Throughout this entire experience - waiting for medical appointments, diagnosis, and treatment - I had continued to work (bar the first two days). At the time, I had just started in a new role for the young person's substance misuse service I had joined in February. The role was working on a pilot project, aimed at reducing knife crime and gang violence in the city. This was an early intervention project working with children and young people at risk of Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE); being coerced into criminal activity and drug dealing through County Lines. My role in the partnership venture was primarily in youth clubs and schools - very, very noisy environments - and for me, at that time, noise = pain. Not to mention the difficulty in both listening to the person speaking in front of you whilst trying filter out the cacophony of background noise - all through one ear! Thankfully, my managers were extremely supportive and were constantly asking how they could help to make things easier for me. I didn't know what support I would need until I knew more about the support package I would receive from the hospital.
I'd gone prepared when I had seen the Consultant with lots of question about acoustic neuroma, as that was was I was convinced it was. Acoustic neuroma is a benign brain tumour that not only affects hearing but is often accompanied by facial numbness/loss of sensation. When I received the news that I didn't have this condition, it hit me for six - yay! no brain tumour, but what on earth had happened? A diagnosis comes with the expectation of treatment. No diagnosis, no treatment. As there was no way of determining what had caused the sudden hearing loss, the only thing left to do for the Consultant was to refer me to the specialists that could help make my life more bearable. I was referred to a Hearing Therapist and a Scientist. I was so overwhelmed by the news that I was incapable of taking in any information or asking for clarity on the next steps. Therefore, I had no idea what either of these people did or what would take place in the appointments.
The first encounter I had with the Hearing Therapist was in a group setting with an introduction to what tinnitus was. I should have gained a sense of camaraderie, sharing this experience with others going through the same issue, it had the complete reverse effect. No-one else in the group had suffered hearing loss or experienced pain with loud or certain noises (I have since learned this is called hyperacusis). Once again a feeling of isolation and despair washed over me. Fortunately, the Hearing Therapist offered one-to-one support, which I added my name to the list. This took rather a long time to get to the top of my list, four months to be exact, and coincided with the same week I finally got to see the Scientist.
Top Tip: I manged to cut significant time from multiple appointments by phoning the hospital every couple of days asking if there had been any cancellations. One appointment was brought forward by two months!
Time goes by so slowly when your waiting for something that could potentially change your life. I'd been told I was going to be getting hearing aids, but I didn't know from whom. It turned out to to be the Scientist who fitted me with a crossover hearing aid, which involves wearing a behind the ear hearing aid for each ear. Sound which would normally be picked up by my right ear is received by the hearing aid and is transmitted to the left hearing aid.
Pros: My boyfriend can no longer mutter under his breath when we are sat on the sofa!
Cons: I literally have no idea where sound is coming from - trying to find my phone by ringing it is hilarious!
The previous four months had been hell for me emotionally and had a massive impact on my mental health. Getting the hearing aids in January, five days before my birthday was one of the best presents I could hope for but there was even better on the way! Before I get a head of myself, I must next talk about how living with tinnitus can have a massive impact on mental health.
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