Same story with my brother. Near deafness made him do poorly in school, so he became a master of multiple trades, and spent a career in the steel mills and foundries of Detroit (so loud you have to yell anyway, even if you still have your hearing). Also, mostly a loner except for a few friends and family. Finally in the last few years, friends and family got so tired of yelling and repeating and begged him to get aids so he did, and promptly found that all the noise he has never heard in his life was driving him crazy (rain on roof, road noise, birds, yada). He only wears them to be with people in conversation, then out they come. It's all a matter of perspective.
The whole family (and what's left of it) always spoke in a command voice growing up (and after) so my brother would be included. People who have met me know I am too loud, and this is the reason. Now when I go back home and we get together, he looks at me and says....
Jess, shut up man, I'm wearing the hearing aids now (grinning). He also has a little trick he does.... when anyone, family or otherwise, gets on his nerves, he looks and them and takes them out and sets them on the table. That's it, the conversation's over.
He ain't heavy, he's my brother....
