Subject: from Bill Yost From: William Yost <wyost(at)WPO.IT.LUC.EDU> Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1999 15:33:09 -0500I received an email shown below, and I thought that someone on the list might be able to help. If so, please address your response to the email address shown at the bottom. Thanks William A. Yost, PhD Acting Associate Vice President Research Director, Parmly Hearing Institute Loyola University Chicago 6525 N. Sheridan Rd. Chicago, IL 60626 773-508-2710 FAX: 773-508-2719 wyost(at)luc.edu www.parmly.luc.edu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- email received by Bill Yost on 10/27/99: A friend who is in his 20's and a professional classical pianist has within the last few months lost over 50% hearing in both ears due to Lupus. His hearing aids help but he cannot distinguish pitches above c (2 octaves above middle C) between 1,046 Hrtz through about 3,200 Hrtz. He can hear the mid and lower frequencies well enough with the hearing aids to continue playing, but since he performs the most difficult piano literature of Chopin, Liszt and others, he really has to be able to hear higher than he can now. Does the technology exist to provide him with a hearing device (a hearing aid or contact microphone that could be put into a piano connected to a device which could instantly "transpose" only frequencies in the above range down 1 or 2 octaves so that he can hear if he is playing the correct notes up there? I realize it may sound confusing initially but I think he could get used to it and be able to continue to earn a living. If you can help or know someone else who might please contact me. He is still having difficulty adjusting to this tragedy and is distraught that he may no longer continue to do the only thing he has trained for all his life. He has other medical complications from the condition but doesn't care about anything else. His doctors are using chemo therapy and large doses of steroids inorder to prevent any additional hearing loss. I am trying to help him since he is not looking for sympathy or attention. If you or someone or some agency or hearing aid researcher or manufacturer can be of assistance in this area; please contact me and I will pass the information on directly to him. I just don't want a lot of people sending him letters of condolence since he is still adjusting to this situation. Thank you. Sincerely yours, Michael D'Andrea e-mail: dandrea(at)aol.com