What would you do if you lost your hearing?

Casey Lowmiller · Post by **Casey Lowmiller** » 9 Oct 2008 11:36 am

I would start listening to that crap that they call "new country" and I would also listen to rap. If my hearing was gone, I would think that these would sound alright!!!

Just my two cents,

Casey

Karen Lee Steenwijk · Post by **Karen Lee Steenwijk** » 9 Oct 2008 12:37 pm

Good one "Casey" But Even in this silent world of mine....I am still hooked on "tradition"I don't think I will ever change!

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 9 Oct 2008 4:53 pm

Jeff: One of my main interests is stereoscopic photography. I can't imagine not being able to see in three dimensions. Horatio Nelson had one eye and he reckoned he had learned to perceive depth by moving his head from side to side.

If I totally lost my hearing I guess I would give up music as a hobby and concentrate on building model railways.

Beethoven continued to compose though he ended up almost completely deaf. Ironically he never got to hear the orchestrations he wrote in later life.

Stuart Legg · Post by **Stuart Legg** » 9 Oct 2008 6:53 pm

If I lost my hearing I'd just sell all my guitars and play the Banjo.

Tracy Sheehan · Post by **Tracy Sheehan** » 10 Oct 2008 10:29 am

cAN'T YOU GUYS SPEAK UP SOME AND NOT MUMBLE? TRACY

Matthew Prouty · Post by **Matthew Prouty** » 10 Oct 2008 11:34 am

Karen,

How long ago did this take place?

Did you doctor prescribe any steroids?

Did you doctor prescribe any anti-viral treatment?

The only proven treatment that can, and only sometimes, reverse even partial the effects of the viral infection are steroids.

I have a dear friend how lost her hearing when she was young. If you find your condition is not reversible I start learning to sign. Signing is a language of its own and is a lot easier then you think. We already use hundreds of signs and don't realize it.

Also you should all realize that these people are contagious, however, similar reactions are rare.

To answer your question:

I would paint and carve leather.

Karen Lee Steenwijk · Post by **Karen Lee Steenwijk** » 10 Oct 2008 12:23 pm

Hello Mathew,I have been on steroids because I have asthma,and COPD. But the doctor started more prednizone just to be sure.I am already deaf in the right ear,and the hearing went completely last week when I had surgery.I am now looking into implants for the left and right ear.I have been studying the "sign language" and yes its not so hard to do.The thing that is most annoying is I can not use my amp playing my steel because of the bass,and the tininess.It is very sharp on the left ear,and actually hurts.Thank-you for the suggestions.I am looking into all options.
God Bless

Karen

Matthew Prouty · Post by **Matthew Prouty** » 10 Oct 2008 1:45 pm

Karen,

Good to hear that you have your bases covered. I believe that artistry is in us in all forms and just needs to be tapped.

While performing arts may have been your first choice do not discount writing music, composing, and other non-performing art forms.

Beethoven composed some of his most revered works after losing his hearing.

Mateo

Jeff Hyman · Post by **Jeff Hyman** » 10 Oct 2008 4:03 pm

Alan,

Bouncing your head from left to right like an Owl doesn't work :-) What it does do is let you know which object may be closer then another in the same line of sight... providing one of the objects intersects the other.

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 10 Oct 2008 4:42 pm

I'd phone Bill Hankey and engage him in meaningful dialogue.

Jeff Hyman · Post by **Jeff Hyman** » 11 Oct 2008 7:47 am

Steve,

Is it my one blind eye, or is you head cut in half? :-)

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 11 Oct 2008 10:57 am

I CANNOT HEAR YOU. CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER?

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 11 Oct 2008 11:12 am

Jeff Hyman wrote:...Bouncing your head from left to right like an Owl doesn't work What it does do is let you know which object may be closer then another in the same line of sight... providing one of the objects intersects the other.

Yes, you're right. It won't give you stereoscopic vision. For that you need simultaneous stereo pairs. But it will give a sense of comparative distance.

This is a stereo pair of my friend Roderick Blocksidge playing the theorbo. It can be viewed in 3D by crossing your eyes so that the images overlap, and then refocusing. (Make sure that your head is not tilted.)
The convergeance and focusing of one's eyes is done by separate muscles, and we're used to adjusting them both together, but with practice you can adjust them individually.

...of course, you have to have two working eyes to do this.

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 11 Oct 2008 11:13 am

Well, I would point out that Beethoven was deaf when he wrote the 9th symphony. And I might also point out that I have a wide variety of interests. Steel guitar is something I would just have to eliminate. But I think that actually being deaf would make me realize that there is alot more to it than not being able to play steel. I would lose my job, for one. I would have to find other ways of dealing with alot of things that I currently use my ears for-such as knowing when I was being overtaken by a motor vehicle on my bicycle. I'm sure it's harder than it seems at first to most people.

