Catch Up Time!

The last few weeks have been rather whirlwind. I could have written;I should have written. I just couldn't write. Not in the least. I think that I spent a little too much time in an introspective mode. Questioning my every move. I'm an idiot.

Good news though, I'm a happy idiot! Seriously. A very wise person once told me, "It's all just stuff and crud, Hon, don't let it get you down!" I am so glad I married a counselor.

Something really especially cool happened a few weeks ago that literally changed my life in a matter of seconds. I finally took my sorry butt to an audiologist and was tested. I have had a hearing loss my entire life, but I have somehow managed to cope. Now, I'm not sure how. I choked back tears when I had them programmed and put them on. I had NO idea of all the sounds out in the world. Seriously. I am still in complete awe...and every single night when I take them out, I am so thankful that I have them as I am suddenly thrust back into my world of semi-silence. It was a quiet and depressing world.

I really was seriously affected by my loss but just thought I was an introverted baby. I have avoided most phone conversations (you can't read lips through a phone!), backed way out of involvement with people because I hated always having to ask people to repeat everything, my self-confidence was non existent. NOT anymore!!!!! I feel really empowered and a lot stronger. I love talking to people again and don't WANT to be by myself.

I still do get a little overwhelmed with all the sounds and I am so used to being able to block out stuff, my brain gets very tired. I find myself going to be exhausted. All the literature I've gotten my hands on says that this is a natural step in adjustment. I have also had to relearn to pay attention. I hear stuff, but it doesn't register because I never even tried to hear it before. Again, natural and will be overcome.

Here's a picture of one that is very similar to mine. Mine is flesh colored though.



And this is what they look like in my ears...these aren't my ears though...my are much cuter! ha ha ha
Pretty cool, huh? I do have to continue to have them adjusted. It's incredible as the audiologist is able to super fine tune the different frequencies. Oh, and I have the open canal type because my low and a small amount of my high frequency hearing is okay...but for the most part...my hearing totally sucks. BUT, this model allows me to be able to use my own hearing for those sounds that I can hear without the full ear feeling. Oh, and another cool thing..I totally don't understand it, but somehow they are able to adjust the frequencies to the point where I am hardly EVER bothered my tinnitus any more. Cool huh? There is some technical reasoning for this but I would completely botch the explanation. So for now, just accept that I have amazing bionic ears that no longer ring in 3 distinct tones 23 hours a day. Cool!!!

Enough for now!