Hearing Aids

I have no pictures to include with this post. I wish I did.  I often don't want to carry a heavy camera and this week we did not do any big adventures.  You readers are just have to use your imagination. Anyway, this post is about hearing, not sight.

Last Wednesday, Frances and I went to the audiologist to talk about hearing aid options. Before going into it, I knew I had two options: a single hearing aid to augment my poor hearing in my right ear, or two hearing aids where they can take the sound heard in my right ear and transfer it to my left ear. Going into it, I felt that sound localization was the biggest problem for me, so if one hearing aid can help me, then I would like to try that.  After speaking to the audiologist, I became not so sure.

She thought the cross hearing aid system would be better for me because I would pick up speech and sound that my big head would block out from the other side.  Because I had normal hearing not too long ago, she felt I might be able to localize somewhat from the stereo effect. My left ear would hear the same thing twice and use that information to pinpoint where it was coming from. The only thing I would gain from a single hearing aid is some localization. Speech understanding would be off the table because of the tones of frequency loss.

Luckily, there is an opportunity for trials of hearing aids, starting with the cross hearing aid. She did make a mold of my right ear to use for the single hearing aid, but she is waiting for my signal to send it (because there would be a non-refundable fee associated with that part). That day I picked up a sample of the cross hearing aid, and let me tell you, I was blown away

Ok, time to reveal some geekyness.  Aaron has been joking that for a while I will only read books that have dragons on the cover, and well, more often it has been true than not.  Recently, I have been reading the Eragon series. In these books, a human becomes a dragon rider and through a series of events becomes more elf like. One morning he wakes up with overwhelming heightened senses. He can see father, is stronger....and can hear superbly.

That is what I now feel.

I put the hearing aids on and then I slipped my glasses back on, but there was loud noise. What was the sound? I did it again It was the sound from my hair on my glasses rubbing.  I moved my glasses on my left side (my good ear) and indeed I normally hear that sound, but on the right hand side it seemed so foreign and unexpected.  I probably haven't heard that for YEARS. Than I moved to go downstairs and as I was waking, my foot steps sounded like a giant's. I stopped and just stayed still. Even my breathing seemed loud.  I eventually sat down and turned on the tv.  Wow, I heard the tv perfectly clear and it didn't even matter which way my head was tilted. I didn't think I was accommodating myself a lot, but maybe I was.  I turned the tv off and went up stairs to talk with my family. As soon as I started talking, my voice sounded weird. It was echoing and it seemed like I was talking in a microphone.

I assume the echo sound was the stereo effect.  I wanted to know if I could localize. I stool in the middle of the room, closed my eyes and started spinning. I tried to keep spinning until my bearings were gone. I then had a family member say something and I tried to point where they were. At first I was getting it, but Aaron started to move around and I couldn't find him accurately. I think I never fully lost my bearings.  I was a little discouraged, but the audiologist told me adjustment can take time. 

Since then, I have gone to work for two days and witnessed how things are different with the hearing aids on. The crackling of paper and typing on keyboards are REALLY loud. If I am talking in a room with parents and a crying baby, right now it is really hard to tune that baby out (normally no problem).  When I hear my voice echo, I start focusing on how it sounds, then I get funny about my word choice, then I hope I am making sense, and then I am way too far in my head.  I hope the echo/microphone effect fades with time.

When I put them on, I feel bionic. I guess this is how every person normally feels, but maybe not. I know my good ear is better than normal. Put two good ears together, and I am super human.  I don't know if I can save the world with my new found power, but maybe I can hear ants talking with each other, or snakes slithering my way.

To be honest, I didn't think the difference would be so dramatic, but it is.  I am unsure what to do now, should I just go for the cross hearing aid, or is localization more important that being bionic/normal.  I have a few more days until I check in with the audiologist.  Hopefully I will straighten out my feelings.

