Hearing aid? Me?

[1948berg]

After fifty years with shooting, chainsaw, tractor and bulldozer operating I finally admitted that much of my hearing was gone. I did not notice it that much, but people around me did!!! The TV was roaring , scaring the rest of the family out of the room, and far into the next. Going to parties was no fun anymore, did not understand what people were talking of, or laughing at, me??
I understand from messages in this forum that Im not alone with this problem. Two years ago I got a hearing aid, it is a new word, birds that I thought was gone were singing, even the loving wife sits beside me watching tv! It taskes some time to get used to, but it is indeed worth it. Now I put them into my ears in the morning, and take them out when I go to bed.
The only dissapointment was the sound of the engines in my truck, car and tractors. I thoght they were smooth running untill I got my aids. Now the engines are rather noisy, the valves are ticking, the pistons are rattling, and the servo steering is screeming! But still, I recommend it, if in doubt, ask the persons around you!

 

[SnoFalls]

HUH ... SPEAK UP ... CANT HEAR YOU!!! (j/k)

Glad you got what you needed.

For everyone else, hearing protection is a good thing.

I don't always wear mine, but when I know I'm goin to be grinding metal for an extended time, or running the chainsaw all day, I put mine on ...

 

[Inspector507]

Gunnar,
I'm glad you took that first step to get one (or two).
I've been in construction all of my life. I know my hearing is going downhill and has been for years.
I have a different problem that caused me to see the Doc. Too much pressure behind the ear drum. We tried all kinds of tubes in the ear drum to relieve it. Some worked Some didn't. However, in the course of things the Doc noticed the ear drum was retracting back inside. Surgery was offered and I accepted after numerous MRI's. There was a HUGE tumor in my ear that had grown around two of the inner ear bones. Once it was removed, along with the bones, I had NO hearing in that ear.
Getting an aid was the best thing I could have done. The tumor was actually transmitting the sound waves to where ever it needed to be going. No more tumor, no more sound.
I know at some point I may need to have one for the "good" ear. So far it has not been recommended. But when it is, I'll do it again.

 

[Bird]

Yep, Gunnar, I've been wearing two hearing aids for 14 years (the first pair for 9 years and the current ones for 5) and my hearing continues to get worse.

 

[ByronBob]

I can hear the rain while sleeping with 1 ear up. The other one...well /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I use muffs now before it's all gone. Have my son wear them on the tractor now too. He's not going my path if I can help it.

 

[Marlowe]

I know what you mean. My sons keep telling me my old truck is making some weird noises. Shucks, sounds OK to me. It's only sixteen years old, after all.

Tom, ehhhh, what's that you say sonny?

 

[Richard]

Perhaps one of you can offer me some advice...

I try to ALWAYS wear my ear protection. That said, my wifes uncle next door (and her cousin who lives there as his caretaker) is 1/2 way deaf. he's FINALLY gotten a hearing aid.

What caused it? In my opinion, years of cutting the farm on a tractor with no muffler. This thing is PAINFULL when youre cutting a field (and we probably have 125 acres or so of fields.

Ok, so Uncle in law's ears are shot. You would THINK his son would have a clue... he doesn't. Seems the apple doesn't fall far from their tree /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I've "badgered", suggested, even taken a catalog over for the sons wife (both are in their mid 50s by the way) and told her "this would be a GREAT xmas/bday/other gift for him AND would offer him more protction"

We're talking chain saw chaps, hearing protection, chain saw helmet, safety glasses (though he wears glasses and probably lets them 'double' as safty lens)

Anyways, I see him cutting a tree or cutting the fields and just CRINGE as I realize he's walking down the same path that his father walked. he's absolutely clueless about it in spite of my comments.

Short of being a hiney hole and conditioning any help I ever give him on him wearing such & such...

Any ideas on what it might take to turn his lightbulb on inside his head?

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[deere755]

I was that way about getting glasses until I failed my drivers license eye exam and they would not renew my license. Its amazing what I can see now. I just had a hard time admitting that age was catching up with me. I think I may try contacts now.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I grew up running noisy tractors. As a teen, I was in a neighborhood "rock band". (NOT what my dad called it) Then the Army. Artillery spotter, but was around way too many "big guns". Then back to the tractors. I spent a few years in the field as a carpenter. Power saws and air nailers blasted my ear drums. 2 Kids who didn't know what the word quiet meant, and I'm about 60% deaf.

That has contributed greatly to the longevity of my marriage. Why mess with success? (Wife refers to it as "selective hearing" I just say "HUH? You say sumthin'")

The hearing problem I have is all the background noise just blends together. I tried a (cheap) hearing aid a few years back. It just made the noise LOUDER!

Let's see, I'm getting old, I'm overweight (PC word for fat) Bald, half blind, half deaf, and have a sore back.

I ain't worth the cost of a new hearing aid.

 

[midlf]

Richard - you have done what you can for your relative. They are choosing to be in denial or just stubborn. For you to do more will just make you an unwelcome PIA. If they ever complain about the loss of hearing your best answer is "that is why I always wear my hearing protection".