As a baby, Gert-Jan developed meningitis with one-sided deafness. This would always play a role during his life and often evoked feelings of discomfort, sometimes shame and other emotions. This all changed when Écoutez presented a hearing solution just for him.

“I have never experienced what it is like to hear with both ears. As if there was no world on my left. From my early childhood, I had hearing tests at an audiology center. The experts said that nothing could be done.”

“But both at work and in my private life, annoying situations arose in which my hearing loss got in my way. I couldn’t understand my own children. I missed their first words and not hearing when they approached me. I could not follow conversations at the table. I also avoided conversations at parties. And after a family dinner, I always came home exhausted from the effort.”

“I realized I could no longer live like that. Two years ago, I had another audiological test done. The advice was to try a CROS hearing aid. This was an advanced solution that I had never heard of before. It would cause the sound on the side of my deaf left ear to pass into my right ear. I called Écoutez and was able to drop by immediately.”

“I was looking forward to the appointment, when I would hear with my wife if this was the technical solution to my one-sided deafness. I was very surprised that Lisette Kolenbrander, a triage hearing care professional at Écoutez, had already prepared a hearing solution just for me. She understood exactly what I was talking about and I was able to try the hearing aid right away.”

“Lisette warned me about the effect on what I was going to hear. She also prepared me for it to be disappointing. Thankfully, none of that happened. The Cros hearing aid was, in one word, phenomenal.”

“After 37 years, for the first time in my life, I heard sound from the left in my right ear through the CROS solution. Tears of happiness rolled down my cheeks. I was finally able to relax. It was fantastic. I thanked Lisette for her beautiful work, clear explanation, and her thoughtful, personal approach. Écoutez hearing solutions are something to appreciate greatly. Lisette is passionate about her profession, she is worth gold.”

“My wife says I’m calmer now. And I have much more energy because hearing is natural and takes less effort. Yes, there are also disadvantages. I’m annoyed by the sound of a sandwich bag, and the wind while cycling. Oh, well! I get so much in return. My daughter whispers in my left ear ‘I love you’ and I hear it in my right.”

“My message to anyone with hearing loss. Don’t wait that long. You don’t know what you’re missing until you get it back. Or in my case…you may have the chance to experience what it’s like to truly hear for the first time in your life.”

We are so happy that an Écoutez hearing solution was able to change Gert-Jan’s life. If you have a similar story, we’d love to visit with you about a solution as well. Please sign up today for a free hearing test.

Rob van Dorresteijn is an Écoutez customer. He had had doubts about his hearing for over 20 years. He has been wearing a hearing aid for about a year.

“I can fully participate in conversations again,” he says. “I often felt I was missing comments, especially in a larger group. My wife also made comments about it regularly. When I had my hearing tested I found that I missed a significant part of the high tones. Yet, I continued to walk around with my hearing loss for a long time. Too long.”

“I think I was not mentally ready. But in the meantime I couldn’t follow meetings at work and I got confused with speech. This was very annoying.”

“When a friend pointed out the excellent service and the huge range of hearing aids at Écoutez, I took the plunge. After a trial period, I made a final choice in close consultation with hearing care professional Lisette Kolenbrander. A hearing aid must be properly adjusted. I did not know that. Écoutez took plenty of time for that and after each appointment my hearing was better again.”

“Écoutez has ensured that I can fully participate in conversations again. I am satisfied with what I can hear again. And it turns out, despite my bald head, that a hearing aid is much less noticeable than I thought!”

Rob now has a great sense of hearing to match his great sense of humor! We are always so happy when a customer is satisfied with their hearing solution. Rob waited for over 20 years. That is something that happens far too often. If you have doubts about your hearing, please come in for a free hearing test and we’ll show you exactly how you hear the world and what is causing you difficulties.

Sign up here → www.ecoutez.com