Help me hear (hearing aids for Leigh-Ann)
Donation protected
A brief background - From the age of 6 I had to have grommets in my ears. After 2 years if they haven't fallen out naturally they are supposed to be surgically removed. Unfortunately I was lost in the system and mine were left in for 14 years which left me needing multiple surgeries to fix my ear drums. The damage and the surgeries caused thick scarring on my ear drums which has left me with considerable hearing loss.
I have struggled trying to lip read to get me by, but when I started working for a a call centre two years ago it forced me to get help. The hearing aids I got from the NHS are not compatible with my ears and they amplify all sounds rather than what I actually need to listen to which didn’t help at all. With everything just being made louder rather than clearer I was still left having to rely on lip reading and I ended up giving up with them as they were no help at all. This was all the NHS could offer and they told me I would have to go private.
Fast forward to today and I was able to see an audiologist and test out some alternative hearing aids. Not truly believing they would be any different, I put them on and WHOAAAAAAA things are supposed to sound like that? Such clarity and the best part is they have noise cancellation so I could hear the things I needed to (they didn't just make every sound louder and distorted!) Tears welled up in my eyes, what have I missed out on? If feels like I have been walking around with sound proof headphones on all of my life.
I have been allowed to take a demo pair of hearing aids home for a few days, and what a difference they make! Just on the street I can hear people's footsteps walking up to me, I can hear cars coming down the road (I've had a few near misses), and so many other sounds I never knew existed.
So here I am, humbled by the fact that I need hearing aids when I’m still so young. This was not something I was expecting to have to buy at 28 and I am embarrassingly and begrudgingly asking for help from all of you. I wish I didn’t have to ask for help from anyone, but the truth is I just can’t make it happen on my own and it would be truly life changing to have them.
Any money that you could spare will go towards a pair of hearing aids. Even if it is a tiny bit it all helps towards the cost which is £2000 - £2500 for the cheapest pair I can get.
I am putting this out into the universe and laying down my pride. Thank you for taking the time to read this and helping me hear.
Leigh -Ann
I have struggled trying to lip read to get me by, but when I started working for a a call centre two years ago it forced me to get help. The hearing aids I got from the NHS are not compatible with my ears and they amplify all sounds rather than what I actually need to listen to which didn’t help at all. With everything just being made louder rather than clearer I was still left having to rely on lip reading and I ended up giving up with them as they were no help at all. This was all the NHS could offer and they told me I would have to go private.
Fast forward to today and I was able to see an audiologist and test out some alternative hearing aids. Not truly believing they would be any different, I put them on and WHOAAAAAAA things are supposed to sound like that? Such clarity and the best part is they have noise cancellation so I could hear the things I needed to (they didn't just make every sound louder and distorted!) Tears welled up in my eyes, what have I missed out on? If feels like I have been walking around with sound proof headphones on all of my life.
I have been allowed to take a demo pair of hearing aids home for a few days, and what a difference they make! Just on the street I can hear people's footsteps walking up to me, I can hear cars coming down the road (I've had a few near misses), and so many other sounds I never knew existed.
So here I am, humbled by the fact that I need hearing aids when I’m still so young. This was not something I was expecting to have to buy at 28 and I am embarrassingly and begrudgingly asking for help from all of you. I wish I didn’t have to ask for help from anyone, but the truth is I just can’t make it happen on my own and it would be truly life changing to have them.
Any money that you could spare will go towards a pair of hearing aids. Even if it is a tiny bit it all helps towards the cost which is £2000 - £2500 for the cheapest pair I can get.
I am putting this out into the universe and laying down my pride. Thank you for taking the time to read this and helping me hear.
Leigh -Ann
Organizer
Leigh-Ann Chant
Organizer
England