The Old Folks Home

[CapricornFarm]

OK that's fine the computer is in the room, and I can lay in bed all day,

No room service for food. You're going to get hungry.

 

[Blooie]

No, I don't think so. I have 3 or 4 different sounds going on. Not very loud, thank goodness! Mostly low pitched hums. There is one that is two notes, a major second apart (the pitch, I mean) and it pauses on the low, but ALWAYS ends on the higher note.

I lost all hearing in my left ear 10 years ago. I was sitting at the computer and suddenly there was a searing noise in my left ear, then a pop, then nothing. That was in October of 2011. Several trips to the doctor later (“ear infection, take these pills. Sinus infection, use this Flonase……”) the vertigo started. Got a referral to an ENT doctor but he couldn’t get me in until January.

So I finally had my appointment in January 2012. He confirmed “total and absolute hearing loss” in my left ear. Full diagnosis was Sensorineural Hearing Loss with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. In plain English, my ear was broken, but the cause was idiopathic - meaning unknown reasons for it. He was able to stop the vertigo with the Epley Maneuver, which was a total blessing! (I need to have it done again but I just dread it)

Two months later I had my regular follow up with my neurologist. (I also have epilepsy) We told him about it and he ordered an MRI with contrast. Turns out I had had a mini-stroke which killed the nerve that carries sound from my ear to my brain. We could plainly see the little dead white spit on the images. No hope for regaining hearing and no hearing aid that would help. The structure and function of the ear was fine, it was the connection that was broken. Okay, hearing loss was no longer idiopathic….we had a reason it happened.

Fast forward to June or July of 2012. Woke up to the sound of a baby crying. We don’t have a baby! It was loud, sounding like it came from the next room. I heard it all day long. It was like Tinnitus with attitude - persistent, constant in volume, and making me crazy! As weeks went on there were other sounds….waterfalls, 2 pipes clanging together, flies buzzing around my head, sirens, doorbells, toilets repeatedly flushing….it was awful.

Back to the neurologist. Turns out that it is an extremely rare phenomenon, so rare that he is documenting it with each follow up visit. It’s like phantom hearing - my brain knows that my ear should function but doesn’t, so it plugs in sounds from my memory bank. It can be compared to phantom pain in an amputee, except this is sounds. It’s been 10 years of it now….household sounds, traffic sounds, animal sounds…a lifetime of various sounds being pulled at random from my memories. And it’s constant. It’s become like white noise. But when Ken was doing all of his visitations, banquets just about killed me. The hum of all the voices, the sounds of silverware clanking on plates, the MC doing his thing, plus the people at our table all talking was often too much for me. Every sound in the room was going into my hearing ear competing for my attention and I couldn’t separate it out, while in my brain was the cacophony of white noise. The brain noise would increase in volume because of all the other noise. More than a few times I had to excuse myself and go stand outside where it was comparatively quiet just to regroup.

It’s become more like tinnitus through the years, except with sounds, not buzzing or ringing…it’s always there, always different sounds, but it’s not as loud and demanding as it was. It does get much louder in noisy environments. It’s also one of the reasons I decided to quit driving, or at least limit it to “have to” situations. If I want to go somewhere, Ken drives. When I’d hear sirens, I never knew if it was real or phantom sound. If there’s a car passing me on my left, I don’t know it’s there until I see the hood of it, because I can’t hear it coming. (Thank goodness for those little blind spot warning lights on my rear view mirror now) I still swat at imaginary flies. I still check faucets to see if it’s really water running or just in my head. But I don’t think about it constantly. I do notice new sounds. That library is constantly increasing. Frankly I think I could deal much better with tinnitus but this is what I’ve become used to.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Turns off the breaker switch to his room.

Not necessary. He has no food or drinks in his room. And no bathroom. Lol

 

[CapricornFarm]

I lost all hearing in my left ear 10 years ago. I was sitting at the computer and suddenly there was a searing noise in my left ear, then a pop, then nothing. That was in October of 2011. Several trips to the doctor later (“ear infection, take these pills. Sinus infection, use this Flonase……”) the vertigo started. Got a referral to an ENT doctor but he couldn’t get me in until January.

