WHEN the audiology team at Letterkenny suggested that Frankie Quinn had a hearing screening after his routine eye test, his life was transformed and he gained a new found confidence.
65-year-old Donegal native, Frankie is very active in his community and a keen member of a music band and drama group. Although he didn’t consider his hearing loss a significant health issue, he realised following his diagnosis that he had been suffering in silence. Like many people, Frankie often had to lean over the table to hear a conversation properly or rely on one ear to hear music properly.
Audiologist Martina McNulty detected a distinct decline in hearing function and he was later diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma. “Hindsight is a great thing. I only realised what I had been missing out on after being fitted with my first hearing aid,” says Frankie.
During Frankie’s first hearing screening, Martina discovered that there was a noticeable hearing loss in Frankie’s right ear in comparison to his left ear. She referred him to a GP and from there he was sent to a specialist ENT in Letterkenny and then in Dublin. His specialist diagnosed an acoustic neuroma in his right ear, a growth that develops on the eighth cranial nerve, and is monitoring him regularly. Thankfully Frankie’s growth is noncancerous and has not worsened. The specialist wrote to Specsavers Letterkenny to congratulate them on their referral, as the onset of Frankie’s acoustic neuroma may have been missed if Martina did not carry out a full screening.
Frankie could not praise Martina McNulty and the team at Specsavers Letterkenny enough for changing his life for the better. Frankie says: “Martina was so welcoming and supportive. The team showed empathy. They were professional and thorough in testing and fitting me with my hearing aid. I can now hear music clearly. I was afraid my condition may have shortened my life as a singer, but I am now a choir singer and feeling confident. My acoustic neuroma could have been life threatening and I would have been none the wiser if the Specsavers audiology team didn’t carry out a full hearing screening.”
Martina fitted Frankie with a small and discreet hearing aid, using technology best suited to his needs. Frankie is very much a welcomed visitor to Specsavers Letterkenny for his hearing aid adjustments and check-ups. Frankie said not only has his hearing and quality of life improved as a result of his visit to Specsavers, he has since encouraged his friends and family to get the support they need. He wants other people to get the checks they need and not be embarrassed to ask for help.
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