Monday 30 April 2018

A Somewhat Scary Experience.

When I answer the telephone I always remove my hearing aid. I answered the telephone at lunch time, removing my hearing aid as usual, then went straight out into town to do one or two jobs.   It was only when I got into the Post Office that I realised I had forgotten to put my aid back in my ear.   I had entered a completely silent world.

Luckily at the Post Office counter I could do the one or two jobs without having to hear what was said to me and then going to the bank I managed too.   But it was frightening.   Everywhere was silent and I hoped that no-one would speak to me or ask me anything.   Luckily I got away with it.

Then Tess and I went for a walk on the way home.   I couldn't hear a single bird singing.  A tractor and roller in the field at the side of the lane was rolling the grass.  The smell was so reminiscent of Spring - I guessed it was happening but when the tractor turned only yards away from me on the other side of the stone wall, it made me jump.   I hadn't heard it coming.   Also I had to keep looking behind me on our lane walk in case a car was coming up behind us.

It was a salutory experience.   It made me thankful for modern aids.   It would be no fun at all to be in a silent world and putting the aid back in my ear suddenly brought the world to life again.

20 comments:

Marion said...

That must have been frightening for you. One of my grandsons was born deaf...or so the doctors said. But thanks to hearing aids (and a praying family who believes in miracles), he can hear perfectly & even gets his hearing aids in different colors. He's 9 now and plays basketball & football. We often take our senses for granted. I hide my glasses from myself daily no matter how determined I try to be to put them in the same place at bedtime. Glad your silent trip turned out okay.

Heather said...

That must have been so unnerving for you. I am lucky to have quite good hearing, but think my sight will gradually deteriorate. I already wear glasses all the time and read and sew a lot so my eyes work hard for me. I am so grateful for the medical care we get and try to take nothing for granted.

Rachel Phillips said...

I occasionally have ear problems and starting in January I went through several weeks of being sometimes completely deaf in both ears, or with my hearing coming and going and out of my control. I had never had it so seriously before, nor in both ears at the same time. I appreciate what you are saying and I know that I found it frightening and disorientating. When I was in London on my three night break, alone, I couldn't hear a thing. I am pleased you can hear with your aids in. My own hearing has returned to normal again.

Sue said...

I know exactly how that feels Pat. Scary isn't it?

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

I used to work with a man with very little hearing and nearly ran him over with the tractor once. He'd turned his aids off as he'd been feeding the pigs (even being deaf has some advantages!)

justjill said...

Yes it is scary. We do not realise we are going deaf for some time, then when hearing aids are prescribed and used the world returns. Same with cataracts, the sight becomes fogged then after the op colour and shapes return. Our NHS is wonderful. Except when we humans are in denial! You got to laugh.

Bonnie said...

I can see where that would be a frightening experience. I am thankful you arrived home okay. Hearing things like this remind me to be thankful for my health and hearing. I am also thankful that your hearing aids help you so that this situation is not a daily occurrence for you!

jinxxxygirl said...

My dear Pat that must have been frightening to say the least! I once knew an elderly lady when i was growing up and she had no sense of smell... Can you imagine?? Now i agree that perhaps smell is not as important a sense as hearing but neither was it something that could be 'fixed' with a device.. Imagine the smells you would miss... Hugs! deb

Joanne Noragon said...

Amazing little devils, aren't they. I put mine in my pockets when I have a hair dresser appointment, then sit in the car and replace them.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

I recently discovered that I have some hearing loss of very high pitches. My daughter was using an app on her cellphone that played sounds as different decibels. I thought she was teasing me when I said I couldn't hear anything, but then discovered that yes, I was the only one who couldn't hear it. The rest of my hearing abilities are pretty good, but I can't imagine what it was like for you when you couldn't hear anything! Very disconcerting. -Jenn

Derek Faulkner said...

Fortunately, despite being 70, both my hearing and eyesight are extremely good, long may it last. I often think about which, out of deaf, dumb or blind would be the worst to suffer and without doubt it is being blind. Providing that you can see, I always imagine that the other two must be bearable.

Gwil W said...

What an interesting experience. Complete silence. Some people retreat to the mountains or deserts to find it, and you can have it whenever the mood takes you. In Vienna I am bombarded by noise on all sides. Only on Sunday's is there some silence. Sunday is still basically a day of rest on Austria. Long may it continue,

Gwil W said...

I see the computer decided wrongly that Sundays must have an apostrophe. I don't trust computers.

Robin Mac said...

What a frightening experience. I am so glad that it was my sight I lost rather than my hearing - and I am still able to see enough for lots of things - just no reading except under a scanner - and I can't drive. Of course I can no longer sew which is distressing, but I can hear the birdsong and listen to music and enjoy conversation with others. We don't realise how much each of our senses means to us till we lose one.

thelma said...

sounds a rather scary experience, though silence can often be welcome. At least with hearing aids putting them down you can find by sight. Glasses are slightly different, you need them on to find them in the first place.

Midmarsh John said...

It is very hard for those of us with reasonable to good hearing to imagine what it must be like to live in a silent world. Like Coffeeontheporchwithme I recently found I was losing my ability to hear high pitched sounds. A few weeks ago I was outside talking to my gardener when he said he couldn't make out where a high pitched whistle was coming from. I couldn't hear it at all. It turned out to be my whistling kettle. Its whistle goes higher the longer the water has been boiling.

Elizabeth said...

Yes, indeed!
Thank heavens for modern science.

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

The good thing was that you knew where you put them. I probably could use them but am so afraid that I if I got them, I would lose them.

My husband wears hearing aids and I suspect that he turns them down when in a conversation with me.

angryparsnip said...

Happy you finished most of your jobs but walking without hearing can be so awful.

cheers. parsnip

Meanqueen said...

I have forgot to put my hearing aid in on occasions, it's awful. Have to look both ways twice before crossing the road, and tell people that I can't hear them before they speak so they know they have to talk louder.