Cochlear Implant Story
To Dr. Babu, Advanced Bionics, Julie (my audiologist), and everyone else that has been instrumental in starting me on the most fantastic journey of my life – THANK YOU!!!!
Since I was implanted and activated with the cochlear implant March/April 2013 my life has changed so drastically I cannot explain it.
I have gone from before my surgery not being able to understand what was being said to sitting at a table with 10 or 12 people (all talking) and taking part in the conversation. I used to guess a lot as to what people were saying and got a lot of looks telling me I had misread their lips but that does not happen anymore.
One of the few things I heard upon activation that I did not realize I could not hear before was the click of a light switch, the beeping of a timer, my footsteps as I walked across the floor. It had been so long since I had heard them they sounded like music.
One day as I was sitting on the porch I heard a shrill shrieking, which was almost painful to my ears, until I realized it was a sparrow sitting on the electrical wire chirping. I have not heard the crickets chirp yet but maybe that is because there are not many around anymore in the city. Another time I kept hearing a noise that I could not identify and spent quite a while running around the house until I realized it was my paper shredder which should have shut off automatically but didn’t. These are only a few of the wondrous things the cochlear implant has done for me.
Even though people’s voices still sound like a raspy whisper at least I can hear and understand them. I know I have a long way to go before noises sound completely normal but I look forward everyday to hearing new noises to identify.
Thank you again for the most fantastic journey of my lifetime.
December 1, 2011
Thanks to the Michigan Ear Institute for two of their great doctors; Seilesh Babu, M.D. and Stacey Cohen, Doctor of Audiology.
Ten years ago I was diagnosed with high pitch hearing loss due to permanent nerve damage. In the last 3 years, my hearing continued to decline, making speech recognition almost impossible. I had my surgery on Sept 22, 2011 and can hardly believe the new world of sound I am starting to hear…
Everyday conversations, TV, radio and cellphones are becoming a wonderful reality again. What’s so exciting is I am still learning and improving as time goes on. My wife is so excited that we now can have wonderful conversations and even talk on the cell and home phone. What also is so exciting is to be able to talk and hear my grandkids.
By the way I’m 67 years old and thank God that I had this surgery. I have the Cochlear Nucleus 5 Processor system. As Don’s wife, it has been a very frustrating time for me and my family. We are SOOO thankful that he got this surgery.
He can hear us!!!
We as his family also have to learn to adjust and know that he can hear and we don’t have to use signs or write down what we are trying to tell him. It’s great that even in the car we can talk to each other. It no longer is a one person conversation. We highly recommend this surgery for those that can’t hear.
