Part 4
Prayer and Great Faith
I hope that my blog on Tinnitus has helped in some way. Maybe it helped you to have the faith that you will survive. Maybe it taught you to be careful of your ears and to wear ear plugs to protect your precious hearing. Maybe it helped you to help a loved one or a friend that has had this issue or is still dealing with it as we speak. 
Looking Back
It's been a long road since 2009. I still remember with ease the doctor looking at me and saying, 'there's nothing we can do just turn the radio up louder.' Years later there are only days now and then that I even think about my tinnitus. Most days it fades into the background. But I still keep fans running, and fish tanks bubbling to make sure that I don't have a reason to look for that high pitched whistle that so often came into my field of hearing. My dad also has this issue, and his is worse than mine so I still do my best to protect my hearing. I often put in ear plugs when I blow-dry my hair, or when I mow the grass. One could even wear them when sweeping and should. I'm so thankful to God that he's given me the peace and healing so that I can live with this disease.Forgetting Tinnitus
If you are a family member or a friend of a person that has Tinnitus please don't ask them how they are doing. Don't say how is your hearing, or do you still hear that high pitched whistle. That is the worst thing you can do. It could have been a good day for them up to that point. They may not have thought about their ringing in days and now you're few words could cause them to focus on their issue. Some people hear a roar, some hear a whistle. I have even known of a few people that hear actual music. But what ever you do don't ask them how they are!!! NOW if they are just beginning their trials you can suggest things to them and I'll list a few of them below in the next section. Tricks, prayers, and healing
I'm sure it's different for everyone, but for me I've used what some call white noise to help. You can keep fans running, bubbling fish tanks. Wearing ear plugs in the beginning can only enhance the tinnitus sounds so I suggest wear them only when you need them. For me early on wearing a headset also didn't help so I would just turn on the stereo. For me also sitting on the porch in the spring was helpful the noise of the bugs helped a lot. You can buy cd's with different kinds of sounds, now I guess it would be mp3s for most of us. Storms, crickets, rain can be a soothing effect. Also just in general staying busy. Read or watch a movie if you're having a bad day, the worst thing you can do is to think about your problem or to focus on it. If you have noises in your house that make it worse, or make you think of it, like an old freezer that hums, then get rid of it and get a new one. My Granny used to have a light pole that would hum at night and it would drive me nuts because I would think is that me or that stupid light pole.
Yes don't think about this as a long term thing because as time goes by you will heal mentally and though the sounds may not leave you will learn to live with them. There will be days too, that the sounds will go away, it will just not be there, and you might not even notice it because in time life gets better.
But for those bad days, get out of the house, call someone, laugh, or cry, and let life creep into your mind so that you can focus on something other than your own troubles. Blessings to you and know that God is bigger and that you can do this!!!
Thanks and I pray that my words help you in some way.
Samantha
Part one is here on this page
Part 2 Tinnitus: Causes and Measuring sounds
Part 3 Tinnitus: Final Installment
Part 4 Years later
