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I lost most of my acoustic hearing when I was a baby. Since I grew up with it, I didn't really have a mourning since I didn't really experience hearing beyond hearing aids. Even still, with hearing aids, it was ok but not great. I'm pretty much a deaf person in a hearing world, which means I've been extremely reliant on hearing aids and have relied heavily on sign language interpreters (they're amazing rock stars) in my education. Life will raise challenges that hearing people do not usually have to contend with. It's the attitude that I take on that will allow me to rise above the challenge. One of the life skills that I've acquired is that when a situation arises, I don't panic, I just go along with the situation until I learn enough to figure out a way to use accommodations, utilize people, or skills to get past it. There will be nay-sayers that will say "oh, no, you can't do that because of your hearing loss." But, that's when I roll up my sleeves and show them that I can do just about anything I set my mind to. A couple years ago, I started noticing I wasn't hearing as well in my left ear with my hearing aids. I went to audiologists, had new hearing aids, tuned them, etc. It didn't help much. Losing performance in my left ear gave me pause because I started thinking about how much different my life would be with only one ear to do all the listening in meetings, talking with family at reunions, and being out with friends, etc. That's when I realized it was soon coming to an end for the left ear and started to heavily consider cochlear implants. I reached out to different support groups, talked with people (audiologists, CI users, etc). After learning more about CIs, I "told" my left ear that I'm proud of how far it has taken me in life, doing the best it could, but now it's time for it to have help beyond hearing aids. It's been a year since I've been activated. Hearing people have been easier than before with hearing aids, but I still have a long way to go. I'm still utilizing the life skills I've learned along way and it has helped me so much.

When I read research on factors that predict success with a CI, they list medical info like length of deafness, etc. I appreciate that there are medical factors that may help predict success with a CI. But after living this CI journey, I think that there are mindsets, personalities, outlooks and behaviors that are equally important for success with a CI. Do you agree? What do you think helped you be successful with your CI?

You all pretty much nailed it. I've seen people complaining about how they don't work (or comparing them to hearing aids unfavorably) and always wonder if this is a person with a technical problem (like Joe had) or someone who just put on the processor and started complaining? I had weeks of poor sound. I have actually wondered whether some CI centers aren't doing all that well at outlining what happens after implantation.

For awhile I was extremely angry,there are no words.Needless to say I had to personify my hearing loss as an individual who deserted me when I needed them the most.By so doing,FORGIVENESS had to come into play....followed by ACCEPTANCE.I am very anxious to hear about the coping mechanisms of you guys,my new extended family!!!!!☺

I started going deaf in my 20s and it took me 10 years to accept I was losing my hearing and get my first HA and then when I heard I needed CIs it took me 6 years to finally accept that fact. My mourning began the very first time my ENT told me I'm going deaf. I cried for the rest of the appointment straight to when I got home. Since I got the CI I often forget I'm deaf. But now that most people are wearing masks I'm reminded that I'm still deaf and now I'm not afraid to tell people up front that I'm deaf.

I remember meeting with a local doctor about CIs late 2017.He had done a few implantations while studying abroad. From the one appointment he concluded that I was not ready to embark on this journey. I was most upset. If I wasn't serious I wouldn't have made the appointment to see him in thr first place. Thanks to this forum I knew the CI wouldn't be a quick fix but I am a goal getter. I will put in the required work needed to get the desired results. And so it was with that determination that I approached my journey. It isn't something that another person can do for you. You have to put in the work and keep positive. After activation I was quite disappointed that I couldn't make out speech but I just kept the processor on for most of my waking hours even when everything sounded like alien noises. Fortunately everything worked out.

Like you @Kylie I had ordered skinit designs prior to my surgery and was ready to deck out my FineTuner as soon as we returned home after activation. I still have that same skinit design cover on that FineTuner. It’s a sea turtle underwater scene. I am happy to show my CIs to anyone. They have changed my life.

I agree with everything here. A good dose of a resilient and optimistic attitude is needed to make it worthwhile. Surely that is a significant factor! And as I was saying in a different thread - you need to find ways to 'own' it and for it to be a part of you. Not something you resent or feel you have no control over.

You are not kidding about the perception of a quick fix. On our Miata forum I posted yesterday about having had the surgery and one person asked if I was hearing better yet...

