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from Bill Yost



I 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@luc.edu
www.parmly.luc.edu
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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@aol.com