appropriate or not?

[Kender]

I had an interesting interaction today. As alot of you know I am new to this community and as such I am noticing things that I would not have thought twice about a month ago. I was at a hallmark store in riverview and when I was at the cash register the lady behind the counter greeted me and asked if I had thier specialty card (the one that gives discounts or reward points or whatever). Well, I heard her speach pattern and for some reason I immediately looked at her ears. You guessed it, 2 bte HAs. My guess is that she has had a profound loss from an early age and has put alot of time and effort into speech therapy ( I have to commend her for that, it's alot of work). My wife said she had a card but not on her, so the cashier asked for the last name. My wife spelled it but the lady had to ask her to repeat the spelling. I noticed that she was looking directly at my wife and then would look straight at me when I said something. A month ago I wouldn't have picked this up, but now I guess I am on the look out. She couldn't find the last name in the computer so she asked for a phone#. When I gave it to her I said the first part and then waited for her to look at me before saying the rest, I can only figure she was reading lips to suppliment her HAs for the words/numbers that were unexpected.

I desperately wanted to ask her about her HAs, if she like them, what brand, how long she has had that pair, etc. Since I am researching which HAs to get I didn't figure this would be a social no no.......however I do not currently have HAs, nor do I have any other clues that she may pick up on to indicate that I am HOH so I could easily see her thinking I am some hearie wanting to gawk at her. I know maybe a handfull of signs (and I'm not sure those are all that good), the alphabet and 1-10. The few signs that I know don't really string together to make any kind of idea so I couldn't even say "Hi, I'm D.J. can I ask you about your HAs?" I figure this would be the best way to ask my question and convey the message that I am genuine not casually curious.

Would it have been wrong for me to ask? Could I have just said I am HOH and would you mind if I asked about your HAs?


Help me keep from sticking my foot in my mouth.

thanks

 

[Buffalo]

Welcome to the AD!
I have two hearing aids. I only compared my HAs with some friends, never for research purposes. The hearing aids store tested my hearing and decided which HAs is best for me. I get to try out few of them to see which one sounds good to me. My HAs are very powerful and won't be good for someone with mild hearing loss.

 

[pek1]

Kender,

Yes, by all means you could have asked! I would start out by saying, "Excuse me, but I couldn't help notice that you wear two hearing aids. Can I ask you about them, as the audiologist told me I need them." If she does, great; if not, don't take it personally.

 

[Kender]

Thanks. If anyone was to refuse my request for info, I wouldn't take it personal. I am a total stranger and they may be sensative to the subject, no reason for me to ruffel thier feathers.


I understand that a HA for one person may not work for another, but people can have good or bad feedback about thier HAs and if a certain company puts out an inferior product it would be good to know. Kinda like cars, one may suit me where as an suv may be what you need.....however the company that makes them and backs them up is what gives a good name/reputation. In the range I am in, the power bte's start right at my lowest loss, where as the cic's top out just above my worst loss, so a bte mini is probably where I am headed. I just haven't heard form anyone that has used the resound HAs and can give me feedback about thier experience, comfort, technology, customer service if thier was an issue, etc.

thanks

 

[Cheri]

I wouldn't mind if a total stranger ask me questions regarding about my deafness or technology devices, and I don't think she would have mind either, if you were that interesting.

Only your audiologist would know which hearing aids would be the best suit for you. They have many different type of hearing aids styles, such as completely-in-the-canal hearing aids, in-the-canal hearing aids, in-the-ear hearing aids, behind-the-ear hearing aids.

I used to wear behind the ear hearing aids , but I no longer use any hearing aids because my insurance won't pay for a new set.

 

[Kender]

I wouldn't mind if a total stranger ask me questions regarding about my deafness or technology devices, and I don't think she would have mind either, if you were that interesting.

Only your audiologist would know which hearing aids would be the best suit for you. They have many different type of hearing aids styles, such as completely-in-the-canal hearing aids, in-the-canal hearing aids, in-the-ear hearing aids, behind-the-ear hearing aids.

I used to wear behind the ear hearing aids , but I no longer use any hearing aids because my insurance won't pay for a new set.

Insurance sucks for hearing devices. well for most people it does. What I can't figure out is why they won't cover it. I have sleep apnea and my insurance will buy a new machine every 6-12 months as needed ($500 cost for machine) and a new mask every 60 days ($100 per mask) so I could easily get $1600 worth of equipment in a year. Then they would pay for any brace that I needed, like a knee brace, xrays, blood work, hospital stay for pulmonary embolism, etc. You would think that if you can't hear they would want you to, if you can't hear someone yell watch out and you get knocked on the head by a baseball, or run over by a bicyclist, or some nutty kid on a 4 wheeler........yet they will pay for the cost of repairing all those injuries. They just finally got smart a few years ago and covered birth control across the board. They realized it's cheaper to cover a pill than to pay for a birth. I got extreeeeeeeeemly lucky that I have good insurance. They actually cover $1500 per year towards HAs. This is one of those things that the government should have grants/programs for. If you can't walk someone somewhere can get you a wheel chair, if you can't hear it should be the same.

 

[pek1]

. . . If you can't walk someone somewhere can get you a wheel chair, if you can't hear it should be the same.

We can dream, can't we?

On a more serious note, that's why I go through my state's rehab services.

 

[Kender]

I wasn't too happy when I first heard about how much the HAs cost and how much my insurance covered.......but then I kept hearing about how other insurances don't do jack, needless to say that picked my spirits up a few notches.

 

[Kaitin]

Thanks. If anyone was to refuse my request for info, I wouldn't take it personal. I am a total stranger and they may be sensative to the subject, no reason for me to ruffel thier feathers.

Hi, Kender: If you don't take it personal, no problem I think. I am not certain I would want questions like those during work, when I am trying to do my job, be understood, understand others. I usually don't mind questions, even from people who hear. But I could imagine feeling embarassed or too personal at work.

I agree with asking audiologists about HAs. They are your best information source. Good luck!

 

[Kender]

Hi, Kender: If you don't take it personal, no problem I think. I am not certain I would want questions like those during work, when I am trying to do my job, be understood, understand others. I usually don't mind questions, even from people who hear. But I could imagine feeling embarassed or too personal at work.

I agree with asking audiologists about HAs. They are your best information source. Good luck!

I agree, some people may not feel comfortable, and had it been a busy supermarket cashier or something similar I wouldn't have thought about it, but this is in a halmark store that had maybe 5 other people (including employees) in the entire store. This is why I wouldn't figure it to be issue as far as work environment.

 

[Tousi]

Hi, Kender: If you don't take it personal, no problem I think. I am not certain I would want questions like those during work, when I am trying to do my job, be understood, understand others. I usually don't mind questions, even from people who hear. But I could imagine feeling embarassed or too personal at work.

I agree with asking audiologists about HAs. They are your best information source. Good luck!

On the other hand, at work, people raising those kind of questions is because this stuff is new to them and the more you inform them, the work relationship should improve; of course, like anywhere else, there's bound to be the usual jerks but even they have to tread carefully in the work situation.