Song interpreter

I remember occasionally hearing the ringing as I was growing up. I thought it was fun and then it disappeared. But a few years ago, I noticed it doesn't go away anymore. It started ringing and staying shortly after I started my part time job. I'm hope it's not related to my job! I work at a fabric store and the ventilation system it kinda noisy and I work under a vent.

On the other hand, I wear earplugs in church. For some reason, the pastors want it loud! They even supply earplugs at the sound booth! I have been sitting in the Deaf section for about the same number of years as I have been working. The subwoofers are in the walls next the stage and we sit in the front rows.

One more possible cause, according to my research, could be all the ear infections I have had over the years. When I was a baby I had lots! Then I outgrew them. Then in high school I started up again with the ear infections. I have had my eardrums burst numerous times. Even before my ear infections started again, I had plenty of scar tissue in my ears.

I have read that certain medications can cause ringing. My only exposure is to amour thyroid, coffee and occasional aspirin.

I had gotten used to the ringing over time. I could find it if I stopped to listen for it, or when it's quiet and that's all I hear. A little over two years ago, I started interpreting the songs for the Deaf in church. I sit on stage, right in front of the drums. I have the subwoofers in the wall next to me and the monitors for the musicians. I wear earplugs that reduce the decibel level by 31. It cuts the sound a lot, but it also muffles the voices a bit. The sound mix that seems to be popular is to have the music in front of the voices.

I tried the in ear monitors twice. The first set, didn't block the sound at all. If I wanted to hear in my ear, I would have to have the volume much louder than the house and stage. No. That first one didn't work.

A couple months ago, I was on stage and someone's monitor was so loud! The sound was so loud and it was distorted. It felt like a trumpet was aimed at me or there was a flute in my ear! My earplugs did nothing to help me. It was too loud! I felt like crying and walking off the stage. My tinnitus doubled that day! Now for two months, I can't ignore it anymore! It is so loud! I wrote a letter/email to the pastor over Deaf ministry to find a solution. I also spoke to the one women sound tech. We started working on a solution.

A couple weeks ago we tried the new monitor. This one I could get voices only, but still, the house was too loud. No help! But, the company that makes our monitors, can make custom in ear monitors that block the outside noise. I was looking into that, but it costs hundreds of dollars, up to $500 to get the whole thing done. There's a few steps involved. How to find a good audiologist that could make the ear molds to the company's specifications? Also, explore my tinnitus to see what I don't hear, because it is masked by my ringing. I have very limited insurance and good doctors are hard to find.

Well? This Tuesday, the sound tech saw me coming in for the Bible study I interpret for my friend. She stopped me at the door and showed me a new monitor. It has the earplugs that blocks sound and she can give me only voices in my ears. We tried it. Wonderful! It cut all the outside sound! It was so quiet, I felt like if I was singing, the congregations would hear my voice! I was very happy with this!

My sound tech friend invited me to rehearsal on Thursday to see if it works on stage. She set up a monitor next to my place. We were trying to have a conversation on stage and couldn't hear each other, but once I put the earplugs/earpiece in and the foam conformed to my ears, the sound was gone. They put the voices into my monitor and I control volume. This should work and I am very happy! The only way this could get better is to turn down the volume in the house.

Tomorrow will be the first time I get to use the monitor for a church service. My main concern is finding a way to attach it to my clothes and be sure I don't get caught up in the wires as I sign.

Update on in ear monitor. January 26, 2016

The next Sunday after this post, I must not have gotten the monitor seated correctly. It was so loud on stage! Yikes! I might have increased my ringing by 10%. After church, the drummer came up to me seeing I had the same monitor he was using and told me I need to wait for the foam to seat properly. He didn't know I had a problem! He just wanted to encourage me. He has it the loudest of all on stage. He was sweet. It was God.

This last Sunday I tried again. Success! Yea! My only problem this time, I need the speakers' voices too. That wish I can leave the monitors in my ears the whole time. This week, our professional interpreter's substitute didn't show, so I interpreted the message too. I couldn't hear the pastor, so took the monitor out of one ear. Next week, I will have all voices in my monitor. We will figure it out! I'm so glad someone takes me seriously! It's good to have someone in my corner!