Beware of a Peril of Mask Wearing!

Yesterday, I went to the gas station and filled up my car. Then I went into the store to buy a lottery ticket. As I was returning to my car, I took my mask off. On the drive home, I realized that my left hearing aid was missing!

I quickly turned around and headed back to the gas station......I looked all around at the pump where I had gotten gas, but no aid.....so I went back into the store and asked the clerk if anyone had found and turned in a hearing aid. She said no. So I went back out and searched all along the path I had walked previously when returning to my car. Still nothing. So I decided it must be in my car someplace.

I drove home, pulled into the garage and searched everywhere. Even used a flashlight to check the sides of the seats. No luck. Just found a pencil and a old grocery list Then I went into the house and stripped off my coat, sweatshirt, and shirt, hoping that it had fallen down into my clothing. Still no luck!

I sat down and had a little cry. My aids were very expensive and I did not want to have to spend thousands of dollars to replace one. Then I decided to go back to the gas station. It is about a 10 minute drive.

When I got there, I parked my car and started walking and looking all the places I had been. Still nothing. I looked under the trash can, up and down along the pumps. Nothing. Traced my steps back to the store. Zero. Finally, I walked over to the pumps to the right of where I had gotten my gas. And lo and behold, there it was. Laying in the middle of the lane where the other pumps were......and amazingly, it had not been run over!

I picked it up and cried as I drove home! Thanking God the whole trip home. It had been a grueling and emotional hour for me!

When I got home, I searched for a new mask online that does not hook behind the ears....one that goes behind your head instead. Some were rather pricey and lots of sites had extenders....but seemed more for comfort as the side straps still go over the top of the ear.

I ended up cutting the elastic bands off of my present masks - making a new seam opening and pulled string of ribbon through both sides.....so now the masks tie behing my head!

So any of you SparkFriends, who have hearing aids and wear glasses, as I do, BE CAREFUL when you remove your mask! My mask was like a SLINGSHOT that sent my hearing aid flying! YIKES!