What HAL does for the hearing handicapped

[Sundagger]

HAL does a fair job in providing ADA accomodation for the hearing handicapped. Unfortunately there is sometimes a difference in what their Accomodations and Access office say they will arrange and what actually happens on the ships. This post is just background information for those of you who may be curious.

 

My hearing loss began 25-30 years ago and progressed rapidly for a few years, then slowed to slight changes from year to year. It's a challenge to audiologists, since I have normal hearing down in the bass drum range and zero hearing around the upper limit of speech - with a sharp decline from one point to the other. The loss is partly compensated for by very expensive, state-of-the-art hearing aids. My primary challenge is hearing speech - telephones are a nightmare for me and I can't really participate in a conversation with more than a couple of people (such as in the ship's dining room).

 

HAL has a very responsive Accomodations department. You just email them asking for a Special Requirements Information form, fill it out, and return it to them. It is a multi-purpose form for various disabilities. You enter your name, booking number, cabin number (you might have a problem if you have a guarantee and don't have the number yet), etc. and what you are requesting.

 

They say "Holland America Line vessels have Hearing Impaired Kits on board that may be set up in any stateroom. The Hearing Impaired Kits include:

• Visual and vibrating pillow alerts for door knockers, phones and alarm clocks
  
• TTY machines for the Front Desk
  
• Closed Captioning for Televisions "

Well, the first time I requested this a few years ago, the ship didn't have the equipment. Another time, they had a visual alarm that wasn't working properly and went off when people walked along the corridor outside my room. Another time the chief electrician brought a bunch of bits and pieces and together we got one alarm that worked with a doorbell.

 

In January on the Oosterdam, I had the first fully functional visual alarm that was properly calibrated and was in the room when I got there. They also had an amplified telephone - but it was the same model that I previously had at home and had given away for being ineffective. At least they were all hooked up by the time I arrived - nice to see.

 

I've never seen and haven't found anyone on a ship that has seen a TTY. I have one at home, along with a captioned telephone, fax machine, and a variety of amplified telephones. I think I can easily do without the TTY, since anything I have to deal with at the front desk is better done in person. The new TVs are equipped with captioning - however, HAL doesn't always broadcast the captions on the TV programming. That is very frustrating.

 

Overall, safety is achieved by the alarm setup, but some quality of life issues are not met. I would love to have a TTY going to the Room Service "operator".;)

[the2ofus]

Sundagger,

Interesting topic. As one whose gradual hearing loss went unrecognized for some time, I'm now very concerned for folks in a similar situation. While my loss is not as severe as yours, there are situations where some help might be appreciated. I am glad to know that there are vibrating emergency alarms available. I think TTY communication with any of the departments listed on the telephone directory (particularly room service and housekeeping) would be a good idea.

 

At this point, although it might seem trivial to you, I would wish for a personal hearing assistance device for the show lounge similar to those we use at church. These are equipped to pick up sound directly from the microphones used by the folks on stage. They are about the size of a pack of cigarettes, could be issued at the beginning of the cruise and returned to the front office at the end of the cruise.

[LetsDoACruise]

Sundagger,

thanks for the post. I am also hearing impaired - probably about the same as yourself with regards to my hearing loss. I depend greatly on my DW to participate in most conversations even though I also have FM assist on my hearing aids. I've no major concern for safety while she's around but i'm a late sleeper and she's a morning person. If something happens while she's out and i'm asleep i'll go down with the ship!:p I will definitely submit the request form! Thanks for bringing that to light!

 

the2ofus,

I agree 100% with what you're saying. We bought a system for our church and it was not that expensive at all. Maintenance is just a matter of recharging the batteries and the receivers are very easy to use. I'm sure HAL with it's "older" pax would find many takers for each cruise. Even us "younger" folks with hearing loss would benefit.

Hope they're "listening" in... :)

[innlady1]

Thanks, Sundagger, for such an informative post.

My DH has a very similar (or, the same!) hearing loss that you have. So, I printed out your post for him.

