{"id":8690,"date":"2023-07-19T14:07:56","date_gmt":"2023-07-19T18:07:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/?p=8690"},"modified":"2023-07-19T14:24:51","modified_gmt":"2023-07-19T18:24:51","slug":"i-can-hear-birds-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/i-can-hear-birds-again\/","title":{"rendered":"I Can Hear Birds Again!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Susan Babcock cried the first time she could hear the birds chirping again after receiving hearing aids at Columbus Speech & Hearing. An avid bird-watcher, she had been dealing with hearing loss for so long that she didn\u2019t notice that she had stopped hearing them.<\/p>

\u201cWhen I heard birds singing, I realized I had forgotten how beautiful some birds sounded. It was intense, and I started to cry,\u201d Susan said. \u201cSuddenly, I was hearing chickadees. It was huge for me.\u201d<\/p>

Susan had her first appointment in September 2021, after years of her hearing declining. Visiting a new medical office was intimidating during the global pandemic, but Susan recalled the relief she felt when she recognized that the other patients, office staff and audiology team were all wearing masks.<\/p>

\u201cComing to the Center was huge for me,\u201d Susan said.<\/p>

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Photo from Columbus Speech & Hearing Archives <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>

On the first day with her new hearing aids, they felt foreign and uncomfortable. Hearing the birds sing gave her hope, and she returned to Columbus Speech & Hearing for adjustments. Now, Susan remarks that her audiologist, Brittney Carter<\/a>, has made a major impact on her life.<\/p>

\u201cBrittney was so compassionate,\u201d Susan said. \u201cI felt like she was really on my side and was telling me things that I didn\u2019t already know [about hearing loss.] I felt like she genuinely wanted me to experience the very best hearing that I could.\u201d<\/p>

Now, Susan urges anyone she meets with hearing loss to visit Columbus Speech & Hearing.<\/p>

\u201cIt really made a difference,\u201d Susan said.<\/p>