Good news, bad news - Page 25

xoxoxoBruce · 07-09-2017, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

But, it'd be a helluva thing to do for a friend who needed it, no?

Yes it is, but not as easy as it sounds, nor are the nightmares that follow.

The bad news is I have to replace one of my hearing aids.
The good news is it only cost $50 more than in 2013.
The bad news is Medicare will no longer pay part.

Guess that would be a shit sandwich right there.

Griff · 07-09-2017, 12:54 PM

Shouldn't that tech be getting cheaper?

xoxoxoBruce · 07-09-2017, 01:17 PM

Silly bunny, better tech doesn't make shit cheaper, it makes profits larger, golden parachutes fluffier, and Wall Street happier.
What boggles my mind is when they start throwing around numbers in the $4 and $5 thousand range. 36 years experience has shown 3 to 5 years is the lifespan and very few health Insurance companies will cover them. I suspect there are a lot of poor people saying, "What?".

Griff · 07-09-2017, 01:21 PM

Seems like you could take a vacation in India buy your hearing aide there and come out ahead.

Undertoad · 07-09-2017, 01:49 PM

Yeah I don't get it; is it not just a microphone and an amplifier and a speaker, along with circuits that try to help make it accurate...?

Ain't we makin' seriously awesome $100 earbuds to begin with? My Sony earbuds have neodymium drivers and whatnot...

It's just because it's a medical device and so people can make mint off it, right?

Clodfobble · 07-09-2017, 04:14 PM

Basically, yes. But Costco recently got in on it, and overseas sites like Audicus are finally starting to break through as well. Both have them for $500-800 per ear.

xoxoxoBruce · 07-09-2017, 10:29 PM

My strategy is you dress shabbily which is the easy because that's normal, and stop in without an appointment. This is the first time I've had to come back the next day, and that was Saturday half day and I got the last appointment. We discussed the problem I was having and he checked them both. One was kaput. Not surprised for 4 years old.
Looked in my ear to make sure it wasn't plugged and commented of how much empty space he could see in there. Even though I'd never seen this guy before, I'd like a nickel for every time he's used that joke.
He tells me mine could be repaired but that's expensive, and the new ones are 30% more powerful, yada-yada-yada yawn. Pitch finished, remember I've heard this since 1981.
He pulled out my file, sees I paid a grand last time, and beats it by $50. BUT, if I want a phone switch which used to be free, it's $100 more. Also when I bought a pair 4 years ago Medicare reimbursed me $500. They don't anymore because Obamacare fucked up everything, ruined the whole industry, destroyed the nation and will probably cause a zombie apocalypse, according to this guy... without a breath, too. There's been a lot of shady characters in this business and I guess Obamacare put the squeeze on them.

We fat guys sweat a lot and with sparse vegetation to divert it, tend to short out behind the ear types, so I use an in the ear which means taking a mold and sending it in to be copied... or matched to the closest stock size, damifino.

Yes, a mic, some mini-electronics, speaker and volume control. I asked for one that goes to 11 but nope. The biggest challenge is amplifying what you want to hear but not the ambient noise. Crowded restaurants or noisy places are a bear. They've come up with gimmicks like directional mikes and shit which look good in lab reports but in the real world suck.

I find I've been unknowingly reading lips more and listening for clues someone is addressing me. A year ago I was at a cookout at a friends in the NJ mountains. Nice quiet atmosphere, great. Her brother Bruce, his son Bruce, her neighbor Bruce, the dog Bruce, were also there.

After a day of that, I was happy to come back and listen to UT wow the groupies.

BigV · 03-10-2018, 12:12 PM

Good news
I'm going to visit SonofV this morning, I'm on the ferry now

Bad news
We're meeting at the Emergency Room. Again. He had another seizure at work and the call this morning was the ambulance driver using his phone.

Good news
He had a "soft landing" so no broken nose, no concussion, no broken teeth... this time.

Bad news
Still having seizures. I feel pretty helpless, bordering on hopeless. Watching your loved ones suffer is the worst. I *fucking* hate it.

