Here is an insight into some pros and cons of hearing loss during an outing. Despite a cochlear and hearing aid, there is still a hearing loss. This awareness is helpful for yourself or someone you know who is new to the experience of diminished hearing.
For this post, the outing was the charming Los Rios Historic District – home to the San Juan Capistrano Mission. My friend and I took an Amtrak train to avoid the long drive. The trip south was delightful. The trip north, later that day, was not so. In any case, my hearing loss treated with a cochlear and hearing aid provided some insightful slants on the visit.
The cochlear and hearing aid at Los Rios
- I could hear the clang of the mission bells at noon while we dined at a charming Tea House. The Mission is a few blocks away from where we were. I was pleased. It added a nice ambiance to this quaint area.
- The train track runs right through Los Rios in-between the historic district and the Mission. At one point, we were walking towards the tracks when this cacophony of noise started up. With hearing loss, the source of such noise isn’t clear. My friend yanked be back from the lowering arms of the railroad gates lowering! It was the train approaching! It had not yet honked its loud horn. Yikes!
- There were no sparrows around. But I did enjoy the sound of other birds – a pleasure only available to me when I wear my cochlear and hearing aid.
- We took Uber to the San Clemente Pier close-by. While there I experienced what I always experience when a bathroom seems to be occupied too long, but I cannot knock on the door to see if someone is in there or if they are okay because I will not be able to hear or discern the response. We waited a LONG time at a restroom where five tweens changed from their bathing suits into their clothes. My friend could hear all the girls. I could not.
The cochlear and hearing aid return home
The train trip home was, well, a borderline nightmare. A 2 1/2 hour ride stretched out to 7 1/2 hours. Why? There was a trespasser strike (person hit by a train) a couple of trains before us. All trains traveling north or south between Fullerton and Los Angeles had to stop until the completed investigation. That wait was about 2 1/2 hours. But there’s more. Once the train got the okay to continue north, it stopped in the middle of a neighborhood about 10 minutes later. Dead stop. Why? The train crew reached the maximum hours they can work. Due to safety reasons dictated by law, the train could not operate until a fresh crew took over. Now why they did not handle that while sitting at Fullerton, I’ll never know. It is what it is. THAT leg of the delay was close to another two hours. of just sitting.
- In an attempt to appease the frustrated passengers, free snack boxes were available. My friend could understand that announcement (and all announcements for that matter) over the scratchy PA system. I might have missed out on some nice snacks if I was alone!
- During all this wait time, a very energetic young man close by talked non-stop to his friend in Mandarine. And I mean non-stop. It was annoying and it prevented me from napping. So what did I do? I turned off my hearing aid! Blessed quiet! (My cochlear batteries ran out earlier. I did not bring a third spare battery as I never dreamed we’d have such a LONG day.)
- When we FINALLY arrived at our depot station at 1:15 am. My left ear, which is entirely deaf without the cochlear, was ringing. It was ringing LOUD. It sounded like the roar of the ocean surf. The vibration and hum of the train engine running for 7 1/2 hours caused enough of a vibration that the tinnitus developed! It was temporary, thank heavens. But it was amazingly loud.
All in the day of having a hearing loss.
In conclusion
It is said that two people can walk down a city block and have two entirely different experiences. That is undoubtedly true if one of the two has a hearing loss! My experience to and from Los Rios is unique due to my diminished hearing. I believe it is helpful to have insights into the experiences of a hearing-impaired person. At the very least, one becomes aware of the potential dangers of not fully hearing or comprehending the environmental sounds.