 

And, appreciate that you have your email address in your profile...you will be hearing from him...no doubt!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I too thank you Sundagger, this is interesting. Tom is also hearing impaired with only a 1/4 of a ear drum in his left ear and no ear drum in his right. He does wear a hearing aid and can hear most conversations and adapts quite well. Fortunately it has not changed in the 31 years we have been married but he has had numerous infections in the good ear I know that some day but hopefully not he may not have that. I have a very loud voice that tends to be of the lower range so he hears me quite well but higher tones and voices or those that mumble or do not look directly at him he does not hear or understand. People think I am a bit bossy because I tend to answer for him and even sometimes when he orders food in a loud restaurant but it is just something I do automatically. We have never reuested any ADA accomodations nor do we have anything at home except that the speakers on the phones are turned on high. He also does not use a cell phone for the reason that many he cannot hear from, not sure if it is the frequency or they are just not loud enough.

[Sundagger]

The2ofus - HAL does (or did) have the little receivers that pick up signals in the show lounge and in the movie theater. On one cruise, I tried them, but they weren't operational - I don't know why - that was also on the cruise when the ship said they didn't have any ADA equipment. It would be worth checking at the front desk if someone felt that this might help.

 

LetsDoACruise - I've traveled solo on my five HAL cruises. Maybe HAL could issue me a wife for my next cruise? On one cruise without adequate equipment for my room, my steward knocked on my door and said that my smoke alarm was sounding! It was at a frequency that I can't hear, although I did hear a mysterious clicking sound. Since there were 2 alarms in the room, he disconnected the overly sensitive one. After that, I started insisting on a visual alarm for the cabin.

 

innlady1 - I'd be glad to exchange info with your husband. I've been a voluminous email user for 15 years. I don't put my address in my signature, since it makes it too easy for someone to write nasty letters to me - as happened last year.

 

Lisa - traveling really is difficult with a hearing handicap, but I enjoy it so much that I put up with the problems. I have traveled a few times with someone else and it is so much easier - I'm sure Tom appreciates your "translating". What makes using the phone so difficult is that there aren't any visual cues - "lipreading" is highly over rated, but it really helps to be able to see a person speaking. It sounds as though you are very aware of what Tom can and can't do - it would be great to have someone like you around (my ex- only concerned herself with Number One).

[dakrewser]

Sundagger,

Interesting topic. As one whose gradual hearing loss went unrecognized for some time,

 

 

Yep, I thought my wife just started mumbling more, too! ;)

[cindiedee]

Sundagger - I, too, am hearing impaired and wear two very expensive digital aides. Like most have said, when there are more than 2-3 people in the room, and background noise to boot, I am hopeless and rely heavily on DH to 'translate' for me. On our cruises, I am not antisocial at all - although others may think I am - I know you are talking, I just have NO clue what you are saying. I started losing my hearing in my early 20's and got my first hearing aides then (totallly useless back then) - the good thing is that they sent me to a 2 week intensive lip reading course and without that, I would be sunk. I am now 56 and am quite good at lip reading after all these years - unless you are man with a big ol' mustache and then I revert back to useless. Poor DH has to translate for me most of the time when in a group -but bless his heart, he is used to it and he can just look at my face and know that I have no clue what is being said. In the ship's theatres, I do go and hear maybe a little, but not most of what is going on.

 

I do have a nifty phone-I live in FL and the state of FL gives deaf/hearing impaired people a free phone which is amazing! But I still hate the phone because I just can't get the conversation, so other than my kids and grandkids, I don't really talk on the phone much at all. I do have a cell phone, but again, I just hand it to DH 'cause I can't tell what is being said.

 

If I traveled solo, I don't know what I would do - because my hearing of speech is so bad, I don't think I would travel - it is just so frustrating in a restaurant and the waiter/waitress is asking questions, or in a store - and I have to ask them over and over again to please repeat what they are saying - they always look at you like you are from Mars - but I truly can't tell what is being said (you would think seeing 2 hearing aides on a person would give them a clue that I am having a problem) - I also am very sensitive to loud noises - it actually causes pain in my ears and head.

 

All in all, we could have worse afflictions - my docs say I will be totally deaf some day - could be tomorrow, next week, or 5 years from now - no one really knows. But, I FEEL YOUR PAIN! Maybe we can have a quiet room on a cruise for those of us who are in this position - then people wouldn't think there is 'something wrong with us'. We could actually converse! :D

 

Cheers! Cindie

[Sea Island Lady]

Sundagger,

Interesting topic. As one whose gradual hearing loss went unrecognized for some time, I'm now very concerned for folks in a similar situation. quote]

I logged onto this thread, because both of my parents are hard of hearing and we have a HAL cruise coming up. Thank you to the OP for the information and I will pass it along to the parents.

