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Real-life Stories

My patient complained of hearing loss in both ears, difficulty understanding in noisy situations, and problems on the phone. The case history was unremarkable, except that recently the patient did notice “mild ringing in one ear.”

Audiological tests identified a slight asymmetry and poorer speech discrimination in the ear with tinnitus (ringing in the ear). Tympanograms were normal and acoustic reflexes were present with only a slight elevation in thresholds in the poorer ear. However, reflex decay was present in the poorer ear.

Referral to an ENT and subsequent radiological studies confirmed a tumor on the auditory nerve that was subsequently and successfully treated. The patient returned to my office many months later to thank me for insisting he follow up with an ENT physician. He thought the ringing was insignificant and considered not mentioning it to me at the initial visit.

Even the most insignificant symptom can change the way an audiologist evaluates a patient.

Kevin Barlow, M.A. - Winter Haven, Florida
AuDNet Audiologist

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My patient, a lovely 92-year-old lady still lives independently and plays the organ at her church every Sunday, plus funerals during the week. She recently came in for her third set of hearing aids and we reminisced that on May 9, 2001 she had called my office complaining of a terrible ringing in her ears and could I please stop the ringing - that even when she took her hearing aids out she had a terrible ringing in her ears, which was coming through VERY loud over the phone line! She was in a dither since she had to get her casserole out of her oven to get to her church in time for a potluck that night. I told her to go ahead and put the hearing aids back in for the potluck and that I would call her later that night when she got home from her church function. At 8:30 that night I called and had her respond as to when the ringing (which was still quite loud over the phone) was the loudest, walking her through each room in the house. Turned out it was her carbon monoxide detector, and we immediately told her to go outside and we'd call the energy company to send a truck out ASAP to check what was causing the alarm to go off. She wanted to call them in the morning, but I insisted she do it NOW. Turned out her stove was malfunctioning and putting out CO fumes throughout the house. The serviceman pronounced her stove "dead" and that she should buy a new one! If she had gone to bed he said she probably would never have woken the next morning, so here she is 5 years later buying another set of digital CIC hearing aids and loving life. Thanks to a caring audiologist, she hugs me and says ENJOY all that life gives!

Sandra Hobson, Au.D. - Des Moines, IA
AuDNet Doctor of Audiology

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Working in pediatrics for the majority of my 31 years as an audiologist, I can picture in my mind the faces of sorrow as a parent is told their beautiful baby has significant hearing loss and then over time the same faces glowing with joy as their child progresses within our “hearing” world. Often it is an audiologist’s most difficult role to explain a diagnosis of severe hearing loss to the parents of a child who already has been diagnosed with other significant health or developmental problems.

In one such case, when I counseled the patient’s mother regarding the treatment plan for her daughter that included hearing instruments plus FM amplification in her educational setting, she became openly hostile. Her daughter had just accepted wearing glasses and using a walker, and now I was recommending that she be fitted with two hearing aids! I "had to be kidding,” she said. We persisted in counseling the mother regarding the benefits of amplification, and the mother finally agreed to a trial period of amplification for her daughter.

The child was upset when I first inserted the earmolds, but the minute she “heard” with her hearing instruments, the look of wonder on her face was one of sheer amazement. She is now seven-years-old and her hearing instruments are her “ears." Best of all, her speech and language development has been amazing. She recently accepted an award at a United Cerebral Palsy city-wide benefit for being “the most inspirational person.” Her mother called me and we both cried as she told me how she “hated me” for telling her that her daughter needed hearing instruments, but that if I had not persisted in helping her to understand the benefits of audiology services for her daughter, she shudders to think how different her daughter’s life would be.

Julie Fegebank, Au.D. – Orlando, FL
Doctor of Audiology

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There is the case of the twins who received their second cochlear implants for binaural stimulation. The mother’s e-mail on behalf of her sons expresses it best:

Dear Friends,

Just a little note to let you know how brave we were while having our second implant surgery!  It was rough at first, but we were able to leave the hospital yesterday and are doing great today.  We can't wait until May 8th so we can finally hear with both ears.  We think "our favorite thing about getting two 'ears' is that we will not have to worry about which side of Mommy to sit on while reading a story, and that if we run out of batteries that we will still be able to hear with our other side."    

We think that maybe we will be doctors when we grow up so that we can help other children hear too.  Mommy & Daddy seem much more relaxed today for some reason, :) they say they couldn't have done it without all of your help & warm wishes. We can’t wait to show you our cool scar.

