Tammy Reid, wife of Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, says she gradually realized that her hearing was affecting everyday conversations. At the time, she often thought her husband was mumbling. She also found herself asking people to repeat what they had said or making excuses when she could not follow a conversation.
“My husband, I can’t hear him,” Tammy said while describing the problem. She noted that Andy’s moustache made it harder for her to see his lips, adding that she would often respond, “What?” when people spoke to her.
The difficulty became especially clear during a quiet moment at church. A friend whispered something to her, but Tammy could not hear it. She recalled having to act as if she understood what had been said. That experience helped her recognize that the issue might be more than an occasional misunderstanding.
## A gradual change in hearing
Tammy was later diagnosed with presbycusis, also known as age-related hearing loss. Presbycusis typically develops gradually and commonly affects both ears. One early sign can be difficulty hearing higher-pitched sounds, which may make it harder to understand some voices or notice sounds such as a phone ringing or a microwave beeping.
After seeking help at the University of Kansas Health System, Tammy met with audiologist Dr. Christine Caudle. Caudle explained that Tammy had lost some ability to hear high-pitched sounds.
“She said, ‘You’ve lost that high pitch sound,’” Tammy recalled. She observed that women’s voices are often higher in pitch than men’s, which helped her understand why certain conversations had become difficult. Seeing the results of her hearing assessment surprised her. “When she showed me the charts and all the things, I was like, ‘Wow,’” she said.
Getting an explanation for what was happening brought relief. Tammy described the experience as freeing because she understood that her difficulty hearing had a cause and that there were ways to address it.
## Hearing aids helped her reconnect
Tammy began using hearing aids, and she said the change affected conversations with her family. Andy and their 14 grandchildren could speak with her more naturally, without the same need to repeat themselves or work around her hearing difficulties.
For Tammy, the improvement was not only practical. She described it as a major change in her quality of life and said she felt more like herself again.
“I got my Sparkle back,” she said. “I’ve always been sparkly. But I can’t even tell you how life-changing it was to be able to hear.”
Her family was relieved, too. Tammy recalled that her children responded with comments such as, “Mom. Thank heavens. You finally got them.” She said she had not avoided hearing aids because she did not want help. Rather, she had been busy with daily life and had not made time to address the problem.
Age-related hearing loss can involve permanent changes to hearing, but devices such as hearing aids can help many people hear sounds more clearly. Cochlear implants may also be an option for some individuals, depending on their hearing and clinical circumstances. A hearing professional can assess a person’s needs and discuss appropriate choices.
## Encouraging others to seek support
Now 67, Tammy has embraced her hearing aids and encouraged others not to feel they need to hide them. She urged people to “show them off,” reflecting her own confidence in using a device that has helped her participate more fully in conversations.
Her experience highlights how gradual hearing changes can be easy to dismiss. Someone may assume that other people are speaking unclearly or may rely on repeated questions and guesses to keep up. For Tammy, learning that high-pitched sounds had become harder to hear helped explain those everyday frustrations.
Her message is also a reminder that seeking a hearing evaluation can provide useful information. Hearing loss can affect communication with partners, children, friends, and others, but support and hearing technology may help make those interactions easier. For Tammy, getting hearing aids allowed family conversations to feel more natural—and helped her reclaim the “Sparkle” she says has always been part of her personality.
