Hearing

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizz The other place that it commonly shows up is when trying to carry on a conversation in a hot tub with the jets on.

In that situation I'm usually able to figure it out from the context without actually having to parse the articulated syllables...

[Fireup2020]

I was "fired" from being the #1 nozzleman because I could not hear the guy immediately behind me relaying orders...and kept looking over to the on scene leader for his hand signals. Not good at hearing if I can't see the speaker BF is as "deaf" - but I think he keeps the TV a bit too loud - he attributes his hearing loss to an accident as a kid - and like most civilian men, have never had an audiogram! At least I know my 20-50 db (depends on the freq) loss is for real

[Brat]

Unless it is anatomical or the result of infection I suspect that hearing deficits in young/middle aged adults is the result of high noise environments. "High noise environments" are what us old folks call loud concerts or proximity to boom boxes.

Invest in hearing aid manufacturers, the market will be huge!!

[Billy]

Trombone Al

Quote:

But last night at a crowded coffee shop (very noisy with talking people), I could barely make out what my (softspoken) friends were saying. Other people seemed to be understanding fine. I wonder how much of this is lack of practice (I'm not a noisy place person). Or perhaps I'm just less tolerant of not being able to hear every word.

Al, I'm the same way. I can hear the faucet driping in two rooms over, and the dogs barking down the street a couple of blocks away. I can hear the heat in the desert crackling the wood of the trees and the wind swirling the leaves down the sidewalks.

I have a funny story to relate quickly -- at one point Billy complained to me that I wasn't listening to him, and I was complaining to him that he was mumbling. We thought we would get this figured out once and for all, so I had my hearing checked at the hospital in Chiang Mai some years back.

When I arrived, the check in assistant, the nurse and the doctor himself all asked me why I was there. I told them to have my hearing checked. "My husband doesn't think I hear him." Every one of them snickered knowingly. I thought I was onto something here.

I took a very sophisticated test inside a hearing chamber with me pressing the buttons whenever I heard sounds - high, low or otherwise. I was really making tracks there, pressing every other second... then there came a short period where there was nothing and I thought to myself "Well, this wouldn't be a test if I wasn't being tested,right?" then the sounds came back and I went clicking away.

Got into the doc's office and he said to me: "Strange. Very strange. If I had to explain it to you, I would say that in an orchestra you could hear the sweetness of violins and the drama of the base. In a forest you can hear the birds sing and the waters fall down the hill. But there is a range.,.." and he showed me on the chart where the test showed I severely dropped off the cliff "where you do not hear."

So I looked at him square in the face and said "You mean to tell me I can hear everything in the world except my husband's voice?"

And he said "Yes Ma'am."

We both stared at each other as I allowed that to sink in... a combination of humor and hurt...

I asked him what I should do and he told me to turn up the TV and ask Billy to simply repeat himself...

Billy has really been a trouper about this. Thanks for the link on the lip reading. I'll check it out!

Huh? what?!

Nords

Quote:

And I can still hear what my teenager is thinking... especially if she's not listening!

I love it!

Be well,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement

[Khan]

I have heard of and observed situations (including my parents) where older married men do not hear most things said in a woman's voice.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khan I have heard of and observed situations (including my parents) where older married men do not hear most things said in a woman's voice.

Dammit, Khan, you're giving away all the guy secrets! That's called "active listening"...

[FinanceDude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khan I have heard of and observed situations (including my parents) where older married men do not hear most things said in a woman's voice.

I call it "selective listening"...........