 

the2ofus - Your post stood out to me! ;) Could you share your "gradual hearing loss" story. I am contemplating seeing an audiologist for some strange things that are happening with my hearing. :(

[Juanita462]

I am also in the hard of hearing group - have only 25% of normal hearing left and yes, it is in the lower range so conversation is almost impossible.

I depend a great deal on DH to translate and even take him to appts with me so that he will get what I miss. I lost a lot of hearing at age 12 but was able to cope until my 30's when the hearing gradually disappeared.

 

The expensive digital hearing aids only help so much - as the tech said to me - you can't enhance what isn't there.

 

I asked for the HOH equipment on one cruise - sent in the form etc. - but it was nowhere to be seen when we got onboard. Had to go to the desk and ask for it. The only thing we got was the flashing light in response to a knock on the door. Using the phone was out of the question, and there was no alarm vibrator.

 

DH and I spend about an hour a day on our cruises practicing sign language. People probably think we are crazy but it will be the only way we can communicate when my hearing is completely gone. We have tried lip reading and manage some of it but it is a lot harder than it looks.

My hat is off to you Cindie - you have accomplished something very difficult. Also re the loud noises causing pain - I have the same thing. At the assessment at the hospital they told me that the hairs in the cochlea have been damaged so do not protect me from loud noise as a normal ear would do. Thought that was interesting.

I find a lot of hearing people to be very impatient with me and seem to think that if I tried hard enough I could hear if I wanted to. Haven't you heard the comment " his or her hearing is selective" right, like we would struggle the way we do if we didn't have to.

 

It is so disappointing to miss most of what is being said in the shows and we have started to sit at a table for two so I won't be worn out trying to follow the conversation - sometimes I have just let people talk and smiled and nodded without any idea of what they are saying.

Have never seen closed captioning on the tv - which is important to have as you don't like to raise the sound level and disturb other pax.

 

thanks for all the great info - will fill out the form and send it in for our next cruise and also ask about sound enhancement in the show lounge.

 

I keep telling the hearing aid people - they can put a man on the moon but still can't make a decent affordable hearing aid that really works!

[RuthC]

Maybe HAL could issue me a wife for my next cruise?

LOL! If only it were that easy! Rent-A-Husband, too. :D

[the2ofus]

Sea Island Lady,

I wish I could point to any particular reason for my hearing loss or when it started. I think I was not as aware as I might have been because my husband had lost most of his hearing due to factory noise and the noise of farm equipment. Then he had Meniere's Disease and each attack left his hearing diminished before we found out what triggered his attacks. (That's another story, but we found excessive dietary salt intake triggered it, so could mostly control with a less than 2000mg/day low sodium diet.)

 

Anyway, because he complained that people mumbled, even with the help of hearing aids, I figured it was those other people and not me when I was not understanding in church or meetings at work, etc. Around the time of his death there were several events where I should have heard and understood and did not. That sent me to my family MD and then an Audiologist. Learning to hear again with the hearing aids was an uncomfortable process but I was determined and am now so grateful that I stuck with it.

 

I have since learned that my gradual hearing loss is probably genetic as it also affected my father (who never admitted to hearing loss) and my younger sister who was just evaluated last year.

 

By the way, for those who are bothered by loud noise, do you have a squelch in your hearing aids that automatically damps loud noises? It sure helps with children's shrieks and loud horns. Unfortunately it also squelches some wonderful musical sounds sometimes but I can live with that.

[the2ofus]

I keep telling the hearing aid people - they can put a man on the moon but still can't make a decent affordable hearing aid that really works!

 

Juanita, I'm optimistic that there will be great strides in the technology over the next 20 years as all the current 20-35 year olds reap the benefits from the ear-splitting sounds they call music. These folks are losing their hearing at a much younger age and will not accept that very little can be done. They will also demand coverage of hearing enhancement as part of their health care insurance which my Medicare generation never could accomplish.

 

I also keep hoping that sound technicians everywhere will learn that loud does not equal audible. It is the quality of the sound that makes the difference, not the volume.

 

To relate this back to cruising, it seems like there could be earphones to use with the TV sets in the cabins or else you might try bringing some from home. I see them advertised but have never pursued to see if they are worth having.

