Port side is my "blind" side.

[noelH]

Actually deaf side. But might as well be blind in some situations. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss last December. Now diagnosed post MRI as idiopathic SSNHL. Being totally deaf on the left side has some drawbacks. Initially the loss of being able to detect where sounds were coming from was irritating. Sort of adjusting. Sailing I realized I missed being able to hear things especially when on a port reach. The "little" things such as hearing a breaking swell. Adjusting with time. Just happy to able to sail. Earlier this year I was just happy to be able to walk.

Imbalance issues and my "jelly scrolling" vision I thought was the end of windsurfing and wind foiling. Balance has continued to improve. Finally built up the nerve to give windsurfing a test run last week. Ideal test day. Light for windsurfing conditions at F4 winds with 1-2 ft chop.  No real issues. Planed out of ~75% of my jibes and 1 for 1 on quick tacks. Just real weird vision when I finish carving through a jibe or spun the body in a tack.  So the next day gave foiling a go. Running on a straight line it was actually easier than windsurfing. Windsurfing is a relatively violent ride v. foiling is so smooth. The bouncing while windsurfing sort of mess up my vision.   But...Like sailing didn't realize how important sound is. Like sailing the port reaches can become "interesting".

[Norm L.]

Glad you are out again.
It is interesting how the body can be adapted to function by dealing with problems. My times at PT have cured problems without moving to meds or surgery.
Right now, us down here envy your water time while we look at temps of 100+ degrees and early mornings in the upper 80's.

[Riley Smith]

Ain't that the truth Norm. It was 90F at 9pm last night with the humidity in the 90% range. I've been hard of hearing for a long time, especially in my left ear. Most people don't know how much that affects you but it can be very frustrating. I can't converse in a restaurant except with the person immediately next to me. I can't hear my watch alarm or many bird species. Reminds me of my uncle who lived 75 yards down the hill from my grandmother. We'd wake up in the morning listening to the farm report he was playing at WOT. I DO use all this to my advantage when SWMBO is trying to dish out honey-dos 

[Doug SC]

My hearing too has become lopsided. I am lucky in that I can still hear fairly well in my left ear and the right ear still hears but not quiet sounds. This makes it hard to locate the direction of sounds on the right as my left ear hears it at a greater volume which seems to yield a false directional input.

[Captain Kidd]

Hardness of hearing runs in my family. My brother (65) wears hearing aids. Can hardly hear without them. I have moderate tinnitis. Have trouble understanding others when there is competing noise.

Aging brings it issues. Just read over on the Welsford FB page of a sailor who just finished a Pathfinder after a three year build. He did his shakedown cruise and has now had a second stroke. His boat is up for sale. Sheesh! He's ok with it as he's had a nice sailor's life. But still feel bad for the guy.

Glad you're managing.

[noelH]

One of my more goofy four legged friends figured out I cannot hear anything from my left side. Day 1 he came up and patiently waited to the left and behind me. I think I flinched when I notice him. Next day he came by for a visit. He is very quiet and stealthy. This time he came up to me and gave me hard nudge. More than flinched. Normally he has that crazy look.  This time not only was his head rocking from side to side . I think he was grinning. To this day if possible he comes up on my left side. I think he enjoys scaring the poo out of me.

The tinnitus in the deaf ear has persisted since day 1.  Bit weird. Mostly typical ringing tinny sound. But occasionally I hear "Morse Code". I told my friends and family it's the aliens sending me a message. Just don't know what the message is. Other times I occasionally hear a relatively loud almost like feedback tone. Without the Loop Engage model ear plug in the good ear I cannot make out much conversation in an environment with significant background noise. Thinking about wearing the Loops while sailing.  The sound of the wind in the good ear blocks out a significant amount of clear sounds.

[Norm L.]

When I started with the hearing aids I was amazed at what I hadn't been hearing. I have a good one with an app on my phone. The audiologists test every few years and reset that one. There is Restaurant with sub settings Noise Filter, Speech Focus and Hear Everyone. There is Phone, which seems to help with sounds from the laptop such as narrative and Zoom or Group conversations.  My cell is Bluetooth so goes right to the ears. Microphone, is a setting for a portable mic about the size of a big thumb that you can hang or clip close to the source you want to hear. That is placed next to the TV speaker or used at church. There is also a screen where you can adjust Bass, Middle, and Treble for a particular setting and enter it as a special setting for that situation.

After all this, the problem is never volume but understanding speech. There are some humans that are always understandable, usually with lower voices, and difficult with higher voices like women. 
In places like church and restaurants I'm constantly jumping around the app to get the best return. But loud background noise is difficult to beat. You should be able to make a setting for the car background wind noise but I've never done it.
I understand there is a new generation of aids that are supposed to be advanced in handling background noises.
Be aware that at the beginning of aid apps Apple got with the hearing aid manufacturers and they built for Apple. Android got involved but has always been a bit behind the curve.
Yes, you can buy OTC aids at attractive prices. In my opinion good audiologist are worth the extra cost. A Half-ass aid can drive you nuts, and you will leave them in a drawer. Happily, the VA hospital is 15 minutes away and has walk-in hearing aid service.
Now that's more than most of you want to hear. But if you are losing hearing it will continue.

[noelH]

My specific issue a hearing aid is useless. At -100db no frequency was detected. Hearing aids are only functional if you have some residual hearing. IIRC from what the audiologist noted. >-40dB is moderate, >-70dB is severe, >-90dB is profound. There are some for the correct person decent OTC hearing aids at a significantly less price than most Rx aids. But most are limited to people with mild to maybe moderate hearing loss. I looked at few in the hope some hearing would return. Which it did not. 

Was a bit skeptical about the Loop Engage model hype of being able to filter out background sound and hearing conversation more clearly. But for ~$39 I gave them a go. At least for me they work. The price is actually 1/2. I only need one for my good ear. A single set ends up two useable ear plugs. Nothing to really wear out or break except the silicone replaceable ear canal fitting. Just don't go swimming with them. The Engage's filter will be ruined.

Regarding audiology exam.  Didn't need an audiologist to tell me I was deaf. ENT specialist wanted some objective data. My Medicare Advantage coverage denied the audiology fee. Medically unnecessary procedure.  Wasn't a significant fee out of pocket and it confirmed my impression of being deaf.

[Wayne Howard]

My previous employer gave us bi-yearly hearing tests. But on the last 10 years I was working, they expanded the scale in the upper ranges. Well, I have tinnitus from an idiot with a shotgun when I was a teenager. I always knew I had hearing problems in the upper registers but when I felt the headphones vibrate before I heard the tone I had proof.