Friday, July 06, 2012

Hearing Aid Surprise





What? Huh?
Res Ipsa Loquitor

A few weeks ago I acceded to longstanding family wishes and got hearing aids .  I looked into them 5 years ago, but the minimum I could get away with spending was a few $thousand.  The ones I wanted - the ones worn by my Otolaryngologist, cost about $6000!  That's when I got the TV Ears (Later to be replaced with Sennheisers*).  That solved my television problem.   Still I could only understand MoSup at certain times, ahem, and the din of crowd noise (like when the family was assembled) was unintelligible.  

Srsly, I couldn't hear birds chirping, or any high frequencies for that matter.  That included certain timer alarms, engine sounds, and MoSup's screams of delight.   Anyway, I got to thinking,

What happened to dead people's hearing aids?  Did they just throw them put like store bought teeth?  I looked on e-bay, and horry clap! After a very short and perfunctory scan of the lot, I placed a ceiling bid of $250 on the above (I won for $202.50). 

The description noted that they could be reprogrammed to fit my audiology profile, and many, I forgot whether these were included, could be resized.  They didn't work,  so I sent them back to Arizona.  I was going to ask for a refund, but a day later they came back with an apology.  He had included the wrong batteries, and sent 6 packs of the right ones as contrition.

Res Ipsa LoquitorNot only do they work, but they fit my ears!  And I can use them with a telephone— and my earphones!   No feed back squeal. 

 If I turn the volume up, I can here conversations in the sun room, on the other side of the house.  Remember those television ads for those cheap hearing aids, where the guy hears women saying "What a stud Rodge is?"  I don't here that.    Wait - *smacks head*;  these are family talking!  No wonder.

Anyway, it is something of a crap shoot perhaps, but if you, or someone you know is driving everyone crazy by making people repeat everything, this is a real option.  Also - I can get along quite nicely wearing just one.

You're welcome.


BUY Sennheisers * - It's been one year sinse I replaced TV Ears with these, and I rate them as one ot my top tier purchases ever.  I am still using the original (2 AAA)  batteries.  And I still routinely fall asleep watching ROKU, so they're on all night.  Hearing quality is sensational.  With my hearing aids, I can hear high frequencies that the phone s alone missed (which was not a great loss.) A product.


11 comments:

leelu said...

Boss.

Step away from the intertunnel for a minute, and take a Deep Breath.

Your spelling/typing is starting to circle the drain.

And, what Helly said below.

And thanks for the info about the hearing aids. I guess I'll check w/ the audiology guy at Sam's to find out if the can help w/ tinnitus - get what I want to hear up out of the background noise.

Anonymous said...

My father after getting deafer over the years and refusing to nget hearing aids was finally badgered into some.. Not a happy ending, he will not wear them and when he does is always wanting us to shut that noise off!.. None so deaf as he who will not listen.

Rodger the Real King of France said...

Leelu - I gladly accept criticism of spelling and typing, but you have to give me particulars.

Anonymous said...

"MoSup's screams of delight"

What did you do... remodel her kitchen?

Kim

DougM said...

Rodge,
you don't have a hearing problem,
you have a here-ing problem.

Anonymous said...

I'd recommend buying a newer set (from Siemens, for example). They allow modifying the volume separately of 6 different ranges between the usual human hearing capacity (for example, one volume for 100Hz-300Hz, another for 8,000Hz-12,000Hz). AND, they have settings for various environments (for example, at home TV, versus in a restaurant...). Being the internetzy guru you are, you'll find there are doctors who offer them on sale online, as going to the stores is an utter ripoff (my wife of a pair for $2,400 instead of $5-6k).

Rodger the Real King of France said...

Sheesh, what did i say? $200 v $2400? donate $2400, and we'll talk.

Anonymous said...

Rodge, I'll never forget that mission over Germany with you as the tail gunner and noise never stopped. It seemed that day the whole crew lost their hearing until we landed that beat up, shot up Lancaster and got to the pub, then all was good.
olds-mo-william

Skip said...

WHAT??

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tip. I've checked into them and be shocked by the price too. However, I live with 4 women, and I'm finding hearing loss to not be such a terrible thing...

AWM

Ralph Gizzip said...

Aural sex can lead to hearing aids.

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