@Mary Beth I completely agree!! You definitely have to be in the right mindset to get the CI. It’s definitely hard work and I don’t think most people realize that when they firsts start considering a CI. Having a positive, optimistic, patient as well as dedicated personality helps a lot with everything after the surgery, in my opinion. When my parents meet someone who is considering a CI and they want to chat - I always tell them you have to be in the right mindset and commit to it for the desired results. The mindset portion is probably why I haven’t gotten the other ear done 🤷‍♀️ One day inspiration will strike for the other ear 😂

@Leila Riley I completely lost my right side hearing suddenly as an adult of 38 years so it was a big shock and yes I was angry and upset too. I quickly went into my usual pragmatic mode and researched all options and asked the specialists lots of questions. They recommended CI and I told them to put me on the waiting list immediately! While I was waiting I spent more time reading, including this forum which was ever so helpful as a 'real' resource of lived experiences. Nearly exactly a year after my hearing loss I had my surgery and I've been actively working on my recovery ever since. I found that being a part of the solution makes me feel more accepting, when I feel some control. During the waiting time I also did things like educate my friends and colleagues in advance, send them videos of what to expect and how to explain a CI, (I even watched a video of the actual surgery!) And I bought colourful decals ready to stick on. Again this all helped me come to terms with my situation - feeling prepared, informed, in control, and preparing my support networks. I still feel sad sometimes about it, it's been an incredibly emotional journey and I freely admit I have shed lots of tears (especially with my choir friends when I didn't know if I would continue to sing). I'm only a year since activation and it's not a 'perfect' sound but really I feel good that I'm doing all I can and I can still live my life. And I'm still singing!!!

Unfortunately we don't have a recliner, yet. Or a couch. We never really set our apartment up, knowing it was going to only be for a year or less. We close on our house on or before 13 Aug so looking forward to that.

Hey everyone! Back at home just now. Little bit of dizziness but nothing too bad. Raging tinnitus in right ear but I know that's to be expected. I am sure I am still feeling after effects of anesthesia some but very limited pain so far, mild discomfort I would say. Hospital staff were amazing, so great and nice to us and accommodating. Since end of January I have been drinking only water so wow was the apple juice they had for me a sugar bomb. Woo... Dry mouth but throat is not too sore. Anyway, that's about it for now. Going to rest a bit.

Huh. I wouldn't think that I'd have to unpair it from one laptop to be able to use it with the other, is that what you're thinking, @Mary Beth? I also have it paired to my phone, but I haven't used it in a while. I discovered the MS Teams conference calls sound incredibly clear and easy to hear when I pair directly to my laptop. We had a discussion today with, let's see, five or six active participants and I could hear everyone and jump in and actually make sense. It was awesome.

@Watersail I love this statement. I had the same kind of talk with my left ear before getting it implanted!

@Leila Riley I was a little girl (2-8 years old) when I lost a good chunk of hearing first from chicken pox and then from 2 fistula operations. In a way I think it was easier to accept because I didn’t know better. I didn’t really spend time questioning it or being angry probably because I was so young. I made my peace with it by telling myself that another kid who couldn’t hear anything needed to borrow some of mine so that together - we’d both hear something. Telling myself that at such a young age allowed me to accept myself and my hearing loss. Because of that I never wished for all my hearing because this was MY normal 😁 The CI has given me the best hearing I’ve ever known and I’m thankful for that. It’s been a wild, exciting, fun journey and I’ve met some awesome people!!

@Leila Riley I would think that our hearing loss history would play a huge role in how we feel about our hearing loss. Some of us were born with hearing loss. Some of us were born with typical acoustic hearing and progressively lost our hearing. Some of us were born with typical acoustic hearing and suddenly lost our hearing. I was born with typical acoustic hearing and started losing my hearing at age 13. There were many different times in my life when I mourned the loss of hearing and its implications in my day to day life. I did come to accept my hearing loss and adapted to life as a hard of hearing person. Then another drop in hearing and the process started all over again. It was difficult to say the least. By the time I seeked out cochlear implants my life was beyond frustrating and exhausting. These CIs have been life changing for me. There have been good things that were brought into my life due to my hearing loss as well. Becoming fluent in American Sign Language, choosing to become a Teacher of the Deaf, special people who entered my life because of my hearing loss. Everyone’s journey to choosing cochlear implants is so unique and so interesting. I have met many great people through my CI journey and I am thankful for each of them.

Um, many places, not including Malaga! Let's see. Madrid, Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla. Salamance. Santiago de Compostela. Vitoria, Bilbao. Burgos. In 1978 I was there with a couple of friends for December and into early January; we spent most of our time in Pais Vasco with a friend of one of my friends, and met all sorts of HIS friends and had a great time over the holidays. Then in 1982 I went back and went on a driving trip with one of the people we'd met before and we went to Salamanca and the southern cities. I do like Spain.

@Liz All noise cancelling headphones are designed to block noise at the ear canal position within the cup (the center). Since our mics are not in the center, we do not get the same level of noise canceling as acoustic listeners.

Hi @Jeffs, we are very sorry to hear that you can not pair your AudioLink to your iPhone. Can you please let us know which type of iPhone you are using in this case? With other phones it worked fine? Best regards, Barbara @Mary Beth - thanks for tagging us.

@Mary Beth I have it actually but I can't use it for work for security reasons. And since work is the only time I use real phone calls...

@phobos512 We are wishing you the very best on your surgery tomorrow. When you feel up to it, let us know how things go.