Griff · 03-10-2018, 02:34 PM

Damnit. Sorry brother.

Clodfobble · 03-10-2018, 04:41 PM

Sorry, V. Epilepsy is a bitch.

fargon · 03-11-2018, 11:39 AM

Sorry V.

limey · 03-11-2018, 01:20 PM

So sorry BigV! x

Clodfobble · 04-14-2018, 07:02 PM

The bad news: The power went out during a hail storm yesterday evening. I was then awoken at

1.) 11:30 - by Minifobette, who was panicking because she woke up and couldn't tell what time it was and couldn't listen to her music to calm down
2.) 3:30 - by the dog retching in her crate for no apparent reason, though fortunately no vomit
3.) 5:30 - by Minifob, who was also disoriented without a digital clock and just wanted to know the time
4.) 6:30 - by Minifob and Minifobette together, wanting to know why their DS chargers weren't working, and
5.) 7:15 - by the dog, who needed to pee.

The power stayed off all the way until 5:00 PM, which meant no hot water for showers, no food beyond dry pantry goods, and no air conditioning all day.

But! The good news:

We had a fairly busy day which involved lots of excuses to leave the house, and tonight we're going to take the kids to see my uncle's folk band play at their regular gig at an awesome barbecue place, and visit with some out-of-town relatives whose company I genuinely enjoy. And the post-storm weather cooled us back down into normal spring temperatures, which should hopefully last for a few days.

limey · 04-14-2018, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

The bad news: The power went out during a hail storm yesterday evening. I was then awoken at

1.) 11:30 - by Minifobette, who was panicking because she woke up and couldn't tell what time it was and couldn't listen to her music to calm down
2.) 3:30 - by the dog retching in her crate for no apparent reason, though fortunately no vomit
3.) 5:30 - by Minifob, who was also disoriented without a digital clock and just wanted to know the time
4.) 6:30 - by Minifob and Minifobette together, wanting to know why their DS chargers weren't working, and
5.) 7:15 - by the dog, who needed to pee.

The power stayed off all the way until 5:00 PM, which meant no hot water for showers, no food beyond dry pantry goods, and no air conditioning all day.

But! The good news:

We had a fairly busy day which involved lots of excuses to leave the house, and tonight we're going to take the kids to see my uncle's folk band play at their regular gig at an awesome barbecue place, and visit with some out-of-town relatives whose company I genuinely enjoy. And the post-storm weather cooled us back down into normal spring temperatures, which should hopefully last for a few days.

Woah! Sounds like a good result though.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

sexobon · 04-14-2018, 08:41 PM

Since it was the aftermath of a hail storm bringing you all together, this song's for youse (a little silliness) ...

07-09-2017, 12:54 PM	#362
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Shouldn't that tech be getting cheaper? __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

07-09-2017, 01:17 PM	#363
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Silly bunny, better tech doesn't make shit cheaper, it makes profits larger, golden parachutes fluffier, and Wall Street happier. What boggles my mind is when they start throwing around numbers in the $4 and $5 thousand range. 36 years experience has shown 3 to 5 years is the lifespan and very few health Insurance companies will cover them. I suspect there are a lot of poor people saying, "What?". __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

07-09-2017, 01:21 PM	#364
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Seems like you could take a vacation in India buy your hearing aide there and come out ahead. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

07-09-2017, 04:14 PM	#366
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Basically, yes. But Costco recently got in on it, and overseas sites like Audicus are finally starting to break through as well. Both have them for $500-800 per ear. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

