Hello

soulchill

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I'm hard of hearing, combination of illness and exposure to loud noises. My hearing continues to worsen. I'm at the wonderful stage of making enough not to get help on getting HA, yet too many bills and other priorities to do it now.

I'm learning ASL, taking lessons every week. I might enroll for regular classes, but so far the schedule isn't very agreeable. I still have a ways to go, mostly the hearing loss is an inconvenience and nuisance to communicating at work and with family. Lot's of whats, never minds, and frustration on both sides. But for the most part, I still get by OK.

Sometimes it's harder to deal with than others, but think I'm past the worst of it now. It bothers me when I notice things are different, but seem to get over it faster. I might get HA in the Fall, but it depends on things. At work, my verbal communication and need for hearing has gone down, and my kids are moving further away. So if I'm not really communicating that much, they might just drop some more on the priority list.
 
Welcome aboard. I will say that as a person who went without aids for a long time, getting them has really made day to day life easier. It's one of those things where you probably don't realize how bad it is until it's better, you know? So, good luck on getting some. Have you had an audiogram done? If you have and get a copy, it lets you shop around for aids a bit.
 
Yeah, had one done. My worst loss is in the upper range. I did a sample of some devices that help, too. Was surprised it did help. By the time I shop, I'll need another one. I live in a pretty rural area, and just recently noticed that I don't hear fire trucks until they are pretty close by. So I'm watching around me more.
 
You may be able to get a loan or a CareCredit card to pay for the HAs. I was able to get a low interest loan from a credit union with the help of an organization in my state (DE) to pay for my 1st pair of expensive aids. Then when My husband passed away & I had his life insurance $$, I used a CareCredit card then paid it off monthly using the life insurance $$. The CarCredit card is interest free IF you pay it off within the slotted time else the interest that has accrued is added to the balance due, so make sure you can afford to pay it off within that time (the time to payoff varies).
 
Depending on your employment status, you can check with the Department of Vocal Rehabilitation in your state. Not all states do this, but some fund deaf/hard of hearing on hearing aids, finding employment, and maybe even college courses.
 
Yeah, things are pretty complicated here. I did check out the rehab center, more just to find some resources and try out some of the other things that could help out (amplifiers and phone things). I've just got a bunch of debt and bad credit to deal with first, but will work it out.
 
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