I had the CI surgery on October 1993, and then got hooked up (turned on) November 18, 1993. On the day before Christmas I had a miracle and I had only had the CI a little over a month. It was Christmas Eve. I was driving home from the grocery store. I remember there was a little snow on the ground. And, I had the car radio on and was stopped at a signal light. The song "12 Days of Christmas" came on; I was so surprised because I had never heard the radio before. Then right after that I heard "Silent Night". That was the most beautiful song I had ever heard and I just became overwhelmed in how far I had come with my CI. I started crying but I was happy. It was the most beautiful Christmas moment I had ever had and nobody could ever understand it without going though what I did. That was my miracle.
Years ago when I was growing up I joined the Girl Scouts. Their motto was "Be Prepared!" There were many badges or pins that I had to earn over the years. I still remember some of the projects I did. I remember the Hospitality badge, having a surprise birthday party for a friend and having to make all the decorations. I remember the camping trips, especially the Chicken and Dumplings recipe that my family uses from time to time (though I liked my Dad's way of making dumplings, too).
I remember being in the Cadette Chorus and singing in front of the Mayor (which at the age of Middle School it seemed like a big deal). I remember the melody of "This Land is Your Land," and "This is My Country." I remember the following year preparing for a big trip with the "Seal Of Ohio Girl Scout Council" to Russia. We had meetings to learn about the country and language. We also found out 2 weeks before we left that we were the FIRST group of Girl Scouts to go to Russia (though there was a group of Girl Guides in Moscow). I remember serving on the Senior Planning Board committee. All of these things were to help us "prepare" for the present and future.
However, even with those badges and lessons learned, there was none to prepare me for my hearing going out. I was having dizzy spells when I went to Russia. Off and on my hearing would fluctuate. I was very UNprepared for losing it!!
In my Senior year of high school I found myself taking Spanish III, German I, Choir and all the rest of the Senior classes. Unfortunately, right before the school year started my hearing went out and I missed school in September due to having to go to the hospital for tests to see what was wrong. In January of 1975 I was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease. I received my first hearing aid at that time. (I also learned a very important lesson soon thereafter - the dry aid goes into the oven, NOT the hearing aid! YES!!! I melted a brand new hearing aid! Luckily it was still under warranty for everything and that included a teenager "cooking" it!)
My hearing would come and go, but the Doctor told me I would not lose all of my hearing, and from what I read at that time, it did not say I would lose what hearing I had left. Well, I never believed that, and decided to learn sign language while I could still hear. That way I would "Be Prepared" if I did lose more of my hearing. Over the course of time I did lose it, and found that I had to depend on signing or people writing notes back and forth.
A hearing loss brings new things into perspective that we normally do not pay attention to. When I first had my hearing loss, there were not very many devices and they were not like the ones we have today. The TTY's were old and burdensome. The light flasher I had was a globe that flashed unlike some of the ones that are available today. I slowly found myself having to get the things that a deaf person would need, to "prepare" myself to live alone. I did not know where to go to find information back in the 70's. Before I learned sign language I felt like the Deaf had the advantage over me since they signed. And the hearing had their ears! I felt like I had nothing . . .
The lesson I learned in Girl Scouts, "Be Prepared", continued to help me. I learned sign language. I found a church for the Deaf. I found a Deaf club. I got involved with the Deaf. I had to get light flashers for my children - doorbell flashers and phone flashers. Over the course of time, I could no longer understand the phone and I had to get a TTY. I kept looking and found a chapter of SHHH. I rarely went to the meetings for many years. Then I was asked to be Vice President and I bought myself a computer. I started again to search the Internet.
In 1999, I found SayWhatClub during that time, too. A year later I was to go for the Cochlear Implant. I was still trying to "Be Prepared" for the future. The implant gave me back enough hearing that I could communicate with people once again. Now, I am "getting prepared" for the Say What Club convention this July in Seattle, Washington!!!!