Having to wear glasses is one thing but I've just come back from the Audiology clinic kitted up with a brand spanking new, hi-tech hearing aid!!!
I have to admit I'm thoroughly impressed with it thus far. Having checked the 'norm' I could hear our main TV in the living room (vol 25-30).. I can now hear speech clearly at vol 13!! This will impress the wife no end Typing this post.. the keyboard is now FAR from quiet Odd thing is.. my hearing now seems better in my other duff (left) ear as if the old brainbox is somehow sharing the load.
More amazing.. I can get free batteries for it on the NHS
Right.. off I go into a brave new (and very loud) world. Wish me luck
ATB
DaveB
Nearly 5hrs on and it feels quite natural already. I can do without it mind you. It's bad enough taking the denture out every night and cleaning that THEN having to clean those that remain in-situ. To this, I'll have to include taking out the hearing aid and cleaning that too. I'll have to go to bed earlier just to get all these evolutions done!
Still.. hats off to the clever folk who design and manufacture these things. No longer are they the simple amplifiers they were back in the day
My Mum's hearing aids cost more than this new PC of mine. £1,400 ... each!! Yes, you heard correctly. Some cost a lot more than that. The actual cost of manufacture is just a few pounds, but I was told that the cost includes "specialist service" to the customer.
I realise that they are available on the NHS, but not the in-canal type that she wanted.
Yes.. the nurse I saw this morning reckoned that £1000-£1500 is the going price for these things It's all rather more sophisticated than I'd imagined. They look at the diagram of your hearing and choose a unit to enhance where the deficiencies are. You get to choose from 2 different units.. one with a more rudimentary volume control (one button which moves the sound down then up leaving you to release when you're happy) but in my case where my hearing is sometimes better than others, she suggested a slightly bigger unit (we're only talking mm's.. I held both in my hand to see the comparison) which has a more defined volume control.. up for more sound and down for less.. nice and simple for me She then plugged it into a tiny device.. the other end of which plugged into her pc then ran a sort of diagnostic check.. all this while it was in my lug'ole
Surprised at how long the batteries last.. or more to the point, how short the life is on them. She reckoned about 10days is good going Here was me thinking you'd get a month out of them
ATB
DaveB
Went digital about 10 years back. The thing that I noticed most was, I can now hear the bl**dy birds about 10 fields away. I hadn't realised that I could no longer hear them until I had my first one fitted.
Upon examination I was told that I had lost a lot of high frequency sound in both ears. When I was told I was going to be provided with a hearing aid and asked which ear I would like it for, I pointed out I had lost hearing in both ears as per the report.
The consultant replied, "Look pal, this is the National Health - now which ear do you want?"
He was very helpful however, in demonstrating the "anti wife" device.
How I wish she was still here now to nag me. 8 years ago last Monday by the day, 8 years ago tomorrow by the date. Amazing where the time goes.
Graham
The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
Good lord mate.. 8 years While I couldn't put hand on heart and say it only seemed like yesterday.. it certainly doesn't seem like 8 years ago either
Yes.. it's surprising what you'd forgotten you could hear once upon a time. I'd quite forgotten just how loud going for a piddle is
No such problem deciding which ear the aid should be fitted for me.. the one they repaired I asked this morning if one could be fitted in the other ear at some point (it still has a perforated drum) and she said yes.. it is possible to fit earing aids to ears with perforated drums but they're more susceptible to infection. For that reason, I can see why they don't offer them 'off hand'. I already feel guilty for being able to get free batteries.. not!
And if I understand Larry correctly you will know even more so tomorrow.....If correct have a very good one with lots more to come & don't forget to advertise it!!
Keith
This will impress the wife no end 
Typing this post.. the keyboard is now FAR from quiet 
