Look What I Heard

Yesterday, I got my hearing aides! It's funny the things I didn't know I wasn't hearing! The first thing I had to do when I left the doctor's office was TURN DOWN THE RADIO IN MY CAR! Oh my gosh, it was loud! The second thing I noticed was the engine of my car. I could tell my car was running. There have been times that I have tried to turn my car on, only to discover it was already on! Not a good noise without hearing aides...hopefully I won't hear it any more.

So, what other sounds was I missing?

Water running in a pot...

Water boiling...

Snack paper rattling...

Cora Bell pecking dog food out of my hand...

Leaves crunching under my feet...

Riley Dog's charms clanking...

The train went by SuzAnna's Antiques today while I was chatting with Pretty Sam. The conductor doesn't believe he is doing his job unless the horn on the train drowns out all other sounds for at least 45 seconds! If you're on the phone, you just have to tell folks to hold on until the Horny Conductor eases on down the road! I thought I was going to have to remove the hearing aides from my ears! YIKES!!

The funniest think I heard was Riley Dog being a Bad Dog! I heard rustling. I went through my mental list of what was on the counter. I had put the breakfast dishes in the washer. I went in the kitchen to check. With the pantry door open, he had found his box of treats, opened it up, and helped himself!

Renee, was it you who asked about the pink thing behind one of the hat photos last week? Here he is in all of his glory. The Pink Pig of SuzAnna's Antiques. Rumor has it that Piggy could be sporting a new paint job soon. Will he become a lady bug? A turtle? A yellow submarine? A cow? Stay tuned!

Here's to Feeling Better!

My buddy, Susie, went to the hospital in the early part of last week because of back pain. All it took was a funny twist while putting a piece of firewood in the fireplace, and POP, she was off her feet! She has beaten the hell out of breast cancer, but the cure has left some bones a little brittle. So, while she waited for the doctors to figure out how to treat her, they pumped her full of pain killers....so much so that she stopped breathing. Her daughter, Jenny was with her and experienced the scariest day of her life. But, because she was there, Susie is still here!


Susie and I opened SuzAnna's Antiques almost 4 years ago. Last year, I left to drag a child through the 7th grade and Jenny bought out my share. Fortunately, Susie was more than understanding of my home situation.

She has a knack for creating beauty out of everything she touches. She can see the most unusual item, say, an old tractor seat, and place it amongst flowers and birdbaths in the garden and turn it into a focal point. She uses fabric, prisms, buttons, cards, wood and metal all mixed together to create a gorgeous display. I can't believe Country Living hasn't hunted Susie down and forced her to let them do a photo shoot. I know it is just a matter of time!

The hardest part about her back injury is going to be waiting for someone else to move things for her. There have been times when she has drug an armoire across the shop all by herself. She thinks nothing of swinging from the rafters while hanging a chandelier. She is such a neat person and I'm so glad she is feeling better and finally out of the hospital!

Susie, relax, read blogs, do paperwork, pore over Flea Market Style for the 8th time, watch the videos on your must watch list, and just feel better! Let me know when you're ready for company. You can sit on your couch and point to the things that need to be done and I'll get it done! (I don't make this offer very often!)


As for me, I went to the ENT last week and found out that tubes would not work for me. They tested my hearing again and the results were the same...My hearing sucks! So, I spent some time with Dr. Catalano looking at hearing aides and trying them on. I was glad to find one that doesn't look like a wad of gum shoved in my ear! I have always found these a little "orthopedic" looking. This one hooks behind my ear and a small wire with a mushroom cap on the end fits into my ear. It looks like this...


Dr. C can program the hearing aides to correct the frequencies I'm not hearing. While I was wearing them, I could hear s and t. I didn't realize I wasn't hearing those sounds. Literally, folks could be talking "shit" about me and all I would hear is "i"! I tend to be a hand talker. When I was telling Dr. C something, I smacked my hand on her desk and heard my ring hit the wood. I hadn't heard that sound in a very long time. I hadn't even realized the sounds I was missing! I'll have new improved ears in another week. I can't wait!

What Did You Say?

For the last month or so, I have noticed my hearing has been getting worse and worse. When Granny lost her hearing about 10 years ago, we noticed that she would smile and nod whenever she didn't understand what we were saying. We could have gotten her to agree with just about anything. Well, I have found myself doing the same thing. I'll ask folks to repeat themselves one or two times. If I still can't understand them, I change the subject or just nod.

Huh?

I also remember from Granny, hearing aids cost a minimum of $3000 10 years ago, they must be pushing $5000 or so now. So, I have been pretending my hearing loss wasn't happening because there were no spare $1000 bills laying around the house.

What did you say?

Last night, I mentioned to my husband that I had really been having a hard time hearing. He said he had noticed, not so much from me asking him to repeat himself, but from me yelling at him and the boys for not answering me. Oops! Sorry about that, fellas! I told him my concerns about the cost of hearing aids. He said to at least see Dr. Moore and make sure there isn't something else wrong first.

Eh?

This morning, I called to schedule an appointment thinking it would be a few weeks out. Instead, they asked if I could be there by 11:30. If I kicked my butt into high gear, I could make it.

Why aren't you answering me?

When Nurse Donna hooked me up to the decibel machine, she said my hearing, particularly on the left side, was not good. They had done the same test about 3 years ago and in comparison, both ears have gotten worse.

What's that?

When Dr. Moore came in, he had a look inside my ears and exclaimed that I had enough fluid floating on my eardrums to fill a juice glass. Hearing aids wouldn't be necessary. He is in the process of scheduling an appointment for me to see an Ear Nose and Throat guy. If they put tubes in my ears to drain out the fluid, I should be able to hear much better. And, yep, my insurance will cover it.

I can't hear you!

Most folks who get tubes in their ears are about 4 years old and have lots of ear infections. I'm 44 and just have a high pitched squeal. No hearing aids yet, but I do think they are in my future. All of that loud music in high school and college.

Smile and nod