30. A bit of DIY ~ 28th June

I went back to see the audiologist for the third time this week to sort out my other painful hearing aid. I was surprised to see the electric-sander hadn't been replaced. Inevitably as soon as he turned it on it kept making terrible noises that even I could hear. After a few questions I discovered that the machine isn't even an audiological piece of equipment, but rather something you get from your local hardware store! I thought it looked very similar to the one I have in my garage! I would have brought mine along if I had known! He shaved a bit off both hearing aids, but I cannot tell at the moment whether they are comfortable because of the blisters and cuts they have already caused on my ears.

28. The old man ~ 25th June

An old man who had suffered for years with severe hearing loss decided he had had enough and needed to get help with his hearing. He went to the audiology clinic and the audiologist provided him with hearing aids that gave him perfect hearing. A few weeks later he went back to see the audiologist. Having examined the old mans ears, the audiologist congratulated the man for his progress and said "your family must be overjoyed and amazed  since you are no longer deaf". The old man replied "I've got no intention of telling them yet. I pretend I'm deaf still, but I secretly listen to their conversations. I've already changed my will four times!"

27. A quick shave ~ 25th June

It's only two days since I got the new hearing aid moulds and I am already back at the audiologists because the moulds are so painful.

You know the discomfort of wearing a brand new pair of shoes for the the first time and they give you a horrible, painful blister? Well that's what's happened with my ears. The bit of the mould which goes inside my ear is fine and a much tighter fit than the first pair which is great. However the outside part of the mould is rubbing under one of the folds in both ears.

With a sanding machine the audiologist shaved the bit of the mould which had been hurting me so much. When examining it he said that it had been bleeding hence why it's been so sore. Just as he started to shave the second hearing aid, the machine overheated and decided to stop working...typical! I have to go back on Saturday by which time the machine will have been replaced. 

20. My Hearing Aids Complaint List ~ 9th June

I've been back to the audiologist for my post two week hearing aid appointment (actually it's been three weeks, oh well!). I went in with my little list:

• Hearing aids are falling out
• The main bit that goes behind my ears falls off when I put my sunglasses on
• I can't hear music without it screeching inside my ears
• I can't hear the other person on the end of the phone (only yesterday I phoned a friend at her work place about a business matter and as soon as she answered the phone I had to pass the phone to someone else to talk to her. If it hadn't been my friend, I would have been very embarrassed)

I was told that other than having thinner arms on my sunglasses, there's nothing else I can do. He altered the sensitivity on my hearing aids. For some of the queries he said he'd ask a colleague for further advice. I had new moulds taken of my ears (as shown below) and this time he put the horrible gunky paste deeper inside my ear so that when they are made they will be more of a snug fitting when I wear them (and hopefully not fall out anymore).

Again I left without a magical cure. I'm to go back in a couple of weeks.