I want to share a positive medical experience with all of you.  Seven years ago, I started wearing hearing aids.  After an ENT Specialist (who will remain un-named) botched my ear surgery when removing a mastoid.  “Although most people with mastoiditis don’t experience serious complications, treatment isn’t always easy and the infection may come back. If the mastoid bone is severely infected and isn’t removed, it can cause hearing loss and life-threatening health complications such as: a blood clot. meningitis.”  Not only did he not repair the ear properly, but I also lost my hearing and had numerous infections following the surgery which he chose to ignore!  In the other ear, he removed a tube that was needed for drainage, increasing the size of the hole into my eardrum that also resulted in hearing loss.  A special thanks to Dr. Thomas Abelson who got me through this terrible situation and lead me to the audiology department at Cleveland Clinic where through numerous trials and errors of getting the aids to fit and work for my mixed loss between Dr. Sheryl Booher and Dr. Tina Marks, I have been comfortably wearing my hearing aids since.  However, hearing aids do not last forever and with the changes in technology and the cost to fix my current ones, it was determined I needed new hearing aids.

This past year my husband and I chose a Medicare Supplemental plan based on hearing aid coverage and although it was not a huge allowance it would have been beneficial.  However, after weeks of trying to get an appointment and talk to knowledgeable people, I learned I would not be saving any money because every follow-up visit would cost me $100.  Also, no one would answer the question as to how they fitted the hearing aids as well as adjusted them and most people in the know suggested that they were poor quality.

Cleveland Clinic does not have a payment plan and spending $6000 is not just a drop in the bucket.  I did my research and made an appointment at HearWright Audiology.  I have seen the commercials on TV with local celebrity Don Webster.  I am so pleased I chose them.  Dr. Alyssa Meier spent quality time with me (and my husband) as she reviewed a current hearing test from Cleveland Clinic.  She unlike others I called felt confident in the results as do I.  In fact, she trained at CCF under Dr. Tina Marks.  She also is familiar with Dr. Tom Ableson and my ear surgeon (the doctor who repaired much of the damage to my ear in a second surgery), Dr. Thomas Haberkamp.

In addition to her professional expertise and kindness, the office administrator Jan is one of the nicest friendliest individuals I have met in a medical facility in a very long time.  Not only is she efficient, but she also takes her time with you when you call in staying relaxed and calm, and helpful.  Although it may be her job, she connects as a caring friendly person!  (Do I sound surprised?  I am because you don’t see this in many places of business today.)

I am sharing this with you despite all the bad and sad news on TV, Radio and in the print media, there are good things happening because there are good people in our society.  Sometimes we have to look for it, and other times it is right in front of us.

Have a blessed day, and soon my hearing aids will be so crystal clear I will be smiling brighter once again.