Showing off my new hearing aids

I had my annual checkup the other day at the hospital, and I was somewhat adamant I wanted to keep my hearing aids even if there was a newer version available.

However, that changed completely once I talked to my audiologist…

She told me that the NHS had some new hearing aids available, called the Phonak Sky Q. I think the name sounds like a cool Bond-style gadget! She also told me that my hearing aids were getting a bit too outdated. I could see her point, but I’m always nervous about trying new things. She gave me the colour chart and they looked so cool! I couldn’t decide! You even got to choose the colour of the hook!

So, I said “goodbye” to my old purple Phonak Naida VSP aids, and “hello” to my new, fabulous, snazzy turquoise ones! (I also quite liked the deep pink colour, but unfortunately they didn’t have it in stock.)  So, I chose turquoise because it’s my favourite colour. It’s also the colour of my birthstone, and I tend to wear blue quite a lot!

Another cool benefit of the SkyQ’s is the removable “shoe” on the bottom. As I also wear headphones, I can attach and detach the shoe when I want to, which is handy when I don’t want them to be so long and visible.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gone back to the clear moulds, but when I was younger I was all about the colourful and sparkly ear moulds. I had some very glittery ones and I felt like a princess!

I’ve been wearing them for a week, and so far they’re great. The settings are almost the same as the old ones, but I’ve been told I would hear a few more higher pitched noises. When I went into work the next day, my colleagues commented how “lovely and awesome” they were! They were fascinated that I was able to choose the color.

Whatever color your hearing aids are, I think that it’s important for people who wear hearing aids to be proud of them. While you may worry about what your peers think about them, making them more visible allows people to see that you have a hearing loss and gives you more of an opportunity to be open about it.

For me, I see my hearing aids as a fashion statement. They’re an accessory to my outfit!

Embrace your deafness, don’t be afraid, and show off your hearing aids!

Mix and match your own dream Sky Q hearing aids with this cool tool.

Ellen Parfitt, is an 18-year-old typical, but not ordinary, teenager. She was born profoundly deaf, but it hasn’t prevented her from achieving major accomplishments in her life, such as finishing her education, scoring an marketing apprenticeship, and working as a lifeguard, Avon Representative and Girlguide Leader. She is passionate about deaf awareness and campaigning. In her free time, she runs her jewelry and gifts business with her mum.

You can follow her here on Open Ears on a regular basis, or on her personal blog, Day in the Life of a Deafie and on Twitter @deafieblogger.