Measures and milestones

Eventually I should get to a point where I can look back and evaluate the success (or otherwise) of this project.

It would not be fair to judge success or failure only on the basis of whether or not I manage to improve my hearing aid configuration. There are many milestones along the way and I expect to derive great satisfaction from every one I attain, regardless of the final outcome. If I learn that I'm not as smart as I think I am, that's still a valuable lesson.

I need to have clear and reasonable objectives. Make no mistake, I'm still going to be very deaf at the end of this project; I can't cure tinnitus, increase hearing-aid reliability or solve everyday discrimination.

So, chronologically-ish, here goes:

1. Can I find out exactly what hardware and software I will need?
2. Can I successfully buy or acquire the necessary hardware and software?
3. Can I successfully install said hardware and software?
4. Can I download and archive (very important) the settings currently stored in my hearing aids?
5. Can I make adjustments to my hearing aids (no matter whether they're good or bad)?
6. Can I improve my hearing aid configuration in any way at all?
7. Can I configure my hearing aids so much that I am truly happy with them?
8. Can I get the audiologists and specialists to test and approve my new settings?
9. Can I spread the word (e.g. through newspapers) to other deaf people so that they can benefit from my experience and configure their own hearing aids? In the ideal world people would have clear legal rights to configure their own hearing aids.

In addition to the above metrics, I would like to add a couple more:

1. Can I stay on topic throughout this blog? Deafness is a big issue in my life and it will be hard not to digress from time to time. I'll try not to.
2. Judging from comments on this blog, has anyone found anything that I have said helpful?

Some readers will likely spot a flaw in the above list: how can I prove to the outside world that my settings are better than those which the audiologist has set up for me? It is possible but it isn't easy.

First of all, I have recently had my hearing tested in a "sound field". This test shows what I hear with my hearing aids and also shows how well I can comprehend Finnish words when they are spoken at a good level. Provided that I can get another sound test conducted after I have configured my hearing aids, it should be easy to demonstrate that I'm not off my rocker. All the same, this test is only a small part of the story. For a start, it's only looking at one frequency response (programme) and only in one very specific situation.

Much of hearing is subjective and we all tend to get used to whatever we have to and consider it normal. Novice photographers don't notice that the colour temperature of a photo is wrong until they see the colour-corrected photo alongside. I can't compare my hearing settings side-by-side. The brain needs time to adapt to all changes and it must be remembered that my hearing naturally fluctuates anyway on a daily basis.

Besides changes to the frequency response, there are many other control settings which can be improved. For example, when I switch from one programme to another, my hearing aid will beep at me - the number of beeps tells me which programme I am in. Even the beeps can be configured though, at least for volume but probably also for tone etc. Yes, I do want to fiddle with the control settings as well as the frequency response!

Apart from the measurements which can be independently proved in the sound field, I'm afraid that otherwise you are just going to have to take my word for it. If you are unfortunate enough to know me personally, you will of course be able to assess for yourself how easy it is to converse with me and, most importantly of all, my level of personal happiness.