All things considered, I’m in pretty good shape for a guy who has had as many birthdays as I have had.
August 18, 2008 (Monday)
A few years ago, I answered the telephone one day and could not understand what the voice on the other end of the line was saying. I switched ears that day, and soon learned that it was a permanent switch. I hear a lot, but many times I find myself trying to figure out what was just said. It’s getting worse, gradually. In recent months, if someone is watching television with me, I find myself asking, “what did he say?” Annoying to me and the person who has to tell me.
One day I discovered the menu on my remote control has a setting for “Closed Caption.” Wonderful. It puts the words in writing on the screen. I don’t have to guess at what was said anymore. I have discovered “Closed Caption.”
Now if I could just get a portable screen in front of my face when I talk with people. Once upon I time, people said things to me, I heard them, and then I answered them. There’s more to the process now. People say things to me, I listen, and then reconstruct in my mind the parts of the sentence I heard, then I try to piece together the fragments and come to a conclusion about what may have just been said. Finally, I reply. Most of the time, I reply with a question, “What?”
Up to now I still hear fairly well with one ear. Let’s hope it stays that way. All things considered, I’m in pretty good shape for a guy who has had as many birthdays as I have had. Not everyone is as fortunate. Believe me, I am thankful.