I Can Hear Again!!

Yesterday we spent the day in Omaha.  There might be more exciting things to do there than have two doctor appointments, but that's the way it was.  

I am now on yearly oncologist's visits and I passed that one with flying colors.

We planned on visiting Valentino's for lunch, when we got to the one we usually visit, it has changed into a party room place, but if we went next door to the carryout/lunch counter we could get a coupon to use for the buffet at another place.  So we did.  After stuffing ourselves we went shopping.  I prowled around Good Will, looking for a pair of brown boots and a brown sweater and finding none, I found myself eyeing a nice little backpack purse in far better shape than mine.  While I was debating someone else was making up their mind, and it was gone, so I came home with nothing.  Jim however was spending company money for an air hose reel, which he needed, and then after a little comedy in the parking lot, where I couldn't find our car without Jim hollering at me, even though it was right in front of me, we were off to the ENT clinic to get my BAHA.

I saw the doctor for just a bit while he inspected the post site for healing around the post and tugged on it to test how well it was grown in, then it was off to the audiologist for a long lesson on the BAHA, and it's accompanying equipment.  It was programmed after a little hearing test which proved I can't hear much of anything as the device is set to it's highest volume. Then we found out how to take care of it, use the batteries, which batteries to buy, how to store it, how to clean it, how to take it on and off, and not to get it wet.  It seems like we talked about lots of other things, that I can't really remember, but we asked lots of questions and felt like we understood everything we needed to.  

Whether we will remember it all is a different story.  

Now, my brain has to get used to a louder world.  Everything is louder; I can hear things I haven't heard for 5 years.  I can hear the toilet paper unrolling, and the fridge running.   Flushing, Jim's slippers on the floor and the dryer are too loud.  Crinkling plastic bottles, clinking silverware and setting plates on the table are just plumb annoying.  This the the time for my brain to relearn what it wants to hear and what it doesn't.  It takes awhile, anywhere from 10-12 weeks.  

It's not so bad, it's nice not to have to be right next to Jim to hear him.  

I think I'll get used to this new, louder world sooner than I expected.