How’s Your Hearing?

Losing my hearing didn’t happen overnight, it’s like the volume was turned down gradually over the years.

We humans are incredibly adaptable and will find ways to deal with most situations. Due to my hearing loss, I ended up having to look at various options for a mobile phone that’s easy for seniors to love… Yeah you guessed why, so I could hear the damn thing.

I was always too busy and too ready to dismiss hearing problems as something that came and went with allergy season and the occasional ear infection.

The inevitable result was a loss of hearing that was slowly getting worse. It got to where I couldn’t hear what people were saying unless they were facing me.

Add a little ambient noise to the room and I would have to lip read to understand what was being said.

Depending on the seriousness of the conversation I would occasionally fake a smile or nod knowingly if I missed something rather than embarrass myself by asking for a repeat.

I finally made the decision to visit an ear, nose and throat specialist, Dr. Jane Lea.

After a thorough examination and hearing test, she diagnosed me with otosclerosis, a genetic disorder that occurs when one of the bones in the middle ear, the staples, becomes stuck.

In that state it is unable to vibrate, rendering sound unable to travel through the ear.

If you think getting diagnosed with otosclerosis is a bad thing, think again.

This was fantastic news because the condition was treatable.

I was speechless. I didn’t want to admit to having a hearing issue and that I was going to a hearing aids clinic, which I considered to be a nuisance.

I had not allowed my diminishing hearing to direct me to a conclusion of having a health issue that needed to be dealt with.

I actually believed myself to be in perfectly good health, but it wasn’t until later that I researched Stats Canada.

This was where I learned that more than one million adults across the country reported having a hearing-related disability, a number more than 50 per cent greater than the number of people reporting problems with their eyesight. And what’s more, there are so many companies that are creating products to enable these people live better lives, in spite of the disability. In fact, hearing technology has even gone so far as to provide people with Bluetooth hearing aids! These not only help with hearing, but can also stream music and audio directly into the device, allowing people to do a lot more with the device on (visit https://www.earpros.com/hearing-aids/hearing-aid-technology/bluetooth-hearing-devices for more on this). I’m not sure whether this would be something I would ever opt for, though.

Other studies indicate that the true number may reach three million or more Canadian adults, as those suffering from hearing problems often under-report their condition, myself included.

To repair my hearing loss, Dr. Lea gave me two options which were either get a hearing aid which was the safest, non-invasive route – or have laser stapedotomy surgery which included a negligible (two per cent) risk of losing my hearing. I got some back-up hearing aid batteries online as well, just so I have some around whenever I may need them.

One of my best friends has lived with hearing loss for most of his life now. He gave me lots of advice about where to find the best hearing amplifiers should I decide to use them too which was incredibly helpful.

I wouldn’t be able to have my hearing returned if the operation was unsuccessful and simply put; I was unsure about the ear surgery as I didn’t want to lose what I had left. Before my surgery, someone told me that Advanced Audiology has Phonak bluetooth hearing aids for a better device listening experience so I began to regret my decision of having surgery rather than a hearing aid. It was too late to back out though…

After thinking about it for a few weeks, I decided to go for the surgery. I confess to being nervous right up to the surgery date because I really couldn’t imagine how my hearing was going to be almost magically restored.

Yet Dr. Lea was confident it was my best option and there was a high success rate with this type of operation.

The day of the operation I was nervous because surgery of any kind was foreign to me. I was thinking, “What if the anesthetic doesn’t work and I’m still awake? Should I tell them?” And, “Are all those tools on the tray for me?” And of course, “You will remember to wake me up when it’s time, won’t you?”

The staff at St. Paul’s Hospital was amazing and prior to going under, the nurse had a calming effect as she simply held my hand.

When I woke Dr. Lea was smiling and I could hear better already and all I could think of was what a feeling as the sounds were beautiful and no words could describe the feeling.

Even though you go in expecting the best result, it was such a relief to learn everything went exactly as planned and there would be no more coping or struggling to hear.

When I came home that same day I could hear my feet hit the floor for the first time in about two years. It was surreal. I could hear so well that my ear would ring.

It spooked me at times being able to hear so perfectly and it was going to take me some getting used to.

I couldn’t work out for a few weeks so when run day finally arrived I could hear my feet hit the ground.

By not having to struggle with my hearing, all of my other senses seem sharper too and I’m more focused on every task than I ever remember being.

My overall confidence is no longer an issue and the benefits of having the stapedotomy surgery should last a lifetime.

www.runwithit.ca

Twitter: @christineruns