[cindiedee]

Juanita - is wasn't easy, but remember that I have been lipreading for 30+ years - and like I said, if a man has a larger than normal mustache, it is all over for me. Or if someone mumbles, or if they have very small lips - there is nothing moving.

 

I do like captioned TV but it drives DH nuts if I put it on. When it first came out, I thought it was going to solve all my tv watching problems. Not so - it isn't verbatim conversation - it is just the gist of the conversation - and it is typed 'live' and there are many mistakes in spelling, etc. I do have TV ears which are amazing - but DH also uses them if I am sleeping, etc and he broke them - and they are too expensive to buy another pair right now (I would rather buy a cruise!). But they really work for me and block out all other sounds - can't remember what brand they are but I will look for you.

 

I have gotten to where I don't wear my aides in large groups or noisey situations - it isn't worth it - I can't follow a single conversation with all the noise going on - it is like my brain is on drugs or something is haywire in there. My doc said that is normal for hearing impared people. I also play handbells at my church and can't wear the aides for that - my head is constantly ringing! And I sing in our church choir - again, I just switch my aides off or I can't concentrate on anything. Walking thru the mall, into a restaurant, etc - I just switch them to the lowest setting - I can't hear conversation but it turns out all the 'noise'. And if I am in a situation with the wind blowing - nope - off they come - that is worse than not hearing!

 

A little humor, the first day I got my first hearing aides (back in my early 20's), we walk out of the docs and what happens? A motorcycle goes roaring by! OMG - the pain! The first time you go to the bathroom to tinkle and OMG - you think you are at Niagra Falls! My DH turns a page of the newspaper and OMG - crackle, crackle, crackle - very loud! It is sooooo frustrating but there is not a darn thing I can do about it When I got my new fancy, EXPENSIVE, digital aides last year, we are driving home and I keep hearing this "click, click, click" noise - I thought something was already wrong with the aides - I ask DH "what in the world is that clicking noise?" - he starts laughing so hard and trying to stay on the road - it is the blinker - I knew the light flashed when the blinker was on, but didn't know they made a noise!!!!! :D

 

Hope this brightens your day if you are in the same boat - we just march to the beat of a different drum because we HAVE too - it wouldn't be a choice for any of us.

 

Cheers! Cindie

[the2ofus]

Oh cindiedee,

I laughed out loud when I read your description of that first few hours/days/weeks after getting the hearing aids. My experience was almost identical except that I stopped at the supermarket on the way home and the noise nearly drove me around the bend. I really think that is why some folks take them home and shove them in a drawer. They have no idea that you have to learn to hear again and your brain needs to re-learn to filter out unimportant sounds. I have become somewhat of an evangelist on this topic because it is tragic when people give up trying to hear.

[Golfette]

:) I am so happy to "meet" all of you! Sundagger, thank you for starting this thread. You are so brave to travel solo with this disability (the "invisible disability"). "Invisible" because no one really knows you have it.

 

I have been HI ("Hearing Impaired") from birth. It is sensoneural (spelling??) and it runs in my family on both sides. I can relate so much to all your stories. I have experienced all of it.

 

I wear two high-powered digitals, but as Juanita says, you can only enhance what is there and at this point - not much...

 

In the 1990's, I was a volunteer leader for the L.A. Regional Area of SHHH (Self Help for Hard of Hearing, now Hearing Loss Association of America), a non-profit, international organization dedicated to people who are Hard of Hearing and not deaf. I am still a member. I attended Leadership Seminars on advocacy for HOH (Hard of Hearing) people, and was among the first group to test the audio devices installed by movie theaters for HOH people following the passage of the ADA. As those of you who have experienced them found, they are not adequate if you have a significant loss and are not kept in good repair. This is largely because many HOH people are ashamed of being HOH (it's a stigma) and do not use them. Thus, not being in demand, they are not used and the theaters do not keep them in good condition.

 

I would love to sit at a table for 8 on HAL and be able to understand more than just the person beside me. Their tables for 8 which are rectangular make it impossible. A round table for 6 might work to some extent. I realize HAL is not going to change their dining setup to accommodate us, but I can dream can't I:( ?

 

On our December Oosterdam cruise, we had lovely tablemates, but, of course, I could rarely understand them.

 

Lisa, now I understand why you describe your husband as "quiet" - it's because of his hearing loss.

 

The cabin "accommodations" would help if they are properly installed and in working order, but it's the social communication difficulty that hurts.

