Our area is no stranger to the prep work of hunkering down for a hurricane. But this nasty virus is a horse of another color. During a hurricane everyone is hustling and bustling around and sharing storm tracks and ice. When you are standing in line pumping gas or getting ice...you still feel connected to others in your general area. There is camaraderie. There are smiles. But a hurricane is a storm. In our area I think most think of it as a storm. A Bad Storm. But none the less; a Storm.  We prepare our homes and secure objects so there is not so much property damage. We watch the tracks...right up until we lose power and it takes it’s grab on us...and we know within a few hours we can access the damage, clean up, call the insurance and move forward. While a hurricane will affect many in its path...and can be devastating...it is something that you can face head on.

This COVID19 pandemic is the complete opposite of a Hurricane. It’s sneaky and you can’t see it coming. Unlike a hurricane where friends and neighbors help each other prepare for the inevitable; this virus separates humanity into individual units...thus making everyone more vulnerable. Where people share ice, water and meals with a hurricane...now people are hoarding everything. There are no smiles. The separation causes people to get defensive. I have seen so many posts on Facebook, and have been involved in a couple, as to whether or not we should shut down. Shut down the State. No business’s whatsoever. Shut it all down. Should we? Who really knows?  

l know that in this community there are many who live pay check to pay check...and by that I mean, the day they get paid they have no money left after paying bills. These people have little kids to raise. Business owners are well aware of their employees’ financial status. We know the fear they feel of not having any way to purchase food (or even find it). Completely shutting down everything will have far reaching and lasting consequences.  

On the other hand, how do we stop the spread of this nasty virus. An enemy that attacks secretly and recruits others as its doing it...without anyone’s knowledge? We have to practice social distancing. REALLY!! WE DO! EVERY ONE OF US NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF OUR SURROUNDINGS AND ACT ACCORDINGLY!!   

If you are one of our patients then you know how busy we are and that we stay solidly booked about 4-6 weeks out. Usually 15 - 30 people a day depending upon the type of appointments. Plus walk-in’s. With the government regulations and recommendations, we have been rescheduling our appointments to Emergency only.  Broken hearing aids.  Hearing aids cleanings if aids are not providing adequate amplifications. No Hearing exams. No Hearing Aid fittings. All Patients are being met at the car.  Each day we see less than the day before. That means 15 -30 people each day are a little bit safer. They have a little bit better chance of steering clear of COVID19. This leaves us with time to do a little organizing and weeding out. It also lets us practice our remote programming skills. 

For years we have been able to do remote programming of our patients hearing instruments. Usually, a patient calls in and then we return the calls in the evening after patients to do some programming for them.  With this break in patient traffic we can now do this during our regular hours.  

Starkey Hearing Technologies, Livio line of hearing instruments that we have been fitting for a year and a half are also programmable through the app on your smart phone.  Starkey is rapidly working on new features that will give us more connection to our patients hearing instruments through the app. This is awesome news as it allows us to continue to give our patients premium hearing service and help to keep you safe and healthy!!

I do believe that a majority of our citizens are making the effort to minimize exposure to others. I noticed on my way home from the office the other night that the roads were pretty vacant at 7 p.m.  

Remember, the germ that can make you deathly ill can stay on surfaces for days. I read where that original cruise ship still had COVID19 germs showing up in the guest cabins 14 days later. Germ that can kill...you...or your friends...or your family. Stay safe! If you need us...just call! To Hear Better Is To Live Better!!