You Are Not Alone
Long Islanders Tell Their Story

"...makes my life more interesting..." – E. V. C.
"...thank you...for giving Lou back to us..." – L. & J. S.
"...What I heard was glorious, the full range of tone colors..." – D. T. W.
"...I actually heard the bride and groom say every word..." – M. G. P.
"...She became my ears..." – M. R. I.
"... I hear sounds now that I haven't heard for a very long time..." – H. S.
 

"...makes my life more interesting..." – E. V. C.

          Not long ago I was always saying "uh" what did you say? or I gave a silly answer to a serious question. I fell asleep at a show because I couldn't hear all that was going on. All that is changed now since I had my hearing checked at the Huntington Hearing and Speech Center. Besides enjoying conversation and shows I've discovered the sounds I was missing birds singing, crickets and the hum of bees. Having a hearing aid makes my life more interesting.

"...thank you...for giving Lou back to us..." – L. & J. S.

          Hearing impaired? Who me?  There was not a thing wrong with my hearing. This went on for many years. Since I did not have any problem with my hearing I really felt that it should be my wife who should be writing this letter so I turned it over to her.
          (Wife is writing now) I really don't know where to begin. All I know is that it was very frustrating and upsetting to me as well as the children. It must be very difficult to come to grips with the fact that you have a hearing loss. Whenever we went out socially, Lou never heard a thing that went on. He never participated in the conversation because he could not hear the conversation. At the dinner table he would maybe hear words here and there and when he put them together in his mind they were totally out of context and an argument would ensue. There were seven of us at the dinner table every evening and on a Sunday, maybe ten to twelve. Communication was very difficult. In order to avoid any conversation on his part, he would leave the table and "help me" by clearing the dishes and washing whatever pans there were. Most of the time I used the foil pans for the roast, potatoes, vegetables, etc. He made so much noise washing them that we could not hear ourselves think at the table. It may sound humorous now but let me tell you it wasn't at the time it was happening. When did he finally realize that something had to be done? It was after our first grandchild was born. He said, "The thought of not hearing my grandchild call me grandpa for the first time is too much to bear." His adjustment to the hearing aids (he does have two of them) was marvelous. His audiologist told him that there are not many people who adjusted as well as he did. My family thanks you all and I thank you too for your kindness, understanding and expertise in the field and for giving Lou back to us. Our life is much richer and happier since Lou is able to hear what is going on. Thank you and God Bless You.

"...What I heard was glorious, the full range of tone colors..."
– D. T. W.

          Words cannot express the joy I have felt ever since that day in May, when you fitted me with 2 ReSound hearing aids. Perhaps a few examples would say it best.
          A year ago, I refused renomination to our church board because I felt unable to participate fully in meetings. I had tried every device: sitting as close as possible to the board president, looking over the shoulder of the secretary as he or she took notes for the minutes well, you get the picture. Now, I do not miss a word in such a group. Nor do I find ambient noise in a restaurant or other public place annoying, as I had been told I would. Quite the opposite. I am hearing sounds I hadn't been aware of for years: a bird song outside our kitchen window, the homely creak of floorboards in our forty year old house and just now, I hear the click of the cursor as it scans a line on our word processor. Walking our dog, I can hear the crunch of her feet and mine on our gravel driveway. Perhaps most thrilling of all, I can now hear music as it really sounds. Last Tuesday night, I had an epiphany and I do not use that word lightly. We are subscribers to the New York Philharmonic, and went to the opening concert of the new season the first I attended wearing my hearing aids. What I heard was glorious, through the full range of tone colors and dynamics of that great orchestra. Tears came to my eyes as I thanked God for this new life experience. My only regret is that I did not face reality sooner. To those out there who are hesitating, I would only remind you that every day you delay, you are losing some of the fullness of living. Bless you. I will forever be in your debt, and that of those who wrought the miracle I wear so thankfully.

"I actually heard the bride and groom say every word..."
– M. G. P.

          It's been two years since I became the proud owner of two ReSound hearing aids. I am 53 years old. My hearing loss was first detected when I was 30 at a routine doctor's visit. I was referred to an ENT specialist who said that hearing aids would help me in the future. The loss at that time was small. By the time I was forty, I knew that I was missing a lot, but I had kids in college and weddings to pay for. Finally, two years ago, I decided to take care of my hearing health. I went to Huntington Hearing & Speech Center (I had been evaluated by them eight years earlier) and I had done a lot of research at the library. I knew that I wanted two hearing aids since my hearing loss is equal in both ears. I also knew that I was interested in clarity of sound and comfort. We tried several and selected two ReSound aids. Two weeks later I picked up my new hearing aids and walked out with them. Everything had been explained to me by Bari, my audiologist.

