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Hearing Issues

I had to go to the ENT this week.  My hearing hasn't been great since I was a young'un and it has gotten to the point where everyone has to repeat what they are saying to me a couple of times before I actually get it.  Or, I just smile and nod when everyone else is smiling and nodding.

I had a hearing test done at the military clinic near me.  They confirmed that I have a hearing loss and that it's worse in my left ear than in my right ear (all of which I informed them when I arrived, and they re-informed me after the test).

Then I was referred to Tripler to the ENT department which sometimes takes over an hour to get to becaue of traffic.  It took a month to get this appointment and I went early, because parking is a booger at Tripler.  Amazingly, I got a parking spot really quickly and wound up being thirty minutes early for my appointment.

I went ahead and checked in, then happily settled down in the waiting room.  I had a book with me and because I was so early, I knew I'd be there for a while. 

An hour later, I was less happy.  I went to the receptionist and informed her that it was thirty minutes past my appointment time and I was feeling hungry and mean.  She told me she would check on it.  She came back a few minutes later and apologetically told me, "Ma'am they said they called you and you didn't answer."

I looked at her incredulously.  "You mean at the appointment where I'm being evaluated for hearing loss, they didn't think to call me loud enough for me to hear them??"

I found that highly irritating.  Surely at the EAR, Nose and Throat clinic, they often see people who have hearing issues.  I can't possibly be the first. They pulled my file and shortly a young gal with a very soft voice came out and called me. 

"I called you before," she softly told me.  "Did you maybe go to the bathroom?"

"No, I've been in that same chair for an hour.  I did not go to the bathroom." 

Then I saw the doctor who was so young he must have graduated medical school the day before and he very happily informed me that I have a hearing loss in both ears but more so in the left ear.

"Really?  How surprising.  I just can't believe it!"

Then he told me to make an appointment with the clinic near me again because they will need to see me about something next.  I'm sure whatever he said was important, but I couldn't really hear him.

Comments

  1. Ann YJune 27, 2012 at 3:51 PM

    Hi Amy,
    Just a heads up for you after this experience. I have a hearing loss. My stems from heredity on my father's side. But my loss wasn't noticeable until people needed to be in front of me and speak to me and I unconsciously was beginning to read lips. My original loss was considered 20% then age 45 it was starting to get worse each year. I went to the ENT doctor, yep I had a hearing loss. Yep it was worse in my right ear. Fortunately, I had to start going to a primary care doctor because we were now covered by an HMO system. He was an old fashioned wonderful doctor. He said why not go to the guy in this building who makes hearing aids. Reluctantly I made an appointment. He took me within the hour. He tested me. Said I had a cookie bite hearing loss which is quite a normal loss and had it all documented as to the amount. (note here experience with this man was 100% better than the ENT doctor route) For your sake I will tell who this man is because I think you are headed to this area. Jeb Donahue with Hull Hearing Aid -- Falls Church, VA. His son and daughter both now work with him and I'm not sure how much he personally is doing but every time I get back to VA I see him. He made my first set. He no longer does that, because it's too time consuming and he has a large following. The ones I have now are digital and I've had them 4 years and never had a problem. He knows his brands and what's proper for each person. His comment to me at first was you hear out of two ears it makes sense to have two hearing aids. I never regretted that choice. I had a friend with me to listen to everything he said that first time. Good luck with the move and I hope this information helps you.

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