I tried calling a local hearing aid shop, the one that I was told would be most likely to have the type of thing I was looking for in stock and not need to order it. You would think a place that sells hearing aids and assistive devices for deaf/hoh people would be receptive to a relay call. What follows shows that this isn't always the case. I was really amazed at how rude he was to the operator, and then he apparently refused to answer the calls I tried to place calling back later via relay. And the message I left was never returned.

This really upset me. I actually started crying over this call. Which seems silly, someone hug up on me, come on, grow up. But, a friend tried to help me understand that this person did more than hang up on me. I started off the conversation appologizing for not being able to use the regular phone with the t-coil, something I shouldn't have to do is defend why I'm calling via relay, with hearing aids or not. I was excited about the idea of this thing I wanted, and when he hung up it was a denial of what I was trying to do. I was crushed, and someone else validated that I had a reason to feel that way.

My question is this. If a hearing customer called and simply asked the person to slow down would they have hung up? And without even a proper ending to the conversation. Would they refuse to even answer that persons calls when they tried to call back?

503 774 3668
RINGING 1...
(M)
(INTRO CALL PLS HLD)
Hearing Resources. this is Jay. (EXPLAINING RELAY) GA

Good morning, this is Julia Case calling, I just recently got my hearing aids and I'm still not used to using the t-coil. I am calling to see if you have a product for using the hearing aids with a cdplayer or ipod Ga.

you can use a neck loop or you can use a silhouette induction coil. in either case,
(to operator: my god, can you put up with what I'm saying Q)
(CALLED PARTY HAS HUNG UP)
(ANOTHER CALL Q GA)

what was that qq

(i was asking the man to speak slowly but I guess, he was not up to it GA)

please call back Ga.

(thank you, redialing)
RINGING 1...

Tiring... Need to do it slow... It's not like I was born deaf or anything, but going from where I was to this is a BIG change. My one friend suggested and I did a little of it today, just playing some music on the computer in the quiet room while wearing the hearing aids for a little while. I can hear the music, but not make out the lyrics. I spent some time wearing them while having conversations, this is REALLY tiring (you'd think it would be less so, but maybe that is one of those until I get used to it things). Still am asking people to repeat things if they aren't providing enough other cues for the conversation. But, I catch things I would have misted before.

The ear molds make my ears a little sore if I wear them for too long right now, I thought at one point I would just use the MUTE program and leave the hearing aids in to get used to wearing them, but my ears got a little sore.

I think some sounds get amplified more, but I really don't understand it to be honest. Sitting in the QRC, all of a sudden I was like, "What in the world is sound!?!?", and someone said it was the heat or something. It was a very low hum, but constant. And then they looked at me very odd, and asked if that was the first time I had heard it. And it was and it is annoying.

Someone scared me on the walk home tonight from class. They walked up from behind to my side and said "Hi", I caught that, but wasn't expecting it. Please don't do that!!!!! I think they realized they startled me and said something about being walking the same way... I turned off at the point to go into my building. I'm pretty sure they were trying to be polite, but it made me feel very creepy.

Will post in seperate entry about horrible relay call trying to get a neckloop to use with hearing aids.

They will take getting used to, that is for sure. It reminds me of when I was a kid and all that wax built up in my ears and no one noticed for a REALLY long time and then they cleaned it out. When we went outside onto the streat the sound was like all in my face. The street feels the same way today. I was ok in the audiologists office, but then when I got out into the street it was a bit overwhelming, even with the aids put onto the high noise setting. She asked me to keep a log of how things go, what works what doesn't work. When I an hear people, when I can't. When sounds are too soft, when they are too loud. And the programs can be tweaked. Right now I think the prblem is that I've been living with a lot of silence for a long time and my brain is saying, WTF. In the office when we were messing with things and would pull one of the aids out after it was in for about 10 or 15 minutes it would be a real sense of disorientation as the sound just stopped, and then a sense of ease returned. It is really hard to explain.

I still had trouble with communication minus visual cues, but it was a LOT better. The audiologist said that was to be expected. I still couldn't understand a damn thing they announced on the bus, can anyone?

The audiologist said I should only wear the hearing aids a couple of hours for the first few days to try and get used to them and increase the time a little bit each day. So as to not get too overwhelmed. And that she would check the programming next time. And see what we needed to change. When she did the one test to see if I could hear the music on the computer playing, it seemed as if she needed to turn up the volum in the aid, which she expected, but wanted to wait until I had time to get used to them for a while, which made sense, and even more after walking out into the streat. Damn!

Ok. I have other things to post about from today later.

Today the audiologist took the ear molds. It was weird getting what felt like cauking put in my ears.

The audiologist had a discussion with "Audient" and they decided that the hearing aids they offer really aren't the proper ones for my hearing loss. The place I have been going thinks they can give Vocational Rehab a similar price on a better hearing aid for me. Phonak Una AZ SP.

Right now it is a matter of finding out what the vocational rehab will do and if they authorize the purchase, the hearing aids will be ordered immediately. They said it takes about 10 days to get the molds back and then we can do the fitting and stuff.

Very neat.

After the first meeting today with vocational rehab they said that they would help me get hearing aids immediately. They felt that this would help even our meetings, so it could happen pronto.

They wanted me to contact back the person who did the last evaluation to get a specific recommendation on type of hearing aid. Then they would purchase the lowest cost one of that type. They are planning on using a group called Audient (the link includes a list of models they provide at the bottom) It looks like they are all digital type, but I honestly don't understand enough about this.

Also need to get confirmation from the insurance that they will not pay for hearing aids. Maria's HR department said the policy says no, but she said the wording in the benefits book is confusing.

It is surprising how quickly they are moving forward with this. It is also good, this should have been done a while back. It is also a little scary. Anything new is scary for me.