TV when she talks to me. We did institute one good rule though, no carrying on conversations from separate rooms. If we can't talk face to face, we wait until we can. Regarding getting used to them, it was easy as pie, I had it down within a weak. The amplifier is a little piece behind my ear, there is an almost invisible wire that runs down to a tiny speaker I put in my ear. I did not want the rechargeable ones, I have enough things to charge up every night. I bought the battery powered ones. The batteries last a week if I do not stay up to 3 AM every night. I change the batteries every Monday morning. When I take my afternoon nap I remove the hearing aides and disconnect the battery to save battery life. The hearing aides come out when I get to the range, and do not go back in again until I am in the car leaving. Amplifying gunshots is not a good idea. I had them give me an extra case for the hearing aides which I keep in the car. Be sure you store them in a case, they are really easy to lose. My hearing loss is not so bad that I can't hear stage instructions without them. In another post I described how I use inexpensive disposable foam ear plugs. To hear stage instructions I loosen one plug so I can hear conversation. Then I stuff it back in all the way again before the shooting starts. This has been my experience with hearing & aids (and wife), word for word. the only difference is mine are the ReSound brand with Bluetooth so I can adjust with my iPhone. Edited January 14, 2017 by Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major BS Walker Regulator Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 The ones I have now are Oticon. My old set were Phonak's. Both makers have high end and low end models. I've been happy with both brands in the higher end bracket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 Widder when they do a implant it destorys the nerve endings. You are deaf it that ear. It's all electric after. They're really remarkable!! If your hearing went away over a period of time(30 years) like mine did you won't believe what you can hear when they first turn it on. But you do have to have less then 40% (I think) hearing to be eligible....Faygo I discovered that hummingbirds chirp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallows Hugh Moore Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 I went with COSTCO's Kirkland brand and they have been a God send. I knew I was missing out but not how much. The first time I wore them at home I had to ask my wife if the dogs were always so loud walking across the hardwood floor. I had never heard their nails clicking as they walked. I also bought a little device that plugs into the TV and sends signals direct to the hearing aids and I can adjust the volume on the aids and not bother everyone else in the house, I can mute the TV's master volume and still hear through the aids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 I'm with you guys. But every now and again my ears will open up - like change of altitude - and WAAAH!, I can hear. Gowd, it's annoying. Everything is too loud. Then a few minutes to maybe a half a day I notice I'm back to being deaf again. Tinnitus, I guess that's what it is. I can't remember not having a ringing in my ears. I just thought it was natural. Mary will turn her head away and mumble something. I'll eventually catch on she's talking to herself, singing or talking to me. I'll ask, "What?". She'll say,"Never mind. You don't listen anyway. ". I say, "I can't hear any louder but you can speak louder.". That's when the fight starts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lead Ringer Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 ive been doing a little duck hunting lately. I use hearing protection when hunting ducks. I can't help but notice all the young guys, apparently it's not cool? They just go full ear commando? Future hearing aid customers, For sure! Regards Ringer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faygo Kid, SASS # 26408 Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 Noz.....me too....lol..... Warden I had that problem a few years back when I went to EOT. I just had hearing aids at the time and had lost total hearing in my right ear. Some where on the way home, all of a sudden it pop and started working then a few minutes later it was gone again. Went to my ear doc when I got home and found out that I had a hole in my ear drum..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazy Eeyour Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 This may be of interest to those who worked around jet aircraft. I sent it to Navy friends and they all claimed that it explains a lot of their problems. http://www.research.va.gov/currents/spring2014/spring2014-11.cfm VA answer is not enough research. I believe an air force officer got tired of sending personnel to have their hearing checked and when results showed OK, he thought something else had to be going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 The VA covers hearing aids if you qualify. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.