For years I’ve been telling my daughter that she mumbled when she talked. Going to the movies was great, but I always wished that they would have turned the sound up. My television was blaring, and I could not even hear the telephone ring, but I never noticed because I was able to hear my programs.
One day, and believe me there were other such days, but this one particular day seemed to have made me realize that perhaps it was not that everyone mumbled, or needed to repeat what they said, but that the problem could be with me. My children and I were driving up to the country, and I was sitting in the back seat . They were exchanging a very interesting conversation and I had joined in. I listened, and every word that they said to me, I replied with ‘‘What did you say”? and they repeated. This went on until finally my son-in-law turned to me, and loudly said, ”maybe it is not us who are talking low, maybe you just cannot hear”!!. Go get fitted for a hearing aid!! I never said another word during the rest of the drive , and I never heard what they were saying either.
The very next day I phoned Hearx Ltd located at 600E. Altamonte Dr, Ste 110, Altamonte Springs, Fl, 407-331-8883 and made an appointment for a hearing test so as to appease my family. Even though I was a Senior, and eagerly accepted the Senior discount without shame, I felt that wearing a hearing aid would age and shame me. The hearing test showed I had a severe hearing problem, but that with the proper hearing aid I would be able to hear most of what I had not been hearing for years.
They carried a few brands of the type I had wanted ,which was the small, in the ear, digital hearing aid, computer adjusted when needed, and never by me. It was noise reduced automatically which meant that once I put it into my ear, I never had to touch it again. I also was able to sit in a crowded room, with no fear of having the noise drown out my own conversations, or amplify the sound. It also did not give me an echo. I selected the Siemens hearing aid because the price was a bit less than the other brands, and the size of the hearing aid itself was small enough so that no one would ever know I was wearing one.
As I read the literature about the Siemens hearing aids in general, I felt confident that their product would be backed up by a reputable hearing aid company that have been pioneers of the in the ear model, and I ordered only one for the left ear. I had figured that I would hear better than I had previously heard, spent half the price, and that it would suffice.
How wrong I was. Sure I heard better than I had without the Siemens hearing aids but I was not hearing well enough to turn the volume down to a normal setting, nor did I hear the voices in the movies much better than without the hearing aid. I realized that I was reading lips, and also had start ed cocking my head to the side with the hearing aid in my ear. I quickly decided that if I were really going to hear well, then I needed both of the Siemens Hearing Aids that would bring the sounds to me similar to surround sound.
When I finally put both hearing aids into my ears, and walked out to the car, I was amazed to hear, for the first time, how loud the noise of the street really was. Getting into my car and hearing the click click sound when I put on my directionals was something that I had literally never heard before. Trust me it was worth more than the price I paid which was about $1,400 for each ear and came with a warranty backed by Siemens hearing aids.
When I got home, I heard the noise that the refrigerator made, and the sound of the clock ticking on the wall. The Siemens hearing aids felt comfortable in my ears, and I was astounded by how wonderful all that noise sounded. It was as if someone opened up a window and let all the sounds of the street in. I was excited and happy.
The Siemens hearing aids are digital, no wires, and they lower the sound in a room automatically. I do not have to touch it ever. It was set up by the Audiologist with a compute, setting it to my hearing levels, so that when the sound in a room went above my comfort level it automatically reduced the noise. There was absolutely no static and it was so comfortable sitting deeply inside the ear canal, that no one even knew I was wearing two Siemens hearing aids. That to me was the most comforting of all. The other was being able to hear two people who were across the street from me talking!!. Yup, I truly heard every word they said.
I did have to return a few times to adjust certain tones to my comfort level, but once it was completely adjusted, the only reason I had to return again, was once a year to make sure that my hearing had not changed or gotten worse.
It is an expense however, because the batteries need to be changed once a week. A little buzz in my ear, alerts me when It needs to be changed. Batteries for the size I need cost about $8 a package, more or less depending on if you buy them on sale. The Siemens hearing aids also need to be cleaned with a little brush every time you take them out so that dirt does not accumulate in the little openings. Other than that, and the fact that you have to remember to remove them prior to going into the bath or shower, or pool, as well as prior to going to bed, you never even know they are in your ears.
How great it is, however, to be able to hear, for the very first time, the clicking sounds of the keys of the computer, and the click of my fingers on the mouse. Wow! an entire new world opened up to me all because I finally swallowed my pride, and bought the Siemens hearing aids.
