My CIDoris Kohn Before I tell you about my CI, I want to describe the shape I was in. After many years of progressively bad hearing, I was unable to hear on the phone. I could not even have a conversation with my husband without the use of pencil and paper. My hearing fluctuated and anything I heard was always garbled. In crowded places and even at dinners with friends, I was totally isolated. I had tinnitus in a big way -- both clicking noises and loud roaring noises. I had been to many ENT specialists and numerous audiologists. We have concluded that most audiologists do not know how to help the severly HOH and don't want to lose the money they can generate. Besides owning a state-of-the-art Phonak HA and the newest controls, I was talked into buying a FM microphone. None of these helped my hearing. My husband had to do all the communicating. The only people who mentioned a CI were members of the SWC and a doctor who wanted to do the surgery. I really had 2 choices for the surgery, and chose the location and surgeon with the most experience. The evaluation was extensive. The actual operation took 4 hours, but I was out for 5. There was very little pain and discomfort. When the bandages were removed a few days later, I could immediately wash my hair, which was a high priority for me. During the evaluation the CI audiologist lent me a hearing aid to use for my bad ear and suggested I have a mold made. I had not worn a hearing aid in that ear for over 3 years, thanks to an audiologist who told me that ear was totally finished, but that is another story. Since the surgeon I picked prefers to operate on the best ear, I would have been totally deaf for the 4 weeks until the hookup. The bad ear proved to be better than anyone thought, especially when I began using my own Phonak after the hookup. The hookup proved to be a wonderful miracle. I could immediately hear better than I had for 5 years. The tinnitus was gone, but that was a special gift that not everyone gets. I was super fortunate. They have scheduled 30 audiologist visits to improve the results, but after 6 they doubt my need for many more. I still have some difficulty in crowded noisy places, but they are working on that. Words can not properly describe my happiness. I still can not believe how well I can hear on the phone. We wonder why this surgery was not done 1 or 2 years earlier. By the way, the equipment is Nuclear 24. | Traveling with a CILillian Willner In September, 1999 I had a cochlear implant ... quite successfully. I can go to movies and plays although music is still distorted. I'm 65 years old and a recent widow but I decided to take a long planned trip to China for a month ... by myself. I'm really not that gutsy but you have to do the things you want, while you can. I flew to China - from Florida to Detroit to Minnesota to Tokyo then to Beijing ... 4 planes!!! Each time I passed thru security, my CI beeped and I had to be frisked. Put it in the tray or my carry on, you may say but I refused to hide it. China is magnificent. The people seem happy and look good. They all ride bicycles and keep in shape. The food was wonderful and I tried some different food that were quite good and the children ...!!!! My problem, of course, was hearing the guides. Their accents made it difficult to understand much of the explanations. In the mornings my guide would bang on my door to wake me up early. I did get through all the problems and really enjoyed myself. I had to carry the CI battery charger with me everywhere I went in my carry on. Every city (there were 10) need a different electrical converter, but the hotels supplied them. I could not find any zinc air batteries for my Siemens in-ear aid. (I still wear my old aid sometimes) It was a wonderful trip which I highly recommend. Next month I'm off to Alaska -- alone.My advice is ... do it!!! |
BACK to Table of Contents