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It’s Like Coming Home; Dr. Kristie Dannemiller-Smith, Au.D, Cardinal Hearing Centers

kristie-and-her-au-d-jpg-1
Seeing my patients at Cardinal is like seeing my relatives around the holidays. I love to hear the stories about their family gatherings and when their last grandchild was born, while I am cleaning out their hearing devices and replacing wax baskets or domes. Cardinal and all of my patients are my extended family!! It is like coming home!! A number of years ago, the door closed with my previous employer, and the door opened here at Cardinal.
After being here for several months, I realized that the devastation that I felt from being let go was wasted because it was God’s plan for me to end up here and find a new home.
A patient the other day reminded me that Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here very soon. Not only does this mean family fun, lots of food and cookies, and presents, but for me, it will be information seeking from relatives and close family friends about their hearing loss and what they can do about it.
It never fails. I am in the room for 5 minutes and I have relatives asking me to look at their hearing devices to make sure they are working properly, since they were not able to hear their grandkids with all this noise around them. I think I look into everyone’s ears to see which of the relatives need to get wax removed, and which need to see an ENT regarding the negative pressure in their ears, or the fluid in their children’s ears that needs to be evaluated.
But honestly, I love it!! These people wait until they can see me to help them, since they have trouble getting to their doctors, because of transportation issues or other health concerns. Recently,  I spent about an hour talking with my Uncle from Wisconsin about his hearing loss, and provided some counseling for both he and my Aunt to help aid in communication in difficult situations. I had not seen them in over a year, but our entire conversation was about his second cholesteatoma surgery on his right ear and how that has affected his overall hearing. And I loved it!!  My son had to finally pull me away because he had to get home to study for his Algebra test. At least I was able to get a big hug from him before he had to leave for home!
Can’t wait to see what comes up this year at Christmas dinner !!

Written by:
Rich
Published on:
November 7, 2016
Thoughts:
12 Comments

Categories: Community Outreach, Miscellaneous, Patient care, Slider, TestimonialsTags: American Tinnitus Association, Audiologist, family hearing and balance center.cardinal hearing centers, noise exposure, Noise sensitivity, Rich Reikowski, solutions for hearing loss, Stark County, Summit County, Tinnitus assessment and Tinnitus Treatment

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marie

    November 7, 2016 at 7:00 pm

    Sounds like a good time!

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    • Richard Reikowski

      November 29, 2016 at 2:41 pm

      It does sound like a good time!

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  2. Joanne Upton

    November 7, 2016 at 7:17 pm

    When you are a good listener, people talk!

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    • Richard Reikowski

      November 29, 2016 at 2:40 pm

      So true Joanne!

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  3. Amy

    November 7, 2016 at 7:51 pm

    They are lucky they have you!

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    • Richard Reikowski

      November 29, 2016 at 2:40 pm

      Yes, they are.

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  4. Jen Subotnik

    November 7, 2016 at 8:09 pm

    This is because you are so fun to talk to! Wish I could be a fly on your wall this holiday season.

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    • Richard Reikowski

      November 29, 2016 at 2:40 pm

      Agree Jen!

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  5. Dale Hansen

    November 8, 2016 at 1:20 pm

    These are wonderful thoughts. We love watching your relationships with your patients. Your efforts are wonderful.

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    • Richard Reikowski

      November 29, 2016 at 2:40 pm

      Dale,
      Thank you for adding your thoughts too!

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  6. Gail Reagan

    November 8, 2016 at 6:51 pm

    Very nice! Your family get together time certainly sounds like fun time!

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    • Richard Reikowski

      November 29, 2016 at 2:39 pm

      I agree. Sounds like fun.

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