07-09-2017, 10:29 PM	#367
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	My strategy is you dress shabbily which is the easy because that's normal, and stop in without an appointment. This is the first time I've had to come back the next day, and that was Saturday half day and I got the last appointment. We discussed the problem I was having and he checked them both. One was kaput. Not surprised for 4 years old. Looked in my ear to make sure it wasn't plugged and commented of how much empty space he could see in there. Even though I'd never seen this guy before, I'd like a nickel for every time he's used that joke. He tells me mine could be repaired but that's expensive, and the new ones are 30% more powerful, yada-yada-yada yawn. Pitch finished, remember I've heard this since 1981. He pulled out my file, sees I paid a grand last time, and beats it by $50. BUT, if I want a phone switch which used to be free, it's $100 more. Also when I bought a pair 4 years ago Medicare reimbursed me $500. They don't anymore because Obamacare fucked up everything, ruined the whole industry, destroyed the nation and will probably cause a zombie apocalypse, according to this guy... without a breath, too. There's been a lot of shady characters in this business and I guess Obamacare put the squeeze on them. We fat guys sweat a lot and with sparse vegetation to divert it, tend to short out behind the ear types, so I use an in the ear which means taking a mold and sending it in to be copied... or matched to the closest stock size, damifino. Yes, a mic, some mini-electronics, speaker and volume control. I asked for one that goes to 11 but nope. The biggest challenge is amplifying what you want to hear but not the ambient noise. Crowded restaurants or noisy places are a bear. They've come up with gimmicks like directional mikes and shit which look good in lab reports but in the real world suck. I find I've been unknowingly reading lips more and listening for clues someone is addressing me. A year ago I was at a cookout at a friends in the NJ mountains. Nice quiet atmosphere, great. Her brother Bruce, his son Bruce, her neighbor Bruce, the dog Bruce, were also there. After a day of that, I was happy to come back and listen to UT wow the groupies. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

07-09-2017, 01:49 PM	#365
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Yeah I don't get it; is it not just a microphone and an amplifier and a speaker, along with circuits that try to help make it accurate...? Ain't we makin' seriously awesome $100 earbuds to begin with? My Sony earbuds have neodymium drivers and whatnot... It's just because it's a medical device and so people can make mint off it, right?

03-10-2018, 12:12 PM	#368
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	Good news I'm going to visit SonofV this morning, I'm on the ferry now Bad news We're meeting at the Emergency Room. Again. He had another seizure at work and the call this morning was the ambulance driver using his phone. Good news He had a "soft landing" so no broken nose, no concussion, no broken teeth... this time. Bad news Still having seizures. I feel pretty helpless, bordering on hopeless. Watching your loved ones suffer is the worst. I fucking hate it. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

03-10-2018, 02:34 PM	#369
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Damnit. Sorry brother. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

03-10-2018, 04:41 PM	#370
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Sorry, V. Epilepsy is a bitch. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

03-11-2018, 11:39 AM	#371
fargon Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: La Crosse, WI Posts: 8,924	Sorry V. __________________ Annoy the ones that ignore you!!! I live a blessed life I Love my Country, I Fear the Government!!! Heavily medicated for the good of mankind.

03-11-2018, 01:20 PM	#372
limey Encroaching on your decrees Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: An island within the south-west coast of Scotland Posts: 7,016	So sorry BigV! x __________________ Living it up on the edge ... of civilisation, within the southwest coast of

04-14-2018, 07:02 PM	#373
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	The bad news: The power went out during a hail storm yesterday evening. I was then awoken at 1.) 11:30 - by Minifobette, who was panicking because she woke up and couldn't tell what time it was and couldn't listen to her music to calm down 2.) 3:30 - by the dog retching in her crate for no apparent reason, though fortunately no vomit 3.) 5:30 - by Minifob, who was also disoriented without a digital clock and just wanted to know the time 4.) 6:30 - by Minifob and Minifobette together, wanting to know why their DS chargers weren't working, and 5.) 7:15 - by the dog, who needed to pee. The power stayed off all the way until 5:00 PM, which meant no hot water for showers, no food beyond dry pantry goods, and no air conditioning all day. But! The good news: We had a fairly busy day which involved lots of excuses to leave the house, and tonight we're going to take the kids to see my uncle's folk band play at their regular gig at an awesome barbecue place, and visit with some out-of-town relatives whose company I genuinely enjoy. And the post-storm weather cooled us back down into normal spring temperatures, which should hopefully last for a few days. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

04-14-2018, 08:41 PM	#375
sexobon I love it when a plan comes together. Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 9,793	Since it was the aftermath of a hail storm bringing you all together, this song's for youse (a little silliness) ...

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