 

There is no real answer, but it helps to know that there are others out there...

[innlady1]

I too thank you Sundagger, this is interesting. Tom is also hearing impaired with only a 1/4 of a ear drum in his left ear and no ear drum in his right. He does wear a hearing aid and can hear most conversations and adapts quite well. Fortunately it has not changed in the 31 years we have been married but he has had numerous infections in the good ear I know that some day but hopefully not he may not have that. I have a very loud voice that tends to be of the lower range so he hears me quite well but higher tones and voices or those that mumble or do not look directly at him he does not hear or understand. People think I am a bit bossy because I tend to answer for him and even sometimes when he orders food in a loud restaurant but it is just something I do automatically. We have never reuested any ADA accomodations nor do we have anything at home except that the speakers on the phones are turned on high. He also does not use a cell phone for the reason that many he cannot hear from, not sure if it is the frequency or they are just not loud enough.

 

Oh my gosh, Lisa!

I could have written this...same thing for Fred and I. Luckily, I have a loud voice, so he usually hears what I'm saying...and in a restaurant...just later today, in fact, when we stopped for Italian food on the way home from the AAA Travel Marketplace, I did the same...I always do...answered for him and I know that I come off as "bossy" (and sometimes, I swear, they think he is "slow"), but he can't hear so I automatically "translate" for him...otherwise the server would be really frustrated having to repeat everything to him...more than once or twice.

It's reassuring to hear that I'm not alone.

[Cruising Carol]

Haven't been on HAL with my stepdaughter recently. She has Meunieres (sp.)disease and wears hearing aids. On the Diamond Princess last summer, she checked with the sound crew in the theatre and they matched a receiver with the stage microphones. The set looks like the TV ears (which she also has) and allowed her to hear clearly, she said, the entire show each night. That became the most enjoyable hour of each day for her. At dinner, since there were four in our group, we asked for a corner table for 4 in the Anytime dining room. She sat in the corner to cut down on the noise from the room and could hear most of what we said. However, if she were alone in her cabin, we could not reach her by phone or knocking on the door -- she just couldn't hear it. There is definitely a safety issue that needs accommodating.

[Juanita462]

This is so great - it helps to know that others go through the same

things that I do.

 

Cindie - that was hilarious - my friend said the same thing about Niagra

Falls when she got her aids. Unfortunately my hearing isn't good enough

to hear the falls :rolleyes:

 

Lisa and innlady - my DH has had several small strokes in the brain and often fumbles for the right word - I usually help him out and I am sure people think I am bossy speaking for him, but it is embarrassing for him when he can't come up with the right word - and he is anything but dumb.

 

Speaking of dumb - was at the physio office yesterday and overheard the receptionist comment on an older woman who is hard of hearing but also

seemed mentally slow and couldn't grasp what was going on. After she got off the phone I very politely explained that hard of hearing people take longer to process what is being said which can make their responses

slow and understanding of what is required inadequate. She said she never thought of it that way - hopefully she will be more tolerant of the poor woman and more helpful next time.

 

Carol - have not really thought about the safety aspect of not hearing on a ship. If I were in the cabin alone when a fire broke out I wouldn't hear the announcement if my aids were out. Will definitely have to have their equipment next time.

 

"Alexander Graham Bell's mother said that her son was the only person

who never got mad at her because she couldn't hear."

[Sundagger]

This really is therapeutic!:D I would welcome anyone who wants to exchange emails, or if there are several, we could have a little group. My address is sfj@thesundagger.com.

 

Golfette - I had decided a couple of days ago to go to the HLAA annual meeting in Reno in June. We've never managed to form a chapter in Santa Fe.

 

I thought my first hearing aids sounded like a $2.99 "transistor radio". My latest $6K version has 6 million transistors on the chip. Despite the advance in technology, nothing can make up for a severe loss.

