Yes - I Can Hear You Now!
by Bill Gouveia for the Sun Chronicle
I have often been accused of not listening. While I generally deny it, I will admit that many times I simply could not hear.
In a nod to advancing age and a rejection of useless vanity, I recently started wearing hearing aids. I’m sure that is of little interest to most, but I mention it in hopes my experience might encourage others who have been considering it but decided against it for various reasons.
I can’t tell you how relaxing it is to not strain intently just to hear people speaking. To participate in conversations in restaurants and not have to simply nod my head and pretend because I had not been able to understand. To not have to say “What?” repeatedly and irritate people (well, I still irritate people, just not by doing that).
To suddenly be hearing things you haven’t heard in years is strange. I had no idea my floorboards and cellar stairs were so creaky. Flushing the toilet now sounds a bit like standing at Niagara Falls. If you crinkle a paper bag within 100 yards of me, I am likely to jump. And while it does not “cure” the ringing in my ears, it definitely helps mask it.
While I heartily recommend these small electronic miracles, I also understand why more people don’t use them. They are expensive, and often not covered by medical insurance. Even when purchased at “discount” prices, they are still pretty costly.
It is also somewhat difficult to get used to wearing them, although the ones I have are pretty small and comfortable. I have never used the “earbuds” style of headphones because I hate the feeling of something in my ear. But these are relatively non-intrusive and I quickly forget they are even there.
I was also concerned about how they would look to others. I worried about them being visible, about looking old or infirmed. But the former turned out not to be an issue, as they fit nicely behind my ears and are covered by my glasses. The latter just didn’t seem very important once I realized how different my life was when I could hear properly.
There are a few drawbacks. A lot of the background noise I could not hear previously can now occasionally be both annoying and overwhelming. Certain voices of a particular frequency sound like a siren going off in my head. After years of talking loudly to me, my wife is having trouble lowering the volume. But the benefits far outweigh any problems.
Is it somewhat damaging to my ego? Maybe — but you get over that quickly. Preparing for bed has become more of a process. Between gathering my medications, storing my glasses, taking care of the dental work, and now properly caring for the hearing aids — it can feel like taking a car apart in the garage every night. But it ensures I won’t run out of things to complain about anytime soon.
To those who can benefit from hearing assistance and are avoiding it for non-monetary reasons, I urge you to give it try.
But hey — you don’t have to “listen” to me.
Bill Gouveia is a local columnist and longtime local official. He can be emailed at billsinsidelook@gmail.com and followed on Twitter at @Billinsidelook.
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