HOH33stars
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2008
- Messages
- 134
- Reaction score
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Hello all!
I've been lurking around this site for quite a long time-I just signed up though. I'm 22 years old and just returned back to college this summer. I'm double majoring in Art Education and Education of the Deaf and HOH. I've been working in retail management for the past 4 years...
I always knew that I had trouble hearing...especially with working in management...but I adapted and "faked it" for a really long time. I never thought much about any of it...the constantly asking people to repeat things, not understand people when I couldn't see their lips, hating the phone, people telling me I talk way too loud or I have everything way too loud...
ANYWAY, so returning to school made me realize...there's a big "problem". I've been totally screwed in my lectures (to put it rather lightly)...so I figured I'd talk to my ASL teacher about getting my hearing tested (my college runs a speech and hearing clinic...)
I "failed" miserably. So coming to terms with the fact that yes, I AM HOH, has been quite interesting...and I'm still struggling.
In any case...the audiologist had put a set of headphones on me and asked me to tell her when I could understand her...she kept turning the headphones up to a point where I was like...oh my goodness, I can hear!!! I could completely understand her!
That's where the hearing aids come in. I need to get a set of hearing aids (for both ears)...I've never had them before (obviously). Here's the thing though...I'm a college student. I'm broke. I can't afford to go out and get 2000 dollar hearing aids. I have a meeting with my state's OVR this wednesday...however I'm petrified that they'll say I'm not at a level where they'll financially support me. Also I'm afraid that the entire process will take months...where as I'm going to be in fulltime classes come the fall. Right now I'm barely getting through two classes a day at this rate (I walk out exhausted and completely frustrated because I'm not understanding a thing)...
I need to get a set of ear molds for an FM system, but I can't do it until I meet with OVR to find out whether they'll financially support me or not. So I'm trying to prepare myself also for if they don't help me out.
I found a few websites with hearing aids...but obviously I don't know what's good and what isn't...
I decided after doing a TON of research...I don't want in the canal aids...I want behind the ear...whether it's open fit or the regular ones with the shells in the ear...
I was looking at Hearing Aids - Digital Hearing Aids - Order Online Today!
And was looking at the Rexton but I don't know anything about them. Are they any good? There's also this other website...Hearing Central
but I don't know anything about them either...
Does anyone have any advice? Experiences with any of these? What did you do if you couldn't afford the hearing aids? My insurance doesn't cover these, and my parents don't want anything to do with any of this...the school's clinic will do all the testing for free, however they don't dispense hearing aids...
Help? All of this is so much to process...I'm working on "self-advocacy"...but I'm finding myself locked up in a shell. I can type and say that I'm "hard of hearing" but especially since I don't understand people a lot, I don't talk more than I have to or initiate a lot of conversation...
In any case...sorry for this being so long. If you read it all, wow I'm impressed!
I think you all are amazing, and I'm so excited to be a part of this community...people who actually understand!
I've been lurking around this site for quite a long time-I just signed up though. I'm 22 years old and just returned back to college this summer. I'm double majoring in Art Education and Education of the Deaf and HOH. I've been working in retail management for the past 4 years...
I always knew that I had trouble hearing...especially with working in management...but I adapted and "faked it" for a really long time. I never thought much about any of it...the constantly asking people to repeat things, not understand people when I couldn't see their lips, hating the phone, people telling me I talk way too loud or I have everything way too loud...
ANYWAY, so returning to school made me realize...there's a big "problem". I've been totally screwed in my lectures (to put it rather lightly)...so I figured I'd talk to my ASL teacher about getting my hearing tested (my college runs a speech and hearing clinic...)
I "failed" miserably. So coming to terms with the fact that yes, I AM HOH, has been quite interesting...and I'm still struggling.
In any case...the audiologist had put a set of headphones on me and asked me to tell her when I could understand her...she kept turning the headphones up to a point where I was like...oh my goodness, I can hear!!! I could completely understand her!
That's where the hearing aids come in. I need to get a set of hearing aids (for both ears)...I've never had them before (obviously). Here's the thing though...I'm a college student. I'm broke. I can't afford to go out and get 2000 dollar hearing aids. I have a meeting with my state's OVR this wednesday...however I'm petrified that they'll say I'm not at a level where they'll financially support me. Also I'm afraid that the entire process will take months...where as I'm going to be in fulltime classes come the fall. Right now I'm barely getting through two classes a day at this rate (I walk out exhausted and completely frustrated because I'm not understanding a thing)...
I need to get a set of ear molds for an FM system, but I can't do it until I meet with OVR to find out whether they'll financially support me or not. So I'm trying to prepare myself also for if they don't help me out.
I found a few websites with hearing aids...but obviously I don't know what's good and what isn't...
I decided after doing a TON of research...I don't want in the canal aids...I want behind the ear...whether it's open fit or the regular ones with the shells in the ear...
I was looking at Hearing Aids - Digital Hearing Aids - Order Online Today!
And was looking at the Rexton but I don't know anything about them. Are they any good? There's also this other website...Hearing Central
but I don't know anything about them either...
Does anyone have any advice? Experiences with any of these? What did you do if you couldn't afford the hearing aids? My insurance doesn't cover these, and my parents don't want anything to do with any of this...the school's clinic will do all the testing for free, however they don't dispense hearing aids...
Help? All of this is so much to process...I'm working on "self-advocacy"...but I'm finding myself locked up in a shell. I can type and say that I'm "hard of hearing" but especially since I don't understand people a lot, I don't talk more than I have to or initiate a lot of conversation...
In any case...sorry for this being so long. If you read it all, wow I'm impressed!
I think you all are amazing, and I'm so excited to be a part of this community...people who actually understand!
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