 

There are a couple of links I'd like to pass on. One is a news story about the epidemic of hearing loss among troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23523729/

 

The other is a terrific article on the phenomenon of "recruitment" for those with sensorineural loss. I doubt that even most people with hearing loss really understand the problem. A couple of years ago I was walking down a street in San Francisco and stopped next to a fire station when a truck came out and turned on its siren. I was just a few feet from it and it felt literally like my head was being squeezed in a vise. I clawed my aids out, but that didn't really stop the problem. This article also explains why "recruitment" makes speech sound fuzzy. Most people without a serious loss think that volume is the problem - its not, as many of us know, it is that the sounds/syllables run together indistinctly. Here's the link: http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/articles/recruitment.htm

 

To keep this thread a bit on topic - the one thing that HAL does seem to have adequate equipment for is the visual/vibrating alarms to alert the person if a smoke alarm goes off, or if someone is at the door. A couple of times, they installed an actual doorbell with a tiny transmitter in it that communicated with the alarm setup. The last time, the equipment was good enough to sound when there was a knock on the door, but wasn't overly sensitive to go off with extraneous noises.

[cindiedee]

Sundagger - I can relate about feeling your head is squeezed in a vice - I also have that problem. When there is alot of noise, in a restaurant, show, etc - I just want to run away and go back to my silent world - it is easier. I asked my doc if something was wrong with my brain - I just can't process anything when there is so much noise going on, or when there are multiple conversations going on. When I first went to the audio doc (after years of just dealing with it) a couple years ago, she said to me "you live in your own little world, don't you?" At first, I was insulted - I thought "how does she know anything about me?" - but she could tell by my hearing tests. When she got to repeating the words, as long as I looked at her, I did ok but then she picked up a folder and covered her face as she was repeating words to me - I, of course, couldn't get a single one right - she said she could hear the panic in my voice when she did that - something I had never thought of. And she was right - I am so used to lipreading that when I couldn't see her face, I did panic 'cause I knew I was sunk. My DH is so good about helping me- he does repeat things for me in stores, restaurants, etc - he has to or nothing would get done! My children aren't so helpful - to this day, they still make fun of me 'cause I can't tell what is being said - that hurts as they have lived with it for so long. I decided to try aides again (like yours - $6000) a couple of years ago because the docs have decided (how?) that I will be totally deaf eventually and I have two precious grandchildren and I want to hear what they have to say for as long as I can. But, I confess, I often don't wear them 'cause it hurts my brain too much just to think - the outside world of noise is just overwhelming for me most of the time. (Isn't the internet great that we can 'talk' to each other and understand all the time!)

 

Again, many many thanks for starting this thread - sometimes I feel so alone with my problem and no one understands (no matter how they try) how it is - it is just not something you can put into words. No one can understand how noise makes your brain go haywire and how people talking louder doesn't do a thing for you - I KNOW you are talking to me, I just can't understand the words you are saying.

 

Cheers to all! Cindie

[Golfette]

Sundagger, it is great that you are going to the HLAA convention in Reno! I know you'll enjoy it. I've been to 5 of them and the 1st one was such a revelation. After being the only HOH person in my world for 44 years, I found myself in a group of hundreds of people - all HOH! We all knew instinctively how to communicate with each other. I felt like I'd finally come home. Yes, I'd love to communicate with you by e-mail and I will shortly.

 

It is very difficult to start a new chapter. You have to "drag" people in. When I first went to the L.A. Chapter meeting, there were only about 30 people (which is a lot, considering), but when I left after about 8 years, we had several hundred members!

 

Sundagger, Cindie, Juanita and all of you - have any of you considered a cochlear implant? I am not yet a candidate, but I'm getting there. In the course of my volunteer work with the L.A. Chapter, I've known 50 or 60 people who have had implants. I still keep in touch with many of them. Ninety-five percent of them are thrilled with the result and as I knew them intimately, I was thrilled for them. It was a MAJOR improvement for most of them who could now talk on the phone & hear speech and things they hadn't heard in years.

 

For those of you who suffer from "recruitment" or extra sensitivity to noise, my condolences. It is a double blow - 1st you can't hear and then when you get sound enhancement, you can't tolerate the noise.

 

Forgive me for being so lengthy, but I would love to hear how you cope with the isolation of your hearing loss. Since we moved from L.A., I have lost touch with my HOH friends. I am a golfer & live entirely in the "hearing" world. It is getting harder and harder to cope. I have difficulty hearing what my various foursomes are saying to me & am feeling more and more out of things. Also, most of our social occasions are golf groups involving many people and you know what it's like trying to hear in a room full of people.

[Golfette]

Again, many many thanks for starting this thread - sometimes I feel so alone with my problem and no one understands (no matter how they try) how it is - it is just not something you can put into words. No one can understand how noise makes your brain go haywire and how people talking louder doesn't do a thing for you - I KNOW you are talking to me, I just can't understand the words you are saying.

