I experienced something completely new this week. As I am one hearing aid down, I've been having to rely a lot on my left hearing aid and when I finished work this week, I got into my car and started to drive home. It was then, that my left hearing aid decided that there was too much moisture/wax in my ear and blocked the sound. I tried to wiggle it around a bit and then took it out in frustration, leaving me in silence. So, yes, I drove the 2 miles home in silence. In the dark. And I quite liked it! I've never been able to hear the breaking point in a car, just had to rely on instinct as to when the gears needed to change and I was aware of that as I was driving. Now, please don't worry Tunbridge Wells, yes, there was a deaf driver on the loose for 2 miles but its all perfectly safe and legal! It is legal for completely deaf people to drive, it's not like we lose our intelligence with our hearing! It's so weird, there's something quite calming about not hearing lots of noise. I use my eyes a lot more in the car as I can't rely on my hearing, so i'm pretty sure that if an ambulance had come up behind me, I'd have spotted it quicker than you would have heard it.
I actually qualify for a disabled bus pass, my hearing is deemed bad enough to qualify and yet I feel like a complete fraud. I'm physically able and my sight is fine. But I was once on the bus home late at night when I was living in London and I was sat at the back. The bus came to stop 30 minutes into the journey and it turned out that I had completely missed someone throwing a rock at the window and had smashed it, causing the bus driver to stop and ask everyone to get off the bus. I was very confused but understood when one of the other passengers spoke to me. I actually like to sit on the bus or train in complete silence, I find it calming and it's easier to think. Though sometimes it's not helped, I remember a lady came and sat next to me on a train and then proceeded to talk to me and I was trying to work out a way of trying to switch my hearing aids back on without her noticing. (I didn't succeed!)
My hearing aids can get quite sweaty in my ears - hence a breeding ground for ear infections but sometimes it feels so freeing to take them both out, like if I'm going swimming or even on a bike ride to feel the wind in my ear, it's almost exhilarating! I do get very nervous on bikes because I cant hear anything behind me, I'd feel much safer if my bike had wing mirrors....
Anyway, my audiology appointment is this morning at my local hospital. Please send good thoughts/vibes/prayers my way because apparently they still use the in the ear thermometer. Thankfully though, the days are much colder so I'm not anticipating a problem. Hopefully I'll get a new hearing aid after waiting for so long.
As a hearing person I would love to be able to turn my ears off at times. Silence is bliss! When driving on motorway all I hear is the sound of the vehicle on tarmac, limiting talking anyway!. It is like white noise, which I dont like. I would love to be able to cut out background noise so I can tune in, just on that noise/ voice that I want to hear clearly. I pray your hearing aids are all sorted now as it must be so frustrating. Are there no new inventions or types of hearing aids that have been developed in this technological world? Can we not decrease 'sweaty ears' and the risk of ear infections?
'It's not like we lose our intelligence with our hearing' is a wonderful statement! We should have a badge made with it on! So often I am aware that people assume I am slow-witted, or these days, due to my age, even demented due to my lack of comprehension at times.
Like you I also find being able to 'turn off my hearing' can be a blessing, especially when my husband is watching football :-)
Good luck with your apppointment today. I hope you get your new ears fully working this time.
I hope you get it all sorted this morning - fingers crossed! Bring one of those ice packs with you just incase! x