I didn't expect to suffer some hearing loss as a result of heart surgery, but surprise, surprise. I'm blaming the heart surgery, perhaps it was the medications or the anesthesia or whatever. Or maybe it was just time for another part on my seventy-year old body to start wearing out. I first noticed a difference in my hearing back in March. The evening before I was due to be released from the hospital all sounds and voices, especially those coming from outside my hospital room, suddenly became extremely loud as if they were being amplified. The next day when my husband came to pick me up, I was wondering why he was speaking so softly. Being the adapter that I am, and to a fault, I caught myself trying to read his lips. I then realized my ears weren't working to full capacity. Being optimistic, I figured my hearing would eventually return to normal. It's been 3 1/2 months, but it doesn't seem to be improving. I no longer hear vehicles coming up our road, the washing machine thrashing away in the mudroom when I'm in the other part of the cabin, and other sounds that those around me notice. When out in the pasture playing shepherd with the goats, they will often spook to a sound I am totally unaware of. It's a strange feeling because I don't know what I'm not hearing. I'd say it's only a mild hearing loss so maybe it's not totally a bad thing.
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