The story that Overthepond linked to me:
Now that I have found the source, I am adding it:
*****source***** <---------- copyright by him. All credit goes to him!
I was on my way to deliver new hearing instruments to a man named Jim whom I have never met before. I was thumbing through his file to get to know him and found out that he had gotten hearing instruments about a month ago and returned. He went to a popular retail hearing aid chain and decided that he wasn’t hearing any better with his new instruments.
I noticed that his word recognition was about 20%. Wow! I thought this will be a huge challenge. Upon arrival I was trying to have a conversation with Jim and you could tell he wasn’t hearing what what was said. He was very somber, but who wouldn’t be, he couldn’t participate in anything that was said.
Well, he was fit with the Phonak Naida V’s and even though I have had such great luck with these, I was scared. When I turned them on and started to talk with him he could answer everything I said. I started walking around the room and from 15ft away with his back to me he could answer my questions. I was floored, but he wasn’t! His wife talked to him behind his back and he could answer every question she asked, butt still no reaction. I told him that I was happier then he was. His wife said ” he has been so disappointed with hearing aids that we can’t get excited anymore.” So, on that note I hoped and prayed that he would do well.
I went for his followup about four days later and when I walked in he was smiling. He sat down and said, ” I think I am going to keep these.” I asked him what made him come to this conclusion. He said, ” I can hear my wife and I can hear my dinner guests, but this was the first time I have heard the preacher at church in years.” Whoaaaa, he blew me away!
His word recognition was 20%, but after four days later and using some word exercises his recognition went up to 80%. Amazing!
What else can I say. “What a day!”
I saw the comment on my blog post from you and I was checking out your blog when I noticed that you have my story as one of your posts. But you forgot to put in a link to my site and give me a trackback. As soon as possible, I need you fix these errors or remove my story (All intellectual material has copyright protection) Thank you and look forward to reading your blog in the future. No hard feelings but copyright protects all of us. I didn't have any contact info on you so I had to contact you this way.
ReplyDeleteNote that I didn't find your story, one of my friends did and linked it to me. It was a great story so I posted it on my blog. Ive seen your blog and I shall link your story and wonderful blog in that post. I am also putting the link here:
ReplyDeletehttp://thehearingcorner.com/?p=200
Thank you very much for reading my blog, feel free to check out my other posts and comment. I give you permission to use any of my posts in your blog(provide a return link)
Here is the link again to where I got his story:
http://thehearingcorner.com/?p=200
I wanted to post a followup: I know a bunch of people who are in the same boat. If they only would make more effort to try better HAs for themselves or for their deaf children, they wouldn't need to go to the trouble and risk with CI. I wear the same HAs he wears, if I only had a little more residual hearing, id be scoring 80% speech too! Some of you have better hearing than me so you have a better chance of doing great with HAs! Everyone is different so you need to try at least 5 different HAs. Make sure to also try transposition and maximum amplification, it may help you like it helped him!
ReplyDelete