Loss and Piano Tuning ( was: hearing etc.)

[A440A at aol.com]

Diane  writes:

<< Just some of the techs we know about who have had problems with hearing: 
Brent Fischer, RPT;  Rich Snelson; Hans Troost;  Bob Hofstetter, RTT (he's 
why I do this work--the tuning AND the hearing research). >>

Hell's bells!  Add me to the list.  I have a 35 db. loss in my left ear at 4K 
(oh, the dove and duck hunting I did as a youth was well worth it,too)  and 
when voicing, I use a Digifocus hearing aid that is tuned to match the 
descending ramp on my audiogram.  I can still tune aurally, but it was becoming a lot 
of effort in that last five notes.  
   I have been told that it will be progressive,  I now wear plugs when 
involved with a lot of activities.  My point was that even though I have some 
hearing loss, in the last 14 years  I have had a carpal tunnel release, three 
rotator cuff surgeries, and a fasciotomy in an elbow.  Tendonitis is always 
hovering in the background, and the osteoarthritis across my left knuckles reminds me 
of everything from the long nights tuning practise room Grinell Bros uprights 
to the recalcitrant Baldwins that I used to pound into submission.  
     In talking to many techs, it appears to most give no thought to 
pre-tuning warm up, stretching, and how to lessen the damage of doing the same thing 
over and over and over and over and over and over ........ C88,  whew, where's 
my check?  
       I have had to learn how to ergonomically take care of myself or the 
hearing wouldn't matter. 
Thanks for the note. 
 
Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html