I am hard of hearing, which makes every conversation difficult for me.
I use hearing aids, but there are still times when the voices are muffled.
I hate asking people to speak louder, but I don’t want to miss anything someone says. When the HVAC technician arrived last week, he was talking so quietly that I had no idea what he was saying. My husband was leaning close to hear him, and he had no hearing difficulties. It seemed like he was deliberately speaking low so we wouldn’t understand him. I asked questions about the furnace, and noticed that he often ignored me. When my husband asked, he gave him an answer. I was getting quite upset, but I walked away instead. That’s when I noticed the hearing aid in his ear. He was as deaf as I was. I walked over and got his attention and then I asked about the furnace. I wanted to know what he had found wrong with the Hvac, and if it could be repaired. I saw a genuine smile on his face when I said that. I pointed to my hearing aid. He spoke slowly and directed his answers to me so I could read his lips, and I did the same. My husband realized what was going on, and he joined in the conversation about the furnace. It was challenging for awhile, but we soon learned he just had to make a minor repair to the furnace, and it was now working fine. The HVAC technician thanked us for being patient with him and understanding..