When she brought the boys to me at age 15 months, they were out of control and she knew there was more than “just being twins” causing the behavioral concern. The audiological evaluations indicated moderate to severe progressive hearing loss. She was so grateful that someone had taken the time to listen to her concerns and work with her boys until an answer was found.

Julie Fegebank, Au.D. – Orlando, FL
Doctor of Audiology

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A few years ago, a man brought his 102-year-old mother into my office. He stated that they thought she had dementia, but her physician wanted to rule out hearing loss. Her audiological examination demonstrated a severe flat 70-80 dB hearing loss bilaterally with 60 percent discrimination. I explained that she would benefit from amplification, and we decided on a low cost, easy-to-use device to see if it would provide any benefit.

Two weeks later I am playing golf and this man comes over to me and says with great joy, “You gave my mother a hearing device a couple of weeks ago. I can't believe the difference in her, it is like she is a different person. She talks all the time and we are having great conversations”.

The friend I was playing golf with looked at me and said, “Wow, you change people’s lives!" It was a great reminder why I love being an audiologist.

Mark Sanford, M.S. - Walnut Creek, CA
Audiologist

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A patient complained of not hearing well with her current hearing aid. Her prior provider told her that nothing else could be done to help her hearing, and that she should learn to lip read. The patient had to quit her job because of her severe hearing loss. Her doctor referred her to me for an audiological evaluation.

Audiological tests revealed a severe hearing loss in one ear, and no measurable hearing in the other ear. I recommended this patient try a power digital BTE with a wireless FM system. This system changed her life! She is working again. She can understand the television, use an iPod®, hear on the telephone, and understand people in noise. She expressed her anger and frustration at her previous hearing aid provider because this person was not educated as to the benefit of assistive listening devices. Our waiting room has an assistive listening device display, where patients can try different products. We have a large plasma screen that plays Johnny Carson videos, and the room is looped. She had never seen such a waiting room! She is now trying to bring awareness to the hearing-impaired community about FM systems, loop systems, and assistive listening devices. She strongly recommends that all hearing impaired patients see an audiologist who offers assistive devices.

Kelly Halligan, Au.D. - Arvada, Englewood, & Northglenn, CO
AuDNet Doctor of Audiology

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A patient returned recently, complaining that her hearing aid was not working properly. The aid checked out fine, but the patient continued to complain so we scheduled an audiological examination. Her hearing had changed markedly in one ear and the patient was sent to an ENT physician for a MRI. The patient had large acoustic neuroma (tumor) and is currently receiving treatment.

Bobette Martin, M.A. - Lakeside AZ
AuDNet Audiologist

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An 81-year-old woman had been walking with a cane and miserable for 5 months, complaining of unsteadiness. She had seen a neurologist and two ENT physicians. The neurologist and first ENT told her to “live with it” and it would eventually go away on its own. When it persisted, she went to another ENT. The second ENT sent her to our audiology office where our tests revealed that she had BPPV on the left side. A GRM was performed and before she left the office, she said she felt better than she had in months. It is now three weeks later and she leaves us messages that she is still "walking tall." It was rewarding to have been of such significant assistance.

Cindy Ann Simon, Au.D. - South Miami, Florida
Doctor of Audiology

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Mary was working as a news reporter when she first realized she had a hearing loss. “While attending news conferences I would glance down to read the comments we had been provided,” she remembers, “and I realized that once I looked down, I couldn’t understand what the speaker was saying; I had been reading lips. It had gotten to the point where, if I missed something, I was telling myself it must not have been that important because, if someone really wanted me to know something, they would make a point of either coming closer or confirming with me.”

Then Mary transitioned away from the newsroom to start her own company. “In my new career, I often spoke in large conference rooms, and when people asked me questions, I couldn’t hear them. That’s when I knew I had to do something.”

“It was difficult for me to make the decision that I needed hearing aids,” she admits, “and once I overcame that hurdle, then I wanted it to be right. I really wanted to be able to hear well, and I wanted it to enhance my life.”

Mary began with one group, but experienced frustration until “my audiologist, Dr. Crotty, made all the negativity go away. My new hearing aids are perfect. It’s fabulous – I can sing again. It is like a miracle.”

Barbara Crotty, Au.D. – Maitland, FL
AuDNet Doctor of Audiology
Excerpts from Florida Health Care News – Spring 2007

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