I Can't HEAR You!

In Ear (above)

Open Fit

Got another ear infection -- the cost of being able to hear by having one of those high-tech digital hearing instruments stuffed into one's ear canal is that you have to keep the sucker clean. Now and then, if you get in a hurry and jam the aid in without making sure it is pristine? In the warm, wet, and dark environment thus created on a daily basis, you turn your ear into a petri dish ...

Fortunately, I have some of those expensive antibiotic drops left from last go-round. I mentioned those here once -- hundred and twenty bucks for a ten ml. bottle, and fortunately insurance covers most of that. A couple days with that and a cotton ball plug and I should be right as rain.

In the interim, though, I am effectively deaf on one side, and it is surprising how much you notice you can't hear when you suddenly have half the input stopped up. Before, I could hear the dog's hearts beating from across the room, but now, I can barely hear that five feet away ...

Next round, I'm gonna go for the open-fit style, since I'll probably have to have two anyhow. Rides behind your ear, and the amp-bud doesn't touch the inside of the ear canal. Better for stopping feedback, too. Latest version apparently uses something like Blue Tooth, so two of them can talk to each other and automatically adjust for various noise levels in something like a hundredth of a second.

Bionic Steve, and welcome to the future ...

When people ask me if listening to loud rock and roll or shooting guns damages your ears, you know what I answer?

Ehh?! Say what? Excuse me ... ?