The Story of Lori, Chapter 2

[Lori Dee ✅]

Sorry Lori, this is meant to be your blog!

It is never an issue with me. Conversations and discussions are always welcome.

Hugs!

[Lori Dee ✅]

I have a VA appointment this afternoon with the Audiology Clinic.

The audiologist wants to get me new hearing aids. To justify it, she will do my annual hearing test.

I have been practicing all morning for the test:

"Huh?"

"What did you say?"

"Could you repeat that?"

I think I have mastered it. We will see how it goes.

🤣

[Northern Star Girl ✅]

@Lori Dee
Dear Lori:
How does one "practice" for a hearing test? ?

... and why would one need to practice for the test?

A curious mind wants to know.

HUGS, Danielle [Northern Star Girl]
 

I have a VA appointment this afternoon with the Audiology Clinic.

The audiologist wants to get me new hearing aids. To justify it, she will do my annual hearing test.

I have been practicing all morning for the test:

"Huh?"

"What did you say?"

"Could you repeat that?"

I think I have mastered it. We will see how it goes.

🤣

[Lori Dee ✅]

@Lori Dee
Dear Lori:
How does one "practice" for a hearing test? ?

... and why would one need to practice for the test?

A curious mind wants to know.

HUGS, Danielle [Northern Star Girl]
 

🤣

Since she wants to use the hearing test to justify ordering new hearing aids, I am just practicing things that will improve my chances. Like, whenever she says something, I will respond with:

"Huh?"

"What did you say?"

"Could you repeat that?"

That should confirm hearing loss and a need for new hearing aids.

Is that cheating?

🤣

[Charlotte Kitty ✅]

Sounds like you're both on the same page with this one. New pair on their way hopefully.

So are the newer ones actually better?

Charlotte 😻

[Lori Dee ✅]

Sounds like you're both on the same page with this one. New pair on their way hopefully.

So are the newer ones actually better?

Charlotte 😻

I have no idea, honestly.

The ones I have are Starkey brand and pretty high-tech. I suspect there is a newer version now, or maybe the VA has a contract with a different supplier.

I won't know until after the test, and I will receive them in a few weeks. The audiologist downloads the program from my old ones, then uploads it to the new. She then makes adjustments to fit my current hearing profile. Then we do another test to make sure they sound right. Then they make another adjustment, which is designed to reduce tinnitus (ringing in my ears from 14 years of tank cannon fire).

We will see how that goes.

I am excited to get something that works better. But the annoyances are not from the hearing aid itself; they come from the onboard AI, which tries to figure out what I am listening to and makes adjustments. It is never correct, and I end up turning it off or just not wearing them. I appreciate that they want me to have the latest and greatest in current technology, but just dumb hearing aids would work better for me. I don't need apps or notifications chiming in my ears when I can hear them just fine in the room.

[Rochelle]

I've had mine for a couple of years from the VA.  They were issuing the Opticon Intent models.

Bluetooth connection to your phone for calls/audio.  No microphone so I ensure my phone is in my hand so callers can hear me when talking.  I use it during the day listening to music or podcasts without bothering other coworkers.  These don't do any AI, but I do hear the phone notifications.

Two years can make some difference between what I have and what they have now, so maybe some AI now.  They do use an app thats helpfull.  When I'm at a concert or other congested areas, I can change to them only listen from the front so I don't hear noise from the side or behind.

I got hearing loss from gun fire and alot of time on the flightline around aircraft.  Issued hearing protection can leak noise and cause damage.  And now that I think of it, I was working on a 400 server farm floor, which while not abrubtly loud, had a consistant higher than normal decibels level for hours on end.

When I first got them, I looked them up and they were currently top of the line ones.  The VA doesn't cheap on some things. 💚

[Lori Dee ✅]

When I'm at a concert or other congested areas, I can change to them only listen from the front so I don't hear noise from the side or behind.

That's what this is supposed to do. But if I am running water in the kitchen sink, it hears the sound from the water and the echo from behind, so it keeps shifting front and back trying to decide what I should hear. I don't need to hear any of it. It has a mode called Edge Mode that prioritizes sound from the front, so I mostly use that.

I found the app the most annoying, especially while driving. Every email, text, or app notification that I could normally ignore was now in my ears. Finally, I just uninstalled the app. However, the app is the only way to adjust the volume. < sigh >

I had sent them in to get the batteries replaced while they were still under warranty. When I got them back, I installed the app to adjust the volume. No luck. Now the app won't pair with the app. I tried to pair the hearing aids with my TV. They won't pair with anything.

When my audiologist said she would order new ones so they have a new warranty period, I said, " Sign me up!

[Rochelle]

Hopefully the new ones are a better/different brand.  💚

[Lori Dee ✅]

Hopefully the new ones are a better/different brand.  💚

The old ones are Starkey Evolve AI.

When I got there, she had the new ones all charged up and programmed. Ready to go. They are Starkey Omega AI. Basically the same, but she ordered them with a larger vent. That makes your own voice sound less like you are speaking in a tunnel.

We spent the time making adjustments to the program, then setting up the tinnitus masking, which was fun. The options are white noise, pink noise, red noise, purple noise, and ocean sounds. None of them were high enough frequency. We ended up going with ocean sounds, turning off modulation, and boosting the high-frequency end. That got close.

Then downloaded the new app, adjusted those settings, and tested everything. All good to go. She said she will plan on seeing me in four years for a re-evaluation, and if anything comes up, they have a walk-in service in the mornings.

I left the audio lab, and there was no one at the reception desks. No one anywhere. And the doors were locked. Everyone left early for the weekend. So I am wandering around the halls yelling, "Hello?"

I went back to the audio lab, and that door was locked. So I started to head upstairs to the Mental Health clinic to see if anyone was still there. The audiologist came out of the lab. I told her we were locked in. She couldn't believe it. Everyone was gone.

I told her we could raid the lunchroom fridge and survive until Monday. I thought she was going to vomit. Then a cleaning lady poked her head out of one of the offices and showed us to the only unlocked door (the emergency exit).

So that was fun.

😁