Huh, what did you say. You’ve got to type louder.

Both knees replaced, neck fused, shots for lower back - dsc issue, hearing loss, chainsaws-machinery-shooting, but there was no discussion of hearing protection around here. I would not change a thing that I did, earned it, own it, live with it.

Getting a two hour evaluation in a few weeks to determine if my hearing loss justifies a cochlear implant.

I hear almost no treble sounds. It is like living inside a base drum.

Until I was around 30 years old, I thought I was pretty much invincible, nothing could hurt me. I ignored most precautions you should take. Now I am paying for a lot of it. I used to lift heavy weights in competition. Lots of heavy squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. More that I should have tried. Now, my knees, lower back, and shoulders are pretty much shot. I tried to beat a guy who had dead lifted more than I had. So, I tried to dead lift 600 pounds for the win and tore both my bicep muscles. That was in my later 20s. From all the heavy squats my knees aren't the best. I've been told I should have my right knee replaced. If I had to do it over again, I would still lift weights. Not power lifting, just high reps with lighter weights which is what I do now.

I used to open beer bottles with my teeth if there wasn't a church key (bottle opener for you younger guys) available. Everyone back then thought I was pretty cool to be able to do that. Some parties I would open several cases of beer that way for everybody. In my later years I've needed a lot of dental work as a result of my stupidity. Oh, to be young again!!!!

I worked in a factory for 20 years. 8 of which were in a hearing protection area with loud blowers running on my three furnaces all day. Like 50 blowers the size of half a Volkswagen or so.

I always wore hearing protection. I didn't want to lose my really good hearing b/c its invaluable in OUR outdoor adventures...

Turns out, something I learned and wish I knew all along and why I tell people this story is... EAR PLUGS DON'T KEEP YOU FROM LOSING YOUR HEARING!

Ear plugs just prevent you from going def. So I had better than 20/20 hearing (I know thats not right but you knew what I meant didn't you) and I lost my hearing just to the level that the ear plugs protected me to.

If you look up the best ear plugs you can buy on amazon protect you up to 40dB. Most are around 32dB or something. What's that mean? You wont go def, not that you wont lose hearing.

Now I can hear someone talking but I usually have to watch their lips to know what they are saying. If there is any other noise going on while they are talking... all I can hear is the other noise.

Good luck and be safe out there.

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Each one of those stacks and duct work is a blower. I had three of those machines.

Think of this as a really long pizza hut oven...