          I was ready for the world of hearing! Well, almost I could hear my feet hitting the pavement and my arms rubbing the sides of my body, and oh, the birds! Bari had warned me that things would sound loud and that I would hear all the sounds the same way. It would take time for the brain to relearn how to hear the important things and downplay the unimportant ones like my footsteps or my arms swinging. The exciting part of that first week was a wedding of a dear friend's daughter. I heard the vows! I actually HEARD the bride and groom say every word. At the reception, when the music started, I must admit I took them out of my ears. Bari had suggested that I might want to do that when we talked about what the first week would be. The first month was hard work relearning what hearing was all about. But it was fun, too, when my husband actually asked me to turn the television up so he could hear it! As I look back over the last two years and think of the time, the work and the expense of getting my hearing aids, I know that it was so worthwhile. It is one of the best things I ever did for myself. When I get up in the morning, after putting on my glasses and watch, the hearing aids go in and I don't take them out until I go to bed at night. They are truly a part of me and they have enhanced my life.

"She became my ears..." – M. R. I.

          In March, 1982 I was struck by a car when crossing the street. When I awoke from a coma a week later I was told I had suffered severe head injuries. After a painful and slow recuperation I realized I had a great deal of difficulty hearing other people while they spoke to me. I had also developed loud buzzing, hissing and chirping sounds in one of my ears. I went to my doctor for a check up. He suggested I give it more time, that it would probably go away in the near future. Well, it didn't. It got worse. At one point I began to read people's lips to understand what they were saying. Sometimes I understood the conversation and sometimes I couldn't. It became embarrassing because I often said "Yes" when I should've said "No". I also got into the habit of asking my wife, "What did he say?" She became my ears.

          After a few months of this my wife suggested I go for a hearing evaluation. She knew of the Huntington Hearing and Speech Center which administered hearing tests to children at the school where she taught. She called for an appointment. I was annoyed because I didn't have a hearing problem ... only old people had them. With fear and trepidation I kept the appointment.
To my surprise the testing was not painful nor was it mysterious. The audiologist was very patient with me. After the tests, he evaluated them then discussed them with me. It was then that I learned there was a name for the noises that constantly unnerved me. It's called tinnitus. It wasn't just my imagination (which some people were beginning to suggest to me). I was fitted me with specially molded hearing aids made to conform to my own ears' shape.

          When I tried on my hearing aids for the first time I was overjoyed to hear other noises besides the buzzing, hissing and chirping! I was able to hear more clearly than I had in months! I felt like a new person! That was almost eight years ago. Since then I even traded in my old hearing aids for the newer ones that fit entirely inside the ear. They are practically invisible. Other than an occasional cleaning and battery replacement there is no special care needed.

          I would like to take this opportunity to thank you folks at the Huntington Hearing & Speech Center for your help in giving me a new lease on life! My wife thanks you too!

"... I hear sounds that I haven't heard for a very long time..." – H. S.

          I'm writing this letter of my experience of getting a hearing aid, which I needed for about ten years. If it wasn't for my son, Frank and his wife, Kathy, who made this appointment, I would probably still keep putting it off. I thank them from the bottom of my heart, as it was the best thing that happened to me. Whenever I went to their house and they had company, I ended up going to the living room by myself because I couldn't understand what they were talking about - too many people talking at one time and I couldn't hear the T.V. Then when I went to the store shopping, I couldn't hear what the people were saying (as you know how noisy it is there). I had to ask them to repeat it and sometimes a nice lady or man would repeat it for me. Then when we went out to eat, I couldn't hear the waiter and again someone had to repeat it for me and that was pretty embarrassing and still I kept putting it off. When I went to the doctors he said (Helen you better get a hearing aid as we have to shout at you). Will he be surprised when I go back next month, he will be surprised and happy to know I finally got my hearing aid. What hurt me most was I couldn't hear my grandchildren talk to me and after a while we didn't talk very much. I finally got my hearing aids and when I came back to their house they came over to me and said Grandma can you hear us now? I had to show them how they work and they were happy as I was. Jennifer is 13 and Frankie is 10 so they really understand everything. Now I can really hear everything. I thought this was funny, when I got there for my hearing aid I went to the bathroom and flushed the toilet and it was so loud that my son Frank and Bari laughed because they said they knew I would say that. I hear all these sounds now that I haven't heard for a very long time, when I drive my car, T.V., my door bell, I even hear my clock chime in the living room and so many sounds you don't realize you have missed. I could go on and on but I think I've written enough for now as you can tell how happy I am with my hearing aids. Now I'd like to tell you about the wonderful young lady Bari, who spent all the time teaching me all these things, she was very understanding, patient, and caring which made it easier for me to learn all these new things. I thank Bari for everything.

“ Toward Better Understanding”