Testing hearing aids this week

My wife has insisted for some time that my hearing sucks. Meanwhile, I think she’s a bit of a low talker.

I had my ears checked this week by an audiologist, and my hearing is “borderline” normal except for a particular band of frequencies in which I have achieved “mild” hearing loss. And it just so happens that the typical adult female voice falls within those same range of frequencies.

My wife has some new leverage in our little debate.

The audiologist said it’s my choice whether to try hearing aids now, since my hearing loss is only mild, but that I’m probably going to need them in 5–7 years. Ever the curious cat, I decided to try a demo pair.

The effect was subtle at first. I even asked her, “Are they on?” I couldn’t tell. But I’m now three days in, and I’m appreciating them more and more.

We did family movie night this weekend, and it was literally the only time in our family’s history that my wife wanted to turn the volume up while I was completely fine with it. Usually I’m aspiring toward theater-esque volumes. I’ve been telling myself it’s because I want the IMAX experience at home, but perhaps I’m also trying to fill some gaps in the spectrum.

We went to a food cart for lunch yesterday and sat outside in a somewhat crowded area, with many people chatting nearby. My wife whispered at me, without leaning in, to turn around and look at a guy’s earring. (It was shaped like a huge tooth.) Instead of my typical response, “Huh?” I just turned around and looked. Her eyes lit up. “Ooh, this is fun!” She was referring to the fact that I can actually hear her whisper now. She whispers all the time as a means of covert communication around our kids. But it doesn’t work so well when I ask her to repeat her secret messages at volume.

I also suspect I’m feeling more alert, especially later in the day. Apparently this is common, as the aids reduce listening fatigue. It’s tiring when your brain has to put in extra work to make sense of sounds all day long.¹

So, the hearing aids may be here to stay. I have slight qualms about that, since I’m only 46. But they’re not too glaring a change in my visage. My wife, who sees everything, didn’t even notice that I had them in on that first day until I mentioned it several hours later. Maybe we can incorporate them into foreplay.