Today I put my hearing aids in for the first time in months. Why didn’t I have them in? That is a great question. I can’t hear with the masks off of peoples faces let alone with masks muffling their voices.
All of sudden I felt lost. I had people repeat themselves…a lot! Even then, if I didn’t have visual cues to help, I had to work harder to communicate. I have gone home exhausted almost every night that I have refused to wear them.
Why?
They don’t hurt. A couple of times today I forgot that I had them in. When I take them out it is like I am trying to hear underwater if you can relate.
Why?
They are not hard to put in. Most of the time people don’t ever realize that I am wearing them. Today is the first time in a long time that I was prompted to say, “Shhhhhh.” Because I could hear everything.
So again. Why?
I became comfortable with the struggle of not being able the hear. Living a new way, and being able to hear in a new way is an unknown. It makes me uncomfortable. Well, through this pandemic, and having to be away from people, I have found that connection is much more important than being comfortable. I have made a decision to be uncomfortable for the people that are important to me. I want to stop asking them to repeat themselves, and ask them to expand and share on what I just heard…clear as a bell.
Love the snow pic. Change of habit is a crazy hurdle to conquer.
It sure is Mary. Some bad habits are tough like not wearing hearing aids.
Conversation is much more enjoyable when you don’t have to repeat yourself or ask someone to repeat themselves.
It sure is Tiffany. Well said!
Great share Dale! Such an important decision and reasons for hearing better and wearing your hearing devices! Glad to help!!
Change can be difficult for sure. We just have to try to adjust our lives the best we can and keep on, keepin’ on!
Yes, change can be difficult Gail. Keep’n on!
I’m sure it is interesting to see how hearing aids can bring you back into the conversation especially after not wearing them for awhile.
Maybe, absence makes the heart grow finder can fit here a bit with the return of hearing aid use and seeing the benefits.