Yesterday my first cousin’s wife, Elaine, an audiologist, may have saved my marriage. She administered a hearing test after learning that my family has been complaining about my mishearing for the past year or two or three.
The gist: 2 new hearing aids that Elaine described as the equivalent of reading glasses. Not a lot of correction, but just enough to make hearing a little easier.
The look of joy on Ray’s face at the news I had arrived home with hearing aids was well worth the effort on my part to finally agree to accept Elaine’s kind help. Apparently my guessing what people have been saying has become a slight irritant to my beloved husband.
Last night I could actually hear when people spoke to me even in a noisy room and I didn’t get one look of shock when my answer didn’t match the question. (A sure indication that I have misheard.). Best was Ray’s reaction, he just looked so happy.
My children may also smile since they have taken to saying fairly routinely, “No, Mom, you misunderstood.”
I don’t know quite why I have been so resistant to this “help,” but I have been. Glasses are one thing, but they are just a fact of life when you are as new sighted as I am. Hearing aids, however, are for old people. That has been my bias, I guess. Oh well, hearing more easily is suddenly a great gift, old or not. A gift I can see I am going to enjoy.
I am happy my husband is so happy. That is icing on the cake.
Thank you, Elaine. You have performed a great service, and Ray, my kids, my students, and probably everybody I talk with regularly thanks you. I thank you most of all.
A new and better era after perhaps a little too long of straining to hear. Hooray.
Happy New Year, indeed.
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