 

Cheers to all! Cindie

 

Oh Cindie, I KNOW just what you are saying. It is so hard to deal with. I try to make them understand that it's like listening to a broken radio with 2/3 of the words missing, but they don't understand and after a while they stop trying to talk to you. I guess I don't blame them.

[LetsDoACruise]

Wow, don't lurk for a full day and the whole world goes by.

I was just wondering, for all of you that feel that your "head is in a vice" when the noise is loud; do you have a limiter on your HA's (Hearing Aids)? My Aud is able to send noise into mine and i can tell him when enough is enough. At that point he knows that that is my level of tolerance and the HA's clip the sound if they get louder than that. If i stand next to a fire truck as it's blaring it sounds loud, but most of the amplification from the HA's has been turned off. I'm probably only hearing what's coming through my head. :eek:

 

My hearing loss started when i was about 22 (tinnitus). Like some of you, it is hereditary (father and sister out of 7 children) and it snuck up on me (I never thought the tv was that loud). I didn't get HA's at that time as I just didn't think i could deal with that stigma at such a young age. I didn't get my first HA's until 36, when I almost lost my girlfriend - now DW - because she was frustated by having to continually repeat herself. My first pair were analogs (still have them 12 years later) worked great but my hearing has gotten worse over the last few years. I now have digitals with an FM setup. Works fairly well in somewhat loud environments because i can put the FM remote mic across the table and hear those folks without having to amplify from where I'm sitting - all wireless. They are pricey but i find they are worth it.

 

cindiedee - are you talking about the captioning telephone? I use it at work and it is a very good thing to have, IMO. I even use it for conf calls and the captioning folks are very good (here in NJ). Sure, it's not perfect, but it really allows me to use the phone since i get most of the converstion now. My Aud called the makers of my HA's to ask them about some additional equpment to go along with my HA's. They read my scores to the manufacturer and they replied "tell him not to use the phone." Well, without the captioning phone, I don't use the phone.

...and make my eyes go big - the blinker story is the one i use too. that was my first indication that they were working, but I thought something was wrong with the car. When i finally figured it out I had to stop the car from laughing. Also remember the first time i heard birds signing again. Almost made me cry. Can't hear them much anymore now, though.

 

I think all of us Hearing Impaired folks should do a cruise together. We could all hang out and let our spouses and significant others compare stories while we find a nice quiet section and exchange experiences. At dinner we would just sit quietly while they spoke for us. :p I'm telling you, at times I really think DW does a "mind-mel" like Spock (from Star-Trek) and knows what I want to say.

 

Please allow me to offer a site for those of us with hearing issues:

http://www.hohadvocates.org/wwwboard/index.php?PHPSESSID=10484bd931478eba99351a6ad3134852

It may be helpful to some as people like to review HA's and offer some advice. As always, consider the source.

 

Sundagger - you will get mail from me. thanks.

 

Lot's of love, thanks (for those of you who do so much for us who can't hear well), and prayers for those who are losing/lost your hearing.

-Dave.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I feel bad, I totally forgot to tell Tom about this thread. He is at work right now but will tell him tonight. Dave, he will get a kick out of your Spock comment. Yes, for years I pretty much know what he is going to say and what he is thinking. I am also very accustom to getting those looks when I always answer for him in restaurants. For the most part he does very well on his own. His hearing loss was from many years of serious ear infections as a child and in the small town he lived in they thought the best way to get rid of his infections were to keep carving away at his ear drums. There is absolutely nothing in his right ear.

Tom has never mentioned any pain from loud sounds and since he works at the airport next to the planes on the run way I guess that is not a problem but he has had problems in the past with take off and landings on planes if the cabin pressure is not good but I have to say in recent years he has not had that problem and most likely because the planes are better.

Tom I know does not like big groups of people and basically socializing. But over the years he has come a long way. Many years ago we would just keep to ourselves or maybe with another couple. Cruising has changed a lot for him, at first he did not like the idea of eating at a table with strangers. When we sit at large tables he likes for me to sit on the side of him that he does not hear out of so that he might just catch the conversation from the other person. So I am always checking with him to which side he wants me to sit. It is funny I know that this is one of the things he feared when we first started to cruise but the longer we have cruised and met so many people he now is quite comfortable and has lots of fun.