My new aids have changed my whole life

Since I got fitted with hearing aids through Brad, it has changed my whole life. I had hearing aids for 5 years from another company, and they didn’t do anything for me. I got new ones from the same people, and they still didn’t work, and they weren’t worth wearing so I handed them back. My wife Ruth continued to have to yell at me to be heard. So when I was fitted with new beautiful sounding hearing aids, it was an event that changed my life.

When my new hearing aids were first switched on, immediately I couldn’t get over how clearly I heard speech. I don’t know how long it had been since I last heard rain on the roof, or birds’ sounds. I’m constantly finding important little things that count, like being able to chat to my neighbour instead of feeling the need to rush inside because I lacked the confidence to stand and try to have a conversation. I can even hear conversation on the bus or in the car. Hearing isn’t such a strenuous effort anymore and I feel so much more relaxed.

What’s really interesting is that people I know are commenting on my changed personality, even Ruth. She has needed to shout at me for so long that it’s second-nature to her, and now I have to ask her to lower her voice because shouting isn’t necessary. And the Parson at church has noticed a big difference, and we have a joke between us that part of me has been born again. It’s great to be able to hang around after the service and have a chat now, without missing the point of the conversation. I can hear every word of what is said and there is no longer the challenge of making a cohesive story from what previously I would have misheard.

At family gatherings, understanding the flow of conversation was a real challenge for me previously because everyone spoke at the same time. I’d catch a word here or there and make up the story for myself. I’d try to contribute to the conversation, but that would result in a huge burst of laughter from everyone while they made a big joke of what I’d said.

I can now laugh at how it used to be, because I’ve been on a high since I got the aids. I want to thank the people at Brad Hutchinson Hearing for the fresh start in life they’ve given me. No turning back now.

Leo Nitschke