Sound Off

I remarked to Dix a few weeks ago that it's been a long time since my hearing aids have needed service. In my experience, these little devices need a volume adjustment or a factory refurbish about once a year. Wouldn't you know it, my left aid blanked out. I must have subconsciously noticed it fading when I made the observation to Dix. So I went down to the audiologist to have it adjusted and the indifferent receptionist said she could squeeze me in in about four weeks. I made the appointment and asked to be put on the wait list for any cancellation.

A week later I got tired of being unbalanced, and tired of being put off by my uncaring audiologist, so I stopped in on Hearing Aid Center to look into buying a new aid. There was a real person inside this receptionist and she said to go get my hearing chart and the audiologist could see me in 15 minutes. The audiologist concluded that the latest "open air" technology that plays through a tube from behind the ear rather than through an ear plug would work for me and sound more natural. But she said to bring in my dead aid and she might be able to fix it with the software she still had from when she sold the Resound brand. I did and she did. And for no charge. Now I will wait six months until I can budget $3200 (after the Wyoming miner discount) into next year's medical expenses for the Siemens Open-Air, Ear-to-Ear Wireless, Receiver-in-Canal, rechargeable, remote-controlled, mini boom boxes.