Hearing aids anyone?

[oosik]

My best friend got himself involved in hearing aids. He only needed it in one ear. He was like me - kind of ornery, quick to judgement, hated spending money on "junk" like a hearing aide, knew it wouldn't help, even before he tired it. He ended up costing close to $3K for the one unit. He was a Vietnam vet - so they paid his bills. He had to admit - in a "normal" to quiet environment - they did help. It was the loud & high pitched sounds that drove him crazy. Since the aid was only in one ear - there was ALWAYS a problem with balancing out the aid.

He never wore it when we were out riding our Harleys. He always said - "A little Jack will overcome any hearing loss".

 

[QRTRHRS]

I lost one of my hearing aids last fall in my barn that Vocational Rehab had provided me. The only reason that I had them in while working in the barn was because the vet was coming to work on a horse and I needed to work with him. What really grinds my backside is that I had just paid for an extended insurance policy which included routine cleaning and a checkup. Mine were the behind the ear style and it may sound strange but the audiologist or perhaps the assistant changed the stabilizer. I could not figure out where to try to bend the stabilizer to make it easy to put the aids in like they had been. Plus, they would easily come out which is how I lost one. I had gone back in and asked for help but the so called assistant more or less blew me off.

You would think that removing one aid would be instantly recognizable but for me not! It took a few minutes then I went on frantic search to no avail.

FWIW, when I first got my aids, they were okay but not shall we say great? The people that were operating the clinic chose to sell it to a larger firm. The new audiologist had equipment to map my aids to my hearing loss. After that they were fantastic!

Anyway, the VA turned me down so I have an appointment with the local rep to file an appeal next week. I ended up in Germany in 1970 on an 8" howitzer. Out of the 12 guns, mine happened to be the "lead" gun. My job was to drive and fire the beast when we went to the field (3 times for 30 days during my tour). I got to fire more than the others. I have photos showing my head right next to the barrel in order to push the lanyard down while at a high elevation.

The support crew would open canisters of gunpowder and more often than not find the satchels with a bluish tint which indicated moisture damage. When we had no choice, we would load these powder charges which would have a severe concussive effect. The engine cover on an M110 SP is a large square domed piece of steel held in place by flanges and nuts. The plate would apparently depress then pop out. We simply unbolted the flanges and put the plate back in place. The M110 also had a canvass "hootch" for winter use. Those charges would blow out the plastic windows.

The biggie though was that the charges would also suck out my earplugs. Anyway, I am hoping to make my case.

 

[Wagtail]

I had no problems with the VA getting a hearing test and then had choices for which type aids I preferred. What I really like is when I leave with and say 典hank You? My hearing loss began with my berthing area being directly below 5 inch guns firing all night.

Mine was a result of a more subtle nature; berthing and the ship's ventilation system... all those years of a low constant noise gradually 'took its toll' whilst I slept.

When I knew that it was going to be LOUD (firing the gun as an FC) or entering a noisy compartment I always wore ear defenders... it's the sneaky stuff that 'gets you'.