I have enjoyed two days of virtual Beats of Cochlea conference/festival virtually. Here are some of my favorite moments... Beats of Cochlea Warsaw Poland July 2020 Virtual Conference Prof. Barbara Kasprzak’s interactive art therapy presentation was spectacular! People who have the opportunity to enter her art therapy workshop and engage in an art therapy experience with her are very lucky indeed. Just amazing! Absolutely loved Dominika Dopierła’s interactive music workshop on July 14th! It made me wish I could be there and join in the experience. Thank you for sharing the Beats of Cochlea virtually. Olga Daroch’s eurhythmics presentation was very interesting. I especially liked the blindfolded sound localization activity. It reminded me of trying to find the birds at AudioVersum in Innsbruck with the Med-El MeetUp friends. Agnieszka Sepioło’s presentation on music therapy was terrific. I loved the interactive circle with different responses to specific changes in music and the learning to focus on 1 part of a complex musical sound (like learning to listen to one voice in noise). Great! Loved the movie too! Looking forward to the gala event tomorrow. Thank you @MED-EL Moderator for sponsoring Beats of Cochlea.

@phobos512 Check out the free app/service called InnoCaption+ which will let you speak for yourself but will caption incoming sound. Free. Works on your cell phone. Quick to get started. No documents needed from your audiologist.

It’s tricky isn’t it? It could be unrealistic expectations, need for aural rehab training, need for a more skilled MAPping audiologist, need for reimplant due to poor electrode placement (although this could be solved by all surgeons taking images in the operating room like my CI center does and save everyone a lot of unnecessary trouble) or it could just be an ear that does not have enough neural survival to deliver adequate info to the brain. Tricky.

@phobos512 I think people assume it is like cataract eye surgery!

@Mary Beth So true! It is a journey not a quick fix. Unfortunately, I think that is the urban legend out there that CIs are a quick fix. I’ve talked to people who were ready to hear better but when they found out that they had to rehab the ear and that sometimes the CI doesn’t work as wanted for up to 2 years, they backed away. Maybe one day those people I talked to will take the leap! I’m thrilled I took the leap and put in the hard work - it’s been so rewarding 😊 and you are right - when the timing is good, I’ll know and have the other ear done 🦻

@Megan L. I agree with everything you wrote. And also that it is so important that someone is ready for the CI journey and not just looking for a quick fix. You will know if and when a second CI is right for you. Trust your instincts. On the morning of my second CI surgery I jumped out of bed and started singing happy birthday to my second ear. I was sooo ready.

Dr Christopher Tsang. We were at Inova Fairfax Hospital Surgery Center in Falls Church VA.

Oops. I thought you had an iPad. I only got one as the aural rehab apps were available in Apple's App Store but not on GooglePlay. Well I hope your laptop works properly August 2.

The only other device nearby was my phone, so next time I try it I'll turn the phone off.

I'm in. Maybe you should use your iPad for the next meeting @Mary Featherston. That's what I use.

Looking forward to chat @Mary Beth , please count me in.

Absolutely yed

@Mary Featherston I think it may be automatically connecting to a known device. It’s worth a try. Yes the Artone really can make video meetings much easier to follow. I am thankful Med-El introduced me to it.

Barring technical difficulties, I'm in.

I hope this time there is no problem.

@Mary Beth so looking forward😘

Oh wow thanks so much I certainly will! Tell you what, I did not like the coronavirus test that much...That was...unpleasant.

I am in Thanks Dave

Hi Mary Beth. Count me in. Thanks! Kirk

Yes!

Yes I'm in! 😁

That is a great plan. I have two neckloops. I used to keep one at work but with COVID-19, I brought it home and use it exclusively with my work computer and conference calls. Sometimes I forget which neckloop is paired with which device and end up trying to figure out why the neckloop I'm wearing isn't giving me sound. Ooops, it's the other neckloop I wanted to wear.

I've noticed my tinnitus 3 months after implantation/activation. It was a sudden onset and LOUD. Fortunately, with the CI, it isn't as noticeable. And 9 months after, it has quieted down overall, even without the CI. It's still there, but much more tolerable. And with the CI on, I don't notice it at all.

I'm a year in with a CI and music is still very challenging for me. It's certainly a journey that is improving over time, but doesn't sound nearly like what it did with a hearing aid, yet. It's being persistent and having repetition of the songs playing that helped my brain decode the signals from the CI. I found it most useful to listen to simple songs (single vocal, simple instruments) that I knew before the CI. And listening to them over and over and over again. Eventually the beeps gave way to periodic words being understood, and then to vocals being more clear, to some instrumentals. My brain is still broadening my comprehension of music every day. It's a challenge, but it's one I take on every day with ambition. In other words, hang in there, keep listening, keep trying. Don't give up.

I have my Artone paired to multiple devices. I usually have to disconnect my Artone from my iPhone if I want to use it with my iPad. Same thing with the laptop. It has been great for all the conference calls I've had to do.

Definitely! 😁

I'm game again.

Good luck @Liz! I hope it works out great.