Easter week

 This last week, Grammy and Poppy came to visit us. It was a short trip (Tuesday through Friday), but the kids loved it. I had to work full time and I felt I barely saw them, but the rest of the family did and were entertained by/with them.

 Henry was on Spring break, and so they did a lot. They went to the Bell Museum, the Mill City Museum, Science museum, library, parks and out to eat a few times.  Because it was Easter week, we even threw in some egg decorating and egg hunt in our back yard.

 I went with them to the Mill City Museum with them on my day off, and it was really fun. It was the perfect weather outside, so we got to walk on the Stone Arch Bridge and see the St. Anthony Falls. I have never been on that bridge before in my life. I have always wanted to. It seems to take a visitor as an impetus to explore this city I live in. That means we should entertain more.  Anyone is welcome to come!

Frances says "Henry play tennis"

This last Saturday, Henry had a tennis lesson. I haven't seen him play in a while, and you know what? He's getting pretty good.  Henry says tennis is his favorite sport, and I can seem him sticking with it.  It seems to fit his personality.

This new coach that Henry has is a pretty serious coach, but I think he is pushing Henry to be better. He often gives him feedback and changes they way Henry does things, but then when Henry gets it right, the coach is quick to compliment  The coach is teaching him a lot of what I think are advanced tennis skills, but I suppose I don't really know, I never got past a few lessons myself.

I look forward to watching Aaron and Henry play this summer. I might refrain, because this is one sport I am pretty bad at. Maybe if I need another challenge in my life, in 5 or so years, I will pick it up, but as for now, it is not a priority.

I have other things I want to focus on, both mentally and physically.  Hey, that is a great lead for an update about me. So, I have been done with radiation now for 2 weeks. Things are still going well and the fatigue has been gradually getting better.

Yesterday I went for a run.  I tried to play it smart. I had my phone tell me every 1/4 of a mile hit and then I would walk a little, to recover my brain. I did that and ended up running 2.75 miles. It felt good, but afterwards I had a lingering headache. It wasn't bad, but I had to take some Tylenol.  It just is a little discouraging.  I don't need any more barriers to exercise. It would be so easy to say, "oh, I just can't exercise anymore" and call it good, but it is so unhealthy.  I used to have dreams of a half marathon in the fall or next year. Maybe that distance is too much for me.  Will I ever get there? Who knows.  It is still early. I just want to be better.

I also went to an ENT specialist this week to talk about hearing aids.  What I really have a problem with is sound localization. I knew I would, but I didn't know how often this skill is important to my life. Finding which elevator is ready? Finding your phone when it rings?  Finding your husband when he yells somewhere in the house?  Finding your child in Target after she takes off from you and is giggling somewhere around you?  So frustrating!  With this complaint, I spoke with both the doctor and the audiologist. There are a few options that put sound from my right ear into my left ear, but that would not give me localization. I could try a normal one ear hearing aid and see if it does okay. Some sounds I will never hear and the sounds that I do, will be a weird distorted sound. I guess some people can't tolerate it.  The audiologist said that I owe it to myself and my kids to try, and I agree.  I will go in this week for a hearing aid fitting.

I have been making green smoothies for me and Aaron this last week.  I like it and he does too. The kids are a little scared of drinking something green. We are not pushing it. If they want, they can try t, but more often they chose not to.  As far as how it is helping me, I don't know. I would like to think so, but I have no comparison. I don't know how I am supposed to feel 2 weeks out of radiation. I have had comments that I look well (one was my acupuncturist), so that is something.  I find myself getting a little hungry before lunch, but I am usually at a place where I can have a little snack, so it is not a big deal.  I guess, so far, so good.

Just yesterday, I told the kids they were going to make masterpieces.  They were both very excited. We took a while getting the table cleared, putting paper down and getting the brushes and paint. Then it took, well, about 2 minutes and then the masterpieces were done. 

They are great an all, but just a lot of work from me, especially when my kids are content to just lay and read.