Dick Kroese
Dick Kroese and Tiggy Shields
The test of my hearing loss can best be described this way: Our walk-in closet is the quietest place in our home. If I’m not wearing my hearing aid and cochlear processor, I cannot understand a word my wife says. I believe that three major life experiences have caused my profound hearing loss. First, at age 14, my dad started taking me and my brother hunting for pheasants, quail, rabbits, deer, etc., without any hearing protection. Second, during my service in the Navy, I was attached to a helicopter squadron working as a plane captain on the flight deck of two aircraft carriers, the Kitty Hawk and the Ranger. I was always on the flight deck and could never get away from the deafening sound of jets being catapulted off the aircraft carrier. I wore hearing protection, but it was not effective against jets at full blast. Then, to top it off, I slept right under the flight deck! Years later, in spite of wearing protection, my hearing was damaged further by constant exposure to diesel engines when I served as a director with the Union Pacific Railroad in charge of train crews.
Approximately 20 years ago, after moving to SaddleBrooke, I finally sought professional care. My University of Arizona audiologist referred me to the Veterans Administration, which provides vets with the very best equipment, including hearing aids at no charge, which otherwise are so costly. The VA has been with me every step of the way, providing all servicing of my two devices and replacements as needed. Eventually, my hearing deteriorated so badly that an ear, nose, and throat specialist recommended I receive a cochlear implant. The implant has improved my ability to hear and discern words more clearly, but I still struggle in certain settings. I can never retrieve all that I have lost.
I’m so grateful for my involvement over the last few years with the SaddleBrooke Discussion Group for Better Hearing. We share tips, resources, and encouragement with each other, whether we’re new or well into this hearing loss journey. We’ve sponsored Hearing Night Out programs and periodically invite audiologists or hearing support technology reps to our monthly meetings. Our group has even spearheaded the installation of t-coils into some of our SaddleBrooke meeting rooms and the Performing Arts Center, which lets us hear directly into our hearing devices. The national organization Adults Living with Hearing Loss (ALOHA) is also an important support resource for me.
If you are on the fence about seeking help, please begin your journey by joining one of our monthly Discussion Group for Better Hearing meetings at 10 a.m. in the Sonoran Room of the MountainView Clubhouse. You may also email Jennifer Jefferis at [email protected] or Lyle Larson at [email protected] for more information.