Lynn Carney · Post by **Lynn Carney** » 11 Oct 2008 11:28 am

Hi, Karen. You know I've been concerned about you. Keep your spirits up.

Something to consider: check out your medicines and prescription drugs. Many can be ototoxic - which means they damage hearing. Be particularly aware of antibiotics like Neomycin (sometimes used in ear washes/irrigation by doctors during procedures - dangerous because it stays in the inner ear for a long time), loop diuretics like Lasix can damage hearing, BP meds - even aspirin and iodine have been known to cause hearing loss in some people.

There's a book called: WHEN THE HEARING GETS HARD - Winning the Battle Against Hearing Impairment - Medicines that May Make You Deaf by Elaine Suss.

My copy was printed in '96, but there could be a reprint out now. You can do a Google search and usually find side effects on any med. Antibiotics are the worst. Don't be afraid to ask your doctor about this - and fight for yourself.

Tell them no more ototoxic meds. Period.

You just can't be too careful, especially now. Thinking of you, girlfriend. Don't give up.

Lynn

William Matthews · Post by **William Matthews** » 11 Oct 2008 10:13 pm

I don't know what I would do, but I will say with all that's been said, I again realize how blessed by GOD I've been. In the meantime, I'm going to pray for you, and hope that GOD may grant one more miracle.

Karen Lee Steenwijk · Post by **Karen Lee Steenwijk** » 12 Oct 2008 4:06 am

Thank-you William!nice to meet you. Lynn I pretty much have all that covered. I am one that takes all precautions when taking my meds,Thank you also.

Karen

Terry Kinnear · Post by **Terry Kinnear** » 12 Oct 2008 4:41 am

Hi Karen, hoping everthing is alright. man .not to be able to hear ron ,play the steel.wow. Ron is a great steel player. If you have not heard Ron playing steel.Your missing out. I think its great he is teaching young kids to play. I"ll keep you in my prayers.things will work out.Tk ps have ron call tonite.

Karen Lee Steenwijk · Post by **Karen Lee Steenwijk** » 12 Oct 2008 6:30 am

Hey Terry,how are you? Okay will do !

Eric Philippsen · Post by **Eric Philippsen** » 12 Oct 2008 5:03 pm

The subject of hearing loss goes hand-in-hand with one of its remedies. And that is hearing aids. For what they are and what they do it is pretty close to robbery what many of them cost. The fact is they are all simply small amplifiers with some having a few extra features. They don't cost a lot to manufacture and and they are not technically complex. Getting "fitted" for them is not a procedure that is as serious as sellers lead people to believe. Yet people continue to be conned into paying thousands for what amounts to a miniaturized amp with a volume control.

Eric Philippsen · Post by **Eric Philippsen** » 12 Oct 2008 5:03 pm

Oops, double post.

Jamie Lennon · Post by **Jamie Lennon** » 13 Oct 2008 2:48 am

What ??????????????

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 13 Oct 2008 6:00 am

In all seriousness to your post, I've been very lucky in my life to have not lost my hearing. I began shooting guns at an early age, played extrememly loud rock & roll, was subject to loud helicopter noises and field artillery, went back to loud stage music and worked 35 yrs. with loud construction equipment. Most of it done without hearing protection! I wear hearing protection now, though. Back then, I always cast it aside. If I lost my hearing completely, I'd be in a serious state of depression until I died. My true passion, the steel guitar, would be nothing if I couldn't hear it. A piece of my heart would be dead forever. I thank GOD that, I have been fortunate in not losing my hearing. I teasure all my senses and I do the utmost to protect them daily.

Karen Lee Steenwijk · Post by **Karen Lee Steenwijk** » 13 Oct 2008 6:54 am

John and Eric, nice to meet you...It seems that everyday we take for granted our sights,or hearing as well as our physical body.We as "musicians" allow ourselves to be in direct lines of music that is so loud sometimes that we never realize what can happen.I hope that this post reaches many people and that they understand how quick something like this can happen to them. There are many young musicians just starting out and the music that they play is so "loud" they cant even hear themselves play.I hope that they can learn from this .When we are younger "loud music" is the in thing even in "Our Cars" the radios blast .... and then years later is when the problems begin.Mine was caused from being in "headphones" recording half my life,plus just having so many operations.
As for the hearing aides...yes they are quit expensive but when one needs "amplification" just for everyday hearing...we must pay for it.Its amazing that an implant that cost 20,000 is covered by insurance,and a hearing aide that is 3,000 is not.But if you need one as I do just to hear its worth it.

Karen

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