I Don't Trust Hearing Tests!

Yeah, it's true I hate hearing tests. I don't see how the are very accurate. Especially for people who are hearing impaired. I can see how they work well for people who can hear...but for people who can't...I'm skeptical.

Here's why. First let me say I've taken DOZENS of hearing tests over the years. The most recent one I had was about a month ago. It was the first test I've had in about 5 years but it was basically the same thing. They tested me with the hearing aids and without. They put the head set over my ears. Then the audiologist turns on the beeps and I tell her what I hear. Then we move on to the words. Then the whole things starts over except this time I wear the hearing aid and there is no head set but speakers. The audiologist reads sentences...."The train is slow" or "The cow jumped over the moon", etc. ect. etc. The problem is these are EASY to figure out and WHO talks in these simple sentences on a daily basis? Who says one word with their mouth covered up? It's infuriating! So, my left ear scored 100db...yes...that's PROFOUND hearing loss. The right ear scores 80db...SEVERE hearing loss BUT guess what? With the left hearing aid on...the left ear scores 60% speech recognition. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? I think it all comes down to the fact that many things are not taken into consideration..the main one being that when you are in a sound proof booth with a headset over your ears and noise going directly into your ear...well it's a PERFECT environment for a deaf/HOH person. DUH. Granted they do add some background noise but seriously people...it doesn't do justice compared to a noisy car on the highway or a noisy restaurant...not to mention trying to understand a table full of people who are not speaking in one word sentences or talking about the cow jumping over the moon. If I scored 100db without my hearing aid then I seriously doubt I can understand 60% with the hearing aid in. Seriously! I've felt that for the past year my hearing in my left ear has been deteriorating but according to the tests it's not. Again, I can't say that I trust the tests. I trust myself a lot more. I think hearing tests are helpful to find out what we can hear not so much what we can not hear... I can hear single words and simple sentences but I can not "understand" anyone in a car at night unless I'm reading lips...and I can NOT follow a conversation if I'm sitting at a table with 4 or more people and everyone is chiming in. Sometimes I wish I could just get some extra eyes for lip reading purposes but for now I'll just hope the implant works wonders.

I think I'll get off my soap box now. Below I posted my most recent audiogram. I think it'll be fun to compare it to the hearing test after I have been activated for a little while. Even though my left ear is "worse" on the audiogram it's my best ear...obviously! Since I scored 60% recognition. The right ear is 80db but I can't understand a thing. The right ear is dead...and it has been for a while. I just hope that it gets good results with the implant. Only time will tell. Can it be July 22nd NOW? -sigh- The patience stuff is NOT for me.

The Audiogram is blurry but this was the best I could do for the small amount of patience I have! Squint those eyes and check out the audiogram.