After I’d emailed my cousin about the new hearing aid purchases, she (because she’s like me and ‘holds on to ‘things’ ) forwarded to me an email I wrote years ago
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November 2016
Hello there Heather
There’s going to be another division of the spare parts dept in our household opening soon.
The trial period is over and the verdict is – I’ll take one (or even two) !!
I have had a pair on trial for the past week and among other things discovered my neighbours to the left of us have a couple of budgies and more birds spend time in our trees and bushes than I realised. It’s amazing what a difference a little thing stuck behind your ear can make 🙂
Yes, after having the eyes renewed a couple of years ago (cataracts) it’s now time to bring the ears in line. No need to shout, it’s the pesky high sounds that I’m losing – a nice lady at Australian Hearing called it High Frequency Hearing Loss.
She’s been monitoring this very slow decline in both ears for a few years now and suggested a trial run of a loan tailored to my requirements so I could actually see hear the difference.
So come the New Year (because I can get a better health benefit payout) I shall be the proud new owner of two tiny little things that will mean I make less mistakes in thinking I heard something when it was actually something else that was said 🙂
How I get on with this remains to be seen because mentioning it to friends has brought forth lots of horror stories about things whistling in the dark (as well as in the ear), hearing being worse than before and ‘Uncle Joe” still not being able to hear at the pub so I’m taking them all with a grain of salt.
Over the past few years B & P (my sisters) have both had new hips – several friends acquired new knees – many friends have had new sets of teeth – yet nobody has admitted to having new ears. What is about deafness (no matter how slight) that we are loathe to admit to?
How will I cope with these new appliances? I don’t know. We shall see what happens when the time comes. 🙂
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So back to today over 8yrs on…..I’m even more enthralled with the new world they opened up. The new ones are the same ‘level’ as before (my loss hasn’t altered much in that time) but technology has
The only thing the consultant was surprised about was that I declined a rechargeable device preferring batteries – we’re all different, my reasoning being it’s what I’m used to and one less thing to worry about when travelling. The packs of tiny batteries are much much smaller than the charger and no need to find a power point
Anyway enough about me:-
How do you view ageing and the decline of body parts?
Everything old is new again – a trip to the spare parts dept!
Does it bother you or are you glad there are ‘things’ out there to lessen the burden
What thoughts are roaming round your head this Monday?
Still Waters 
My hearing is still quite good. My partner’s is not. He comes from a long line of people who refuse assistance to open up the world again. I dread watching his hearing decline further.
I am grateful for new technology. I have yet to have any bits replaced but it is on the horizon. One hip is giving me grief.
And will continue physio to maintain/improve my balance.
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If what gives you stamina could be located, I’d like a new one of those. I can’t tell the difference with or without hearing aids, except for high pitched shrill voices are even louder, so I turn them down. Without knowing the size of a charger, it is a good point about travelling. Beyond physio, not much can be done for me.
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Mr B’s gran was born deaf and reckoned she would have preferred to be blind. People can’t see deaf and treat the deaf person like they are stupid or just talk past them.
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Mr B’s gran was born deaf and reckoned she would have preferred to be blind. People can’t see deaf and treat the deaf person like they are stupid or just talk past them.
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Hearing is LIFE! I am one whose hearing is much improved by two miraculous little “aids” and I love them! The birdsong was such a shock post hearing aids… I was missing so much! Now I can delight in every single call as I amble around my neighborhood! (and dinner conversations are much improved, haha!)
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I only wear glasses – and have done since I was 18, so Don’t know yet. I do not like my glasses, and would suspect to not like hearing aids either. I had a hearing loss, but nothing could be done for years, and now, when technology has improved, so has my hearing 😉 Miracles do happen.
Like you I’d choose batteries over a charger, as I tend to forget to charge anything.
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I’ve needed glasses since I was about eight and I am absolutely delighted that they, and other devices, exist!
I think it might feel different, though, to need a device for something you’ve always been able to take for granted. So we’ll see how I feel as time goes by. Overall, though, I think we’re lucky to live in places where we have the option!
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I am so grateful for cataract surgery a few years ago. If I need hearing aids, I’m going to get them. Any technological assist for declining body parts is a good thing in my book. But can I just say that decline in some body parts is easier to deal with than in others. I won’t name names either.
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mmm I could write a long list but I’d be lost without my glasses (quite literally!) I don’t need hearing aids (yet) but my biggest ‘spare part’ is my wheelchair which allows me to go out.
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I used to have perfect sight. Now I need reading glasses. But it comes in handy to hide or avoid multiple interactions or issues – “Sorry, I don’t have my glasses. I can read it.” Still, I’d rather have my vision back.
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