We've all seen 'em. Ads for hearing aids for $29.95! Sounds like a pretty damn good deal since Audiologist prescribed hearing aids can be pretty expensive (about $500, up to $7000) and are not covered by most Insurance programs, including Medicaid.

I've had requests from Companies that sell hearing aids over the internet for a Resource listing, or offering to guest blog a post on "buying hearing aids", but I just flat out refuse.

I cannot stand 'em! Infomercials or Companies selling hearing aids by mail!!

Here's my list why I hate 'em:

1. They cannot be adjusted to fit your particular hearing loss. Are you missing the low sounds, or the high pitches? These "instant hearing aids" will not cater to that specific loss, it will just amplify everything.
2. Since they amplify everything, they could be detrimental to your hearing in the first place! If you only have a high pitch loss, and these hearing aids are amplifying everything, you'll soon lose the low pitches as well as it's not adjustable.
3. The "earmold" are not custom made to fit your ear. For a hearing aid to properly work, it has to fit snugly in the ear. These "plugs" often wiggle loose and fall out when moving your head (as read on a lot of customer review sites). .When this happens there's a lot of feedback noise of whistling and squealing that can be annoying to everyone around you.
4. Do you really know if your hearing loss is an ACTUAL hearing loss? It could just be from wax buildup, or an ear infection.
5. Exaggerated Claims! These infomercials claim "you'll hear a whisper across the room" Well that won't happen without amplifying the regular sounds near you louder! Or showing everyone cheering at a sporting event, and the wearer isn't cringing from the sound around them?
6. No more batteries! Sure, that's all great and good, but what happens when the hearing aid dies before you're ready to take it off and put it on the charger? If you're out with family and friends, you could just switch out batteries and then life continues. What about the instant hearing aid? You going to carry the charger everywhere? Or tell everyone to shuttup while you charge it?

So if you think you have a hearing loss, go see your doctor to determine the actual cause. You may then be referred to an Audiologist for testing, then you two can determine the best course of action to improve your hearing. Not from some damn commercial!

Tracy,
"One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon

Most of the time at Doctor's offices if you received bad news such as Cancer, or a life-threatening disease, you're given aftercare resources that include counselling and emotional support, etc. But what about after a major Hearing or Vision Loss Assessment? They just go "Here's your new glasses/hearing aid" and send you off. 

Some may refer you to places that sell Assistive Devices. Sure, that's great but these doctors need to realize there's an emotional impact here too. There's no such thing as "being prepared" for a major hearing or vision loss. Losing your Hearing or Vision has such an emotional punch and you can feel things such as:

• Losing me Independence - You'll start feeling like you won't be able to do the most basic things anymore and everyone will have to do everything for me.
• Losing my Privacy - I'll have to have someone else do all my banking and bills and they'll know everything about me.
• Losing my Self Confidence - I never needed to depend on anyone before, 'll be nothing but a burden on everyone around me now.
• Losing my Job - I'll have to quit now, how am I going to support myself, my family?
• Losing Love Ones - I'll lose family and friends because who wants to be around me now?

Now those of us who are already Deaf, Blind or both will look at this and go, as my Dad would say, "That's Bull-Pucky!" We can do everything independently and MORE! We'll do it a different way, and may take longer to do it but dammit we get it done! Sure, sure we'll need a little "help" once in a while, but we're not curled up on the floor drooling like some "newly diagnosed" people might think, Heh.

Anyway, my point is that Doctors and Professionals need to realize the emotional impact these diagnoses have on their patients. Make a list of local agencies that serve the Deaf, or Blind community. Refer them to websites such as VisionAware, or ALDA, or a multitude of other websites, as well as Counselling services.

If you're newly diagnosed yourself.....then trust me, it ain't that bad.

Tracy,
"One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon

Our vacation ended & the kids and I were flying home out of Toronto Pearson's International Airport.

I checked us all in at the kiosk, we breezed through Security & US Customs, then made our way to the Gate. I admired the beautiful murals, fancy tile work on the walkways & settled in a nice plush chair near the check-in desk. As time drew near to our boarding time, I noticed there still wasn't any employees at the check-in desk. Then there was a PA announcement, which my son interpreted, that our flight was now at a different Gate, at the other end of the Terminal.

So off we trudged, I soon noticed the walkway was growing narrower and the fancy tile work was replaced by plain industrial flooring. Gone were the murals and replaced by exposed steel girders and open ductwork. Peeking out windows as we walked I see barb-wired topped fences. We took the elevator down 2 floors & we continued thru this maze where the floor sloped downward every so often and some spots were dimly lit. I thought of the line in Princess Bride,  "You're in the Pit of Despair".  

We finally end up at two large steel double doors with a large crowd gathered in front of them. There's now 4 different flights leaving through these doors & everyone's waiting with tickets and carryons like cattle waiting in front of shipping chutes. I don't know if there was air conditioning there or not but I certainly didn't feel it.

Finally it was our turn to pre-board, we stumble down the tarp-covered cement walkway, and then suddenly we were exposed to several small planes in a row. One had just started up it's propellers. I froze and held my kids back. I've never experienced this before. Soon a flight attendant went by pushing a rider in a wheelchair, so we followed her to the plane. It was a CSR700, and only 4 seats wide, "puddle jumpers" I think they're called.

As we settled into our seats, and the plane filled with passengers, I tried to calm down a bit. But my over active imagination & anxious brain wouldn't have any of that. "How do we know we're on the right plane? We just followed some random person fer cryin' out loud" I blurted. My girl's eyes got wide as saucers "Mom! Why did you have to go and say that". Soon I heard the announcement "Welcome (mumbling mumbling) Washington Dulles...." "OK We're on the right one".

Soon our plane took off and we flew outta Pearson's Ass.....

Tracy,
"One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon