For the past few years, people have started talking quieter. The actors on TV began mumbling. If I can’t see their lips or know the context of the conversations, I don’t always understand.
When my husband began speaking indistinctly, I set up an appointment for him with an audiologist. He fought it for a bit but when I said "we" could both be tested so we have a baseline, he agreed. He reluctantly tried a pair of hearing aids. And he hated them. They were returned within the specified trial period.
He tried another set a year or so later and hated them just as much. But he kept them and on occasion he would start a day (or a date) with them, but they usually ended up in my purse sooner rather than later.
Here’s my dilemma. Ralph is not here any more. Yet the TV characters are still very incoherent and my friends continue to whisper. I sit at the condo Board meetings with my hands cupped around my ears (that really works, by the way ... that early Roman semicircular sound amplification thing ..)
So I’m thinking maybe at this tender young age of 61, perhaps I need to visit an audiologist.
Hearing aids? Really????
I just don’t want to miss anything!
I hate the hearing aid dilemma! I need to go get checked too. Why do we always fight this stage of life? Nothing makes a person look older than to not being able to hear what is going on around us. I'm asking people to repeat things lately and that's not good. If you still have your husband's aids some style can be reworked to fit another person, could save you some serious money. I donated my husband's to a company that does that for poor people.
ReplyDeleteI'm turning the TV volume up. I wonder if my hearing's the issue. I love your comment "I just don't want to miss anything." Could people possibly think we're turning a cold shoulder to them, when we're just having trouble hearing them?
ReplyDeleteYes, GoWitheFlo ~ I do think we inadvertently hurt someone's feelings ... especially if they are calling me from behind, they have to run up and touch me and say "didn't you hear me calling you?
ReplyDeleteMy TV volume is creeping up and up so I shut my windows and turn on the A/C so I don't tick off the normal hearing neighbors. When with a group, I just laugh when everyone else laughs. OK. I've talked myself into it!
Jean ~ GREAT idea to donate ... I did keep them as they cost a pot of gold. I'll need to check this little island ... or maybe mail them to the mainland.
ReplyDeleteCheck out clerks are especially notorious for whispering and mumbling and talking too fast. Youngsters! I had to ask THREE TIMES just the other day.