So I finally had my appointment in January 2012. He confirmed “total and absolute hearing loss” in my left ear. Full diagnosis was Sensorineural Hearing Loss with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. In plain English, my ear was broken, but the cause was idiopathic - meaning unknown reasons for it. He was able to stop the vertigo with the Epley Maneuver, which was a total blessing! (I need to have it done again but I just dread it)

Two months later I had my regular follow up with my neurologist. (I also have epilepsy) We told him about it and he ordered an MRI with contrast. Turns out I had had a mini-stroke which killed the nerve that carries sound from my ear to my brain. We could plainly see the little dead white spit on the images. No hope for regaining hearing and no hearing aid that would help. The structure and function of the ear was fine, it was the connection that was broken. Okay, hearing loss was no longer idiopathic….we had a reason it happened.

Fast forward to June or July of 2012. Woke up to the sound of a baby crying. We don’t have a baby! It was loud, sounding like it came from the next room. I heard it all day long. It was like Tinnitus with attitude - persistent, constant in volume, and making me crazy! As weeks went on there were other sounds….waterfalls, 2 pipes clanging together, flies buzzing around my head, sirens, doorbells, toilets repeatedly flushing….it was awful.

Back to the neurologist. Turns out that it is an extremely rare phenomenon, so rare that he is documenting it with each follow up visit. It’s like phantom hearing - my brain knows that my ear should function but doesn’t, so it plugs in sounds from my memory bank. It can be compared to phantom pain in an amputee, except this is sounds. It’s been 10 years of it now….household sounds, traffic sounds, animal sounds…a lifetime of various sounds being pulled at random from my memories. And it’s constant. It’s become like white noise. But when Ken was doing all of his visitations, banquets just about killed me. The hum of all the voices, the sounds of silverware clanking on plates, the MC doing his thing, plus the people at our table all talking was often too much for me. Every sound in the room was going into my hearing ear competing for my attention and I couldn’t separate it out, while in my brain was the cacophony of white noise. The brain noise would increase in volume because of all the other noise. More than a few times I had to excuse myself and go stand outside where it was comparatively quiet just to regroup.

It’s become more like tinnitus through the years, except with sounds, not buzzing or ringing…it’s always there, always different sounds, but it’s not as loud and demanding as it was. It does get much louder in noisy environments. It’s also one of the reasons I decided to quit driving, or at least limit it to “have to” situations. If I want to go somewhere, Ken drives. When I’d hear sirens, I never knew if it was real or phantom sound. If there’s a car passing me on my left, I don’t know it’s there until I see the hood of it, because I can’t hear it coming. (Thank goodness for those little blind spot warning lights on my rear view mirror now) I still swat at imaginary flies. I still check faucets to see if it’s really water running or just in my head. But I don’t think about it constantly. I do notice new sounds. That library is constantly increasing. Frankly I think I could deal much better with tinnitus but this is what I’ve become used to.

So sorry you have to deal with that!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Morning Old Folks.
@Blooie I am so sorry

 

[Blooie]

Oh, I didn’t wrote that novel for sympathy. I’m so used to it now that I mainly notice it in noisy environments when it gets louder or when a new sound appears. I just thought it was an interesting take on tinnitus.

 

[Cynthia12]

I lost all hearing in my left ear 10 years ago. I was sitting at the computer and suddenly there was a searing noise in my left ear, then a pop, then nothing. That was in October of 2011. Several trips to the doctor later (“ear infection, take these pills. Sinus infection, use this Flonase……”) the vertigo started. Got a referral to an ENT doctor but he couldn’t get me in until January.

So I finally had my appointment in January 2012. He confirmed “total and absolute hearing loss” in my left ear. Full diagnosis was Sensorineural Hearing Loss with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. In plain English, my ear was broken, but the cause was idiopathic - meaning unknown reasons for it. He was able to stop the vertigo with the Epley Maneuver, which was a total blessing! (I need to have it done again but I just dread it)

Two months later I had my regular follow up with my neurologist. (I also have epilepsy) We told him about it and he ordered an MRI with contrast. Turns out I had had a mini-stroke which killed the nerve that carries sound from my ear to my brain. We could plainly see the little dead white spit on the images. No hope for regaining hearing and no hearing aid that would help. The structure and function of the ear was fine, it was the connection that was broken. Okay, hearing loss was no longer idiopathic….we had a reason it happened.

