Just wondering? Artificial Body Parts.

[Alan_Hepburn]

Hmm, "social impact". I might have to check into that. Never heard of it before, but it kinda makes sense.

I had to go do an interview with a psychologist - they asked questions about how my social life is impacted by my hearing loss - I explained how interacting in crowds is difficult due to not understanding most of the words coming at me; I can't enjoy going out to a movie because the sound track is nothing but noise; things like that. My hearing loss is compounded by what they call "audio discrimination" which has been tested at about 55% - it is often impossible for me to interpret words that sound alike (able, cable, table, enable, etc) and that's probably the most frustrating for me. My audiologist says I'm a good candidate for cochlear implant but I have to give that a lot of thought!

 

[Alan_Hepburn]

OK, I just called and I've got an appointment with the VA Audiology on Friday morning at 7;00AM for an hearing test... They said I'll have hearing aids in 3 weeks, if needed... Pretty cool, I guess... I thought it would take longer with the VA...
Butch

Good luck! My current models are from Phonak - they came with an accessory called "Roger" that does several things to help. The best thing is that Roger's charging stand/docking port can connect to the digital audio out on a TV set so that the TV audio is fed directly in to the hearing aids! You can turn the sound down on the TV and the digital audio is still fed into your ears instead of blasting the TV at high volume.

 

[House Husband]

Dentures, Phonak hearing aids with Roger On that the wife wears on a lanyard, both knee joints replaced, reverse right shoulder replacement, cataract surgery and a new left shoulder next month (20/8/2025). And I still have all my gray hair at age 82. Almost forgot to mention, after birth of 2 sons I got the fix.

 

[ButchW1]

I got the fix.

Oh yea… Got one of those too…Probably the scariest procedure I’ve had. ….
Butch

 

[ButchW1]

Good luck! My current models are from Phonak - they came with an accessory called "Roger" that does several things to help. The best thing is that Roger's charging stand/docking port can connect to the digital audio out on a TV set so that the TV audio is fed directly in to the hearing aids! You can turn the sound down on the TV and the digital audio is still fed into your ears instead of blasting the TV at high volume.

Thank you… I don’t know which models they offer, but I’ll definitely ask….
Butch

 

[DutchmenSport]

...Almost forgot to mention, after birth of 2 sons I got the fix.

That would fall under the category of having "things disconnected." I didn't mention it in my original post. For what it's worth, I had one of "those" myself, done in 1987, compliments of the US Army after the birth of our second kid. They would not "do" my wife, they said she was too young to have "that" done to her. So, I took the option.

If "disconnect" or "remove" is included (my post, so why not)... The "Big V" ... I had my appendix removed, tonsils and adenoids removed, my first knee right surgery removed torn cartilage, a tooth removed, my 4 wisdom teeth removed, and a chunk of muscle removed from behind my left eye, in addition to my original right knee removed.

Sheesh ... it's kind of weird thinking about that ... I'm less of a person than I was when I was born!

 

[krazeehorse]

Mitral valve, man made, not sheep.

 

[oldwildman]

Two bionic knees and 3 dental implants. And numerous crowns and a permanent bridge. I now have some scrap value!

 

[Lou Schneider]

Except for some fillings and a couple of crowns I'm stock so far. For the past 20+ years my dental needs have been met by visiting Algodones, Baja California during my winter desert tri[ps. I'm very happy with the care I've received there.

 

[Oldgator73]

So... if a cure comes along for sleep apnea and you don't have it anymore... do they take your 50% away? Or 20% or 36.4% or however they do their math.
I understand this is somewhat of a rhetorical question as there's never a cure for anything, but just wondering.

https://vadisabilitygroup.com/when-does-my-va-disability-rate-become-permanent-and-protected/

 

[Arch Hoagland]

We are extremely lucky people to be living in the times that we do now.

 

[Oldgator73]

We are extremely lucky people to be living in the times that we do now.

Hmm…

 

[Arch Hoagland]

Hmm…

Healthwise...lol

 

[Oldgator73]

Healthwise...lol

I figured so. Yeah, we’re getting close to transplanting heads onto new bodies.

 

[ButchW1]

OK, I just called and I've got an appointment with the VA Audiology on Friday morning at 7;00AM for an hearing test... They said I'll have hearing aids in 3 weeks, if needed... Pretty cool, I guess... I thought it would take longer with the VA...
Butch

Ok, just got back from the VA with two new hearing aids.. Oticon Intent 1 miniRITE.. I can definitely hear better,now to just get used to them,..
Butch

 

[EdJunior]

Ok, just got back from the VA with two new hearing aids.. Oticon Intent 1 miniRITE.. I can definitely hear better,now to just get used to them,..
Butch

Yep. Same ones I got. They do take some getting used to. But they work well with my glasses, and I hardly know they are in there once the day wears on. I will say though, changing the rubber ear thingie and the other little doodad are a kinda pain in the arse. I haven't found an easy way to do it.

 

[Old_Crow]

You can also get a disability out of it if it was service connected.
I got 10% for hearing loss and 10% for tinitus

It was your post back a few years that spurred me to apply for the disability rating even though I'd had VA hearing aids for a couple of years at that point. Nobody at the VA ever mentioned that was possible when they gave me the hearing aids. At that point they only gave me the 10% for tinnitus, but not the 10% for hearing loss.

On another note, in June or July of '24 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. At the end of July, following the advice of one of my hosts I revisited the VA web site and applied to be reevaluated. That ended up with me earing a 100% disabled rating and the substantial check that comes with it. Don't think it's a permanent rating. It's subject to yearly reevaluation. I guess if they decide that I'm cured I'll get a pay cut. Doesn't matter, the whole check is going into savings anyway.

 

[Rene T]

It was your post back a few years that spurred me to apply for the disability rating even though I'd had VA hearing aids for a couple of years at that point. Nobody at the VA ever mentioned that was possible when they gave me the hearing aids. At that point they only gave me the 10% for tinnitus, but not the 10% for hearing loss.

On another note, in June or July of '24 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. At the end of July, following the advice of one of my hosts I revisited the VA web site and applied to be reevaluated. That ended up with me earing a 100% disabled rating and the substantial check that comes with it. Don't think it's a permanent rating. It's subject to yearly reevaluation. I guess if they decide that I'm cured I'll get a pay cut. Doesn't matter, the whole check is going into savings anyway.

That’s awesome

 

[Old_Crow]

That’s awesome

Recall how the VA works in that I got back pay from Aug when I applied to Jan when the award was made. Imagine my surprise when I sat down one morning with my coffee and my laptop and discovered over $14k in my checking account that wasn't there the day before. Came at a perfect time and most of it went into coach maintenance that I already had scheduled but now didn't have to pay for out of my savings.