As a concession to the aging process, I bought a pair of over the counter hearing aids

[Siwsan]

Or, as I prefer to call them, audio enhancers.

They aren't top of the line but they are rechargeable, adjustable, and now that my brain has adjusted they are serving their purpose.

One thing I've rediscovered is how LOUD the world can be. When I'm outside in my yard, it's the birdsong. That's so lovely, as is now hearing the softer meows from my kidcats. But when I leave my little bubble, damn! Traffic noise, alone, is enough to make me want to stay home. I thought that the sound of the lawn mower would be a hard adjustment. Nope. It's the traffic.

Oh well. The benefit definitely outweighs the annoyance.

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Worth it for the purring and mewing. nt

[flying_wahini]

2. So can you just not wear them all the time? Does it mess up the nerves in your ears to shut it off?

[Siwsan]

3. I can just take them out if it gets too bad.

The recharging case holds its own charge for about 100 hours. It's about the size of a jumbo egg. I can also adjust the audio level.

I was thinking about this past holiday season when my family talked me in to going to Frankenmuth, which is a Bavarian style tourist town just north of Flint. They wanted to eat at one of the 'famous' restaurants, Zehnder's.

It was packed and SO LOUD, even with diminished hearing. All of the activity, crowds, noise and bright, flashy decorations sent me straight into a barely disguised anxiety attack. Fortunately, a nice German Pilsner helped settle me down.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

4. Is there an app to adjust them?

Boost the treble, downplay the mid and bass ranges. That should emphasize laughing kids, birds, etc, while de-emphasizing the leaf-blowers, lawnmowers, cars with loud subwoofers.

Do your hearing aids connect to your phone and tv via bluetooth? If you have a conversation while walking on the sidewalk, people will get out of your way, staying away from the crazy lady. Bonus.

[Siwsan]

5. These are pretty basic

I can adjust them. That will be easier to do, now that my 'brain circuitry' has adjusted.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

6. You don't need an app or hearing aids to adjust brain circuity, ...

... that's what cats are for.

[Siwsan]

7. So true.

I had a particularly bad night, last night. At 2am, Sian saw I was restless so she came up and made some biscuits on me while Gryff stretched out across me. I didn't fall back to sleep but I did enjoy the attention.

[SWBTATTReg]

8. Congrats on the Hearing Aids. Often times, people will resist getting hearing aids so you bucked the

first instant of a lot of people, that 'I don't need a hearing aid!'. My dad was this way.

Of course wearing the hearing aids is going to be a learning experience for you and others around you. I've worn hearing aids (HAs) for roughly 60 years, so it does take some getting used to.

Some tips...Yes, the world is loud. But use the hearing aids to filter the sound out, that is, simply turn them off. Then you got earplugs, and the noise is gone.

Get into a routine where you automatically charge the HAs, like at night when you take the aids off to sleep (I take mine off at night too, use the closed caption on my TV to 'watch/listen' to my shows.

Windy conditions usually make wearing the HAs a challenge, as the wind is blowing into the microphone of the HAs, drowning all sounds out. You're better off just turning the HAs off...wait until you're out of the wind.

Maybe have a spare (HA), just in case you are going somewhere, and need the HA to hear (and the original HA(s) aren't charged up yet (or still charging), if you had a spare, then this will help ease your concern. I am assuming that you don't have batteries, and that you plug in the HAs to recharge?

You're going to really like not missing so much around you though...this is a wonderful moment for you. Again, Congrats. Oh, by the way, you might check into any insurance you may have, on your HAs. Sometimes the place you buy them from will offer insurance on the HAs. Believe me, sometimes you'll misplace the HAs, forget where you put them. Whatever you do, don't put the HAs in a readily available spot so your pets (if any) will grab the HAs (they like the earwax).

Best wishes to you!

[Siwsan]

9. Great info!

I do recharge them at night and turn up the TV volume. The recharging 'pod' shuts so they should be safe from the kidcats.

AND I am considering getting a 2nd set, maybe slightly upgraded. I'm in no rush, though.