Fast forward to June or July of 2012. Woke up to the sound of a baby crying. We don’t have a baby! It was loud, sounding like it came from the next room. I heard it all day long. It was like Tinnitus with attitude - persistent, constant in volume, and making me crazy! As weeks went on there were other sounds….waterfalls, 2 pipes clanging together, flies buzzing around my head, sirens, doorbells, toilets repeatedly flushing….it was awful.

Back to the neurologist. Turns out that it is an extremely rare phenomenon, so rare that he is documenting it with each follow up visit. It’s like phantom hearing - my brain knows that my ear should function but doesn’t, so it plugs in sounds from my memory bank. It can be compared to phantom pain in an amputee, except this is sounds. It’s been 10 years of it now….household sounds, traffic sounds, animal sounds…a lifetime of various sounds being pulled at random from my memories. And it’s constant. It’s become like white noise. But when Ken was doing all of his visitations, banquets just about killed me. The hum of all the voices, the sounds of silverware clanking on plates, the MC doing his thing, plus the people at our table all talking was often too much for me. Every sound in the room was going into my hearing ear competing for my attention and I couldn’t separate it out, while in my brain was the cacophony of white noise. The brain noise would increase in volume because of all the other noise. More than a few times I had to excuse myself and go stand outside where it was comparatively quiet just to regroup.

It’s become more like tinnitus through the years, except with sounds, not buzzing or ringing…it’s always there, always different sounds, but it’s not as loud and demanding as it was. It does get much louder in noisy environments. It’s also one of the reasons I decided to quit driving, or at least limit it to “have to” situations. If I want to go somewhere, Ken drives. When I’d hear sirens, I never knew if it was real or phantom sound. If there’s a car passing me on my left, I don’t know it’s there until I see the hood of it, because I can’t hear it coming. (Thank goodness for those little blind spot warning lights on my rear view mirror now) I still swat at imaginary flies. I still check faucets to see if it’s really water running or just in my head. But I don’t think about it constantly. I do notice new sounds. That library is constantly increasing. Frankly I think I could deal much better with tinnitus but this is what I’ve become used to.

Eek! I also suffer with tinnitus. The noise started years ago. It's insane now. Last ENT I went to had my hearing checked.. losing it in my left ear..I knew that. Told the gal testing me about the insane ringing and how bad it's gotten. Told her also that I've read how some folks have gotten it real bad after Covid, couldn't handle it, committed suicide. She says yes, that's a problem not only with covid related. I just shrug it off mostly now. Dr. said I'm lucky I can do it. I do use white noise at times, at night, soft music or rain, wind sounds to fall asleep. Don't think you could do that..may be different forr you with your situation. Oh..did you know you can do the Epley yourself? Your husband could help. Man, this getting older --- well, I guess I'll put a positive here. Just glad we have learned a few things along the way.

 

[silverhair67]

No room service for food. You're going to get hungry.

Gots chips and coffee

 

[silverhair67]

Not necessary. He has no food or drinks in his room. And no bathroom. Lol

Got a bucket to and an open window, I'm prepared for a hold out

 

[bruceha2000]

Then when i drove 45 minutes to get there, they didn't take my new insurance.

Well doesn't that just suck rocks!!!!!!!!!
So what do you do now, find a different doctor?

When I’d hear sirens, I never knew if it was real or phantom sound.

That was actually one of the first "OMG, what if ..." thoughts when I read your post. Its like if there is a siren on the radio and you don't know it. Look all over to figure out where the emergency vehicle is.

Good thing Ken doesn't mind driving. Of course locked up on a ship all those years, he's probably still catching up on driving hours for the average commuter

I just thought it was an interesting take on tinnitus.

Tinnitus on steroids!!!!

I do use white noise at times, at night, soft music or rain, wind sounds to fall asleep.

I've taken to using a meditation app on my old phone with an earbud, something to blunt the noise in my head. I set it for 30 minutes, I'm most always asleep in 5 though. Drives DW nuts that I can drop off that fast.