Hearing For The First Time

[Rudge]

If you saw this video...

29 years old and hearing myself for the 1st time!

You should also see This video.  

A Deaf Woman Who Can Finally Hear Meets Ellen (Embedding disabled, limit reached)

[joechimp]

That is very touching.  I am happy for her. 

Cool body art too.

[chilly]

Wow i never seen this thread before i started a topic about my deafness,today was surreal when i had my aids fitted,i moved my feet on the floor and for the first time in 15 years i heard my shoes on the carpet,and i can tell you i had tears in my eyes.
I did not need implants,all the same i am 80% deaf in one ear and 50% deaf in the other.
Thankyou for sharing this,i had tears in my eyes today,after living in a silent(virtually silent)world for so long it is very scarey out there.

I first went about my hearing 12 months back,i live like a recluse so hearing was not a problem,then came my grandkids and ever more pressure to hear people,i did not realize how far my deafness had gone,now to get a mobile that works with my aids in

[joechimp]

I am happy for you too Chilly. 

[chilly]

Thanks joe,it was funny in the docs,the nurse got my molds and fitted them to the aids,plugged me into a computer and programed for left and right,"hows that" i said great i can hear you in this one but that ones dead,so she checked my ear for blockage,all clean,turned out the aid was faulty,replaced it and reprogrammed a new one,now all is ok i think

[chilly]

To never have hearing and then to get it must be like a miracle,(and also a headache)it will take many months for a person to get used to sound again,i felt like turning them off the moment i had my aids fitted.

[tschommer]

Wow, very impressive! I've never thought about not being able to hear, but I can imagine that it must be like being reborn.

Very nice to hear that you're doing well, chilly. Of course the brain will adjust over time, and all the noise won't be bothering you that much anymore 

Well, another little piece of good news and happiness for Christmas!

[weirdwolf]

Very Cool! Hearing impaired myself as well. I can hear most conversational speaking, depends on who's talking. (I have hearing aides in both ears now from the VA, Thank You!)
 It's not as bad some like Chilly and the woman from the video. My loss starts at about 15% and depending on the Freq end at 85% loss, Higher end stuff mostly.
 I also remember hearing myself "walk" to the car after I first got them and thought "It sounds like I have taps on my shoes" . I about jumped out of my seat while driving the first time I turned on the turn signals, MAN those things were loud!
I also have tinnitus in both ears. Think of a high pitched tone at about 4 to 5 (when things are really quiet around me it can seem like 6-7) on a scale of 10 that never goes away.

[Rudge]

Very Cool! Hearing impaired myself as well. I can hear most conversational speaking, depends on who's talking. (I have hearing aides in both ears now from the VA, Thank You!)
 It's not as bad some like Chilly and the woman from the video. My loss starts at about 15% and depending on the Freq end at 85% loss, Higher end stuff mostly.
 I also remember hearing myself "walk" to the car after I first got them and thought "It sounds like I have taps on my shoes" . I about jumped out of my seat while driving the first time I turned on the turn signals, MAN those things were loud!
I also have tinnitus in both ears. Think of a high pitched tone at about 4 to 5 (when things are really quiet around me it can seem like 6-7) on a scale of 10 that never goes away.

I have "Tinnitus" in both ears from years of playing the drums with no ear protection.

The quieter it gets, the louder that ringing is.  Quite annoying for sure.

I have "heard" (no pun intended) that exposure to a very wide array of common chemical compounds and drugs (including aspirin) can cause "Tinnitus".

I am quite certain however, that my own drumming caused mine.
     

[ThirdOfSix]

The quieter it gets, the louder that ringing is.  Quite annoying for sure.

I have "heard" (no pun intended) that exposure to a very wide array of common chemical compounds and drugs (including aspirin) can cause "Tinnitus".

I am quite certain however, that my own drumming caused mine.
    

You are probably right.

When I went to the Army doctors during the discharge physical when I was leaving the Army, they said that even though I had a hearing loss and tinnitus, they did not consider it to be a disability because a very high percentage of people my age had the same loss from going to rock concerts.

I was less than happy about that and even though I explained that I did not like or even listen to such music they would not budge. Apparently the bean counters knew a good thing when they saw it.

They offered to send me to learn lip reading yet would not admit that I had a service connected disability. At that point, I just took the discharge and got off post as fast as I could.

I have pretty much lived like a hermit and don't care much for most popular music so I got along ok with crummy hearing.

The most frustrating thing is that before the Army, I could tune any engine to perfection just by sound. After the Army, I could never do that anymore. There are just too many different sounds with very distinctive causes that come from engines. It is kind of like being a painter who suddenly went color blind.

That reminds me. Every now and then I forget to put my hearing aids in when I get out of the shower.

About half way to the store, I'll find myself thinking that my truck sure is running beautifully for a change... that is when I realize that I forgot my hearing aids.

[menotu]

That's great news chilly I'm so pleased for you.  An early Christmas present for you.