Doctor confirmed what I had feared. (The joys of getting old)

[Vincent P]

Went in for my yearly physical yesterday morning. I told the doctor that lately I've had this slight whistling in my right ear, you know the I've been listening to music way to loud, ringing type of deal. Add to this that I've asked people to repeat what they said, and you can guess where I'm heading with this.

So the doctor pulls out a set of tuning forks and proceeds to tap and hold the base of the fork to the center of my forehead. She asks me to tell her if I hear the sound from the center, or on the left or the right side. Well, all is good until she gets to the lower ranges, then I start to lose it on the right side. By the time she gets to a low E, I can only hear it on the left side.

The doctor checks my ears for obstuctions such as wax or anything blocking the ear canal, to find all is clear.

Well I need to make an oppointment with a hearing specialist to confirm but, to qoute the doctor. "It looks as though your losing the ability to hear lower frequencies, your lower range of sound". "Not uncommon but rare for someone as young as you (I'm 45). Have you suffered any trauma when you were younger, or subjected to a lot of loud noise?"

My response. "Well if you count about a zillion music concerts, or playing in bands were I stood just in front of a stack of speakers over the years it probably didn,t help".

Doctor smiles and says. "That would do it". "It will not improve but may get worse as you get older. Just tone what your listening to down a bit".

Ah the joys of getting old but, it was worth every note.

"Tone it down!!!" "I think not... ROCK & ROLLLLLLLLLLL!!!"

[Stumbo]

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