Consultant appointment

I did not want to get up this morning. I had an appointment to see a consultant for my hearing. I just wanted to snuggle right back down in bed and go back to sleep. I'm just so utterly sick and tired of having hearing tests.

For the past 5-6 years I've been having hearing tests bi-annually, so I know what to do. I could do it in my sleep (well okay, no I couldn't as when I'm asleep I'm dead to the world). But you get the point. Yet every time someone always talks me through it.

'Have you had a hearing test before?'
'Yes.'
'So you know what to do?'
'Yes.'
'Okay. So anyway, what you do is...'

So I really didn't want to go to hospital, do another heating test, and then be told that they're still not 100% sure what's causing my hearing loss.

Luckily, I was in for a pleasant surprise! The consultant had all my previous hearing test results so didn't need me to do another one. And... he actually took the time to talk to myself and my parents and really explain what's going on.

My hearing loss is caused by damage in my inner ear. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell if it is nerve damage, damage to the cochlear or damage to the neurons leading to the brain (no - this does not make me brain damaged!) or if the tiny hair in my inner ear are not working properly.

It's a shame we can't find out for certain what's causing it, but it wouldn't really make any difference. We know for sure that it's not damage to the bone, so an operation is out. However, it's not all doom and gloom.

There is no way of knowing what my hearing will do in 10, 20 or 30 years' time. I had always been lead to believe that In 2o years I will be deaf. This could still be the case. It could also be the case that my hearing stays as it is now. They have no idea what my hearing will do. So that's good - I may not go completely deaf. Fingers crossed!

And there's other good news: if my hearing does get worse and it gets so bad that hearing aids do nothing, then I can have a cochlear implant.

There was also quite an amusing bit where the consultant asked me to take my hearing aid out while he put a tuning fork behind my ear to see if I could hear it. He then started talking to me. I had to remind him that I didn't have my hearing aids in, so couldn't hear him.

I think he was slightly embarrassed at that - he's a consultant for people with hearing problems, and he forgot I was deaf... Whoops. So he turned to face me so I could read his lips.

So. It's good to have some answers. Even if there are still uncertainties. At least I know - vaguely - what the cause of my hearing loss is and that I will always have to wear either hearing aids or cochlear implants.

Deaf Girl