The Gift of Hearing
Donation protected
Did you know?
Hearing loss is a major public health issue that is the third most common physical condition after arthritis and heart disease; yet health insurance companies are not required to cover diagnosis or treatment for adults who suffer from loss of hearing?
People with hearing loss wait an average of 7 years before seeking help and over 15 million people avoid seeking treatment, primarily for financial reasons.
Even mild hearing loss can result in social ostracization, workplace difficulties and a decrease in income.
In the case of sensorineural hearing loss, the longer an individual goes without correction, through surgery or hearing aids, the more permanent the loss.
These are only a few of the facts I have learned in the past decade as I have watched my husband suffer from steadily increasing hearing loss.
Scott is 43 years old. We have been married since 1993 and have 6 beautiful children. For the past 22 years Scott has worked in sales. His family says he was born a salesman; in elementary school he sold off his lunch in pieces and saved the profits towards his “future”. Scott has the gifts of communication and hospitality. Our children always marvel at how he can meet someone for the first time and within 15 minutes know all about who they are, where they grew up, what they love doing, and what they are concerned about. I have always known Scott to be confident and capable.
About 12 years ago Scott began to suffer from tinitis – a steady ringing in the ears. At first it was mild and intermittent. As it progressed I began to notice that he was missing small auditory cues: a bell chime, a turn-signal click, a whisper from a child. After a while it just became “normal”. It wasn’t terribly inconvenient and, like many others, Scott dismissed it as just a small nuisance. Life went on.
About 7 years ago we discussed the fact that the ringing was worse and the hearing loss more pronounced. This time we went to see an audiologist. After running tests and doing a physical examination, she explained that Scott’s hearing loss was partially hereditary (most of the men in his family have suffered hearing loss in their later years) and partially due to damage to the sensory organ. The audiologist tried to help me understand the extent of the hearing loss explaining that Scott had approximately a 50% loss in one ear and a 20% loss in the other. What really affected me though was when she played a small segment of a beautiful symphony piece. I listened for a minute or so. Then, she played it again. Only this time she played it as Scott heard it. Entire instrumental sections were missing. Moments of silence broke the melody. I cried and asked my husband, “How do you live like this?” He answered, “You get used to it.”
At that time the cost to provide hearing aids was over $6000. With a growing family and lots of needs, we couldn’t afford it. Insurance did not cover it. So he left without getting help.
In the following years it seemed like Scott’s hearing held steady. Certain situations were difficult, but he became an excellent “speechreader”. As long as he could see a person’s face and mouth as they were speaking, he could function well. But in the past 12 months we have seen a significant change. Scott is experiencing social and workplace difficulties due to his inability to hear well. His interactions with customers have become much more difficult. He can no longer carry on a conversation in the car with us. He struggles to talk with our youngest children because their voices are quieter and higher pitched. At the dinner table, he is often left out of the swirling conversations of our kids. When we are out together I do most of the communicating for him, in restaurants, at parties, in stores.
Today, the technology has improved and suitable hearing aids are less expensive than ever before. However, the issue of hearing loss is still one of the least addressed in America. Insurance companies are still not required to provide any coverage for the treatment of hearing loss. This is shocking! Hearing loss has profound effects on the life of an individual. It affects relationships, careers, and even the emotional and spiritual health of the sufferer.
Will you help us? We need to raise approximately $2750 to cover the cost of evaluating and fitting Scott with appropriate hearing aids. We cannot wait any longer. The longer that he goes without help, the less chance Scott has of returning to a functional level of hearing.
Thank you for considering a donation. Any amount you can give will help us get one step closer to blessing Scott with the gift of hearing.
With much gratitude,
Sarah
Hearing loss is a major public health issue that is the third most common physical condition after arthritis and heart disease; yet health insurance companies are not required to cover diagnosis or treatment for adults who suffer from loss of hearing?
People with hearing loss wait an average of 7 years before seeking help and over 15 million people avoid seeking treatment, primarily for financial reasons.
Even mild hearing loss can result in social ostracization, workplace difficulties and a decrease in income.
In the case of sensorineural hearing loss, the longer an individual goes without correction, through surgery or hearing aids, the more permanent the loss.
These are only a few of the facts I have learned in the past decade as I have watched my husband suffer from steadily increasing hearing loss.
Scott is 43 years old. We have been married since 1993 and have 6 beautiful children. For the past 22 years Scott has worked in sales. His family says he was born a salesman; in elementary school he sold off his lunch in pieces and saved the profits towards his “future”. Scott has the gifts of communication and hospitality. Our children always marvel at how he can meet someone for the first time and within 15 minutes know all about who they are, where they grew up, what they love doing, and what they are concerned about. I have always known Scott to be confident and capable.
About 12 years ago Scott began to suffer from tinitis – a steady ringing in the ears. At first it was mild and intermittent. As it progressed I began to notice that he was missing small auditory cues: a bell chime, a turn-signal click, a whisper from a child. After a while it just became “normal”. It wasn’t terribly inconvenient and, like many others, Scott dismissed it as just a small nuisance. Life went on.
About 7 years ago we discussed the fact that the ringing was worse and the hearing loss more pronounced. This time we went to see an audiologist. After running tests and doing a physical examination, she explained that Scott’s hearing loss was partially hereditary (most of the men in his family have suffered hearing loss in their later years) and partially due to damage to the sensory organ. The audiologist tried to help me understand the extent of the hearing loss explaining that Scott had approximately a 50% loss in one ear and a 20% loss in the other. What really affected me though was when she played a small segment of a beautiful symphony piece. I listened for a minute or so. Then, she played it again. Only this time she played it as Scott heard it. Entire instrumental sections were missing. Moments of silence broke the melody. I cried and asked my husband, “How do you live like this?” He answered, “You get used to it.”
At that time the cost to provide hearing aids was over $6000. With a growing family and lots of needs, we couldn’t afford it. Insurance did not cover it. So he left without getting help.
In the following years it seemed like Scott’s hearing held steady. Certain situations were difficult, but he became an excellent “speechreader”. As long as he could see a person’s face and mouth as they were speaking, he could function well. But in the past 12 months we have seen a significant change. Scott is experiencing social and workplace difficulties due to his inability to hear well. His interactions with customers have become much more difficult. He can no longer carry on a conversation in the car with us. He struggles to talk with our youngest children because their voices are quieter and higher pitched. At the dinner table, he is often left out of the swirling conversations of our kids. When we are out together I do most of the communicating for him, in restaurants, at parties, in stores.
Today, the technology has improved and suitable hearing aids are less expensive than ever before. However, the issue of hearing loss is still one of the least addressed in America. Insurance companies are still not required to provide any coverage for the treatment of hearing loss. This is shocking! Hearing loss has profound effects on the life of an individual. It affects relationships, careers, and even the emotional and spiritual health of the sufferer.
Will you help us? We need to raise approximately $2750 to cover the cost of evaluating and fitting Scott with appropriate hearing aids. We cannot wait any longer. The longer that he goes without help, the less chance Scott has of returning to a functional level of hearing.
Thank you for considering a donation. Any amount you can give will help us get one step closer to blessing Scott with the gift of hearing.
With much gratitude,
Sarah
Organizer
Sarah Arensman
Organizer
Mooresville, NC