I thought things were bad when I was Diagnosed as having Lewy Body Dementia, but now my hearing has started to play up as well.
For some time I have noticed that I could hear people but did not always understand what they were saying, however I had understood that the brain was taking longer to process the information.
But now it seems, that as well as the slow processing, my hearing was going, so that while I can hear someone talking to me, I do not always pick up what they are saying, which is distressing at times.
I confess there are times when I get to the stage, where it is pointless trying to listen to someone in a meeting when, especially if I can not understand things, so I switch off completely, which has the effect of me getting totally bored.
We do not appreciate things until we don't have them and hearing is one of these essential things.
The worst problem is that I do not hear people walking up behind me, so I get startled and jump, which is embarrassing for my poor wife, but of cause it is a lot worse outside where others can see, and many think it is extremely funny.
I have also had problems because my hearing has been classed as acute in some situations, and this causes problems because I can hear things, being said across a train or a room, where I can not hear my wife who is sat next to me. At first my wife thought that I was ignoring her, then she realised that there was a real problem.
My consultant as said that this is the brain trying to focus on a conversation or a noise, but sadly it is picking the wrong noise up.
A bag of crisps being opened and eaten often sounded like a hangover gone wrong, "absolute hell", and what is more I knew it was not a hang over as I was not allowed to drink at the time.
This was because this noise was being exaggerated by my brain, and partly due to the unbalance in my hearing.
We all take our hearing for granted as well as our brain and never consider what can or will happen when things fall apart.
I feel very sorry for those with dementia, but I do feel that they are also at a big disadvantage when their hearing starts to disappear as well.
Still after seeing the Audiologist it seems that I needed two digital hearing aids, to correct my hearing and also balance things out.
Since getting these hearing aids my life has changed, as I can hear what is being said, and the background noise has been cut down considerably, so I can get through the day without the distress caused by noise blocking out peoples speech.
I am also hearing noises which sound strange, but this is because they are noises that I have not heard for some time.
Looking back It does make me wonder how many others with this illness, struggle with hearing problems and never get anywhere in the way of hearing tests.
I do feel that dementia is bad enough without having a hearing impairment of any kind, as you can never really know what is happening around you and many people think they are just being ignored by us, as they think we do not understand, not the fact that we can not hear voices or basic noises clearly.
We really do not appreciate these things till they are gone, and then we miss them terribly. If you think your hearing is starting to go, don't wait but get it seen to before it gets too bad.
Ken
For some time I have noticed that I could hear people but did not always understand what they were saying, however I had understood that the brain was taking longer to process the information.
But now it seems, that as well as the slow processing, my hearing was going, so that while I can hear someone talking to me, I do not always pick up what they are saying, which is distressing at times.
I confess there are times when I get to the stage, where it is pointless trying to listen to someone in a meeting when, especially if I can not understand things, so I switch off completely, which has the effect of me getting totally bored.
We do not appreciate things until we don't have them and hearing is one of these essential things.
The worst problem is that I do not hear people walking up behind me, so I get startled and jump, which is embarrassing for my poor wife, but of cause it is a lot worse outside where others can see, and many think it is extremely funny.
I have also had problems because my hearing has been classed as acute in some situations, and this causes problems because I can hear things, being said across a train or a room, where I can not hear my wife who is sat next to me. At first my wife thought that I was ignoring her, then she realised that there was a real problem.
My consultant as said that this is the brain trying to focus on a conversation or a noise, but sadly it is picking the wrong noise up.
A bag of crisps being opened and eaten often sounded like a hangover gone wrong, "absolute hell", and what is more I knew it was not a hang over as I was not allowed to drink at the time.
This was because this noise was being exaggerated by my brain, and partly due to the unbalance in my hearing.
We all take our hearing for granted as well as our brain and never consider what can or will happen when things fall apart.
I feel very sorry for those with dementia, but I do feel that they are also at a big disadvantage when their hearing starts to disappear as well.
Still after seeing the Audiologist it seems that I needed two digital hearing aids, to correct my hearing and also balance things out.
Since getting these hearing aids my life has changed, as I can hear what is being said, and the background noise has been cut down considerably, so I can get through the day without the distress caused by noise blocking out peoples speech.
I am also hearing noises which sound strange, but this is because they are noises that I have not heard for some time.
Looking back It does make me wonder how many others with this illness, struggle with hearing problems and never get anywhere in the way of hearing tests.
I do feel that dementia is bad enough without having a hearing impairment of any kind, as you can never really know what is happening around you and many people think they are just being ignored by us, as they think we do not understand, not the fact that we can not hear voices or basic noises clearly.
We really do not appreciate these things till they are gone, and then we miss them terribly. If you think your hearing is starting to go, don't wait but get it seen to before it gets too bad.
Ken