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  • HearPeers Heroes

Kay in Ohio just saying hi. I'm scheduled for a Med El implant in June and am both anxious and apprehensive. I've had aids for years but I have been rapidly losing my hearing for the last month and am struggling to know what is being said. I have a good hearing aid but it is not much use anymore. Noise? Oh yeah!

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  • HearPeers Heroes

Hi Kay and welcome to Hearpeers!! Well.. Your story is much the same as many of us. We find ourselves on the doorstep for the new technology. A cochlear implant? What that's crazy! We think. But with my experience it has changed my life as it has MANY others. So it's the first step to a new life. None of us no where it will initially lead. But we all have to hope for the best as for me there was no other option. I have made leaps and bounds in my six months since activation. I can use the phone again. I can listen to music and feel I can have a conversation with someone I don't know. ( which before I avoided strangers.). So we will be thinking of you as your day approaches. Best of luck and keep us posted.

Kara

  • HearPeers Heroes

Hi Kay and welcome to Hearpeers. We've all been where you are and the next month before your surgery will go by quickly. As Kara says, this is life changing. It will take patience, practise and perseverance (the 3 Ps). My life is more rewarding because of this technology. Good luck and please keep us informed of your journey.

  • HearPeers Heroes

Welcome Kay,

I think I spent the weeks leading up to my CI surgery and activation reading everything I could about people's CI journeys and aural rehab. I downloaded several aural rehab apps and got things organized for training. This kept me very busy and helped me deal with the weeks leading up to surgery. Best of luck on your hearing journey!

  • HearPeers Heroes

Thank you for your kind don't replies. Since I'm going nuts the support is greatly appreciated!

I have been reading about the sonnet. Are we waiting for the whole model to be approved or just the rechargeable part? Can I get the standard sonnet and wait for the rechargeable? I think I'd prefer the mini because of weight and size as I also wear glasses. Of course you all realize I don't really know what I'm talking about

  • HearPeers Heroes

Hi Kay,

I have Sonnets. They work great. The rechargeable batteries are not FDA approved yet but I received a voucher for them once they are available. The dual mic and windblock features are not yet FDA approved so we are presently using the Sonnet with one omni mic. Works fine but we are looking forward to activating the dual mics.

Feel free to ask any questions you have. We all had to start at the beginning just like you.

  • HearPeers Heroes

As for right now you can get the whole sonnet but the extra features are not yet approved in the US. med el has just released the two rechargable battery options. I have heard rumours that some in the us will get their upgrades in the late summer. So we are waiting for that to happen. So basically the sonnet in the US is similar to the opus2. Until they release the new technology.

  • HearPeers Heroes

Thanks What about the mini version? The batteries only last 7 hours, but with 10 hours they'll have to be changed in the middle of the day anyway so I don't see much difference.

  • HearPeers Heroes

Me either. Not sure if I want that. Don't know if I have to pay for them or what is up with that. If we receive a voucher?? Not sure. I like that my batteries last three days not too much of a bother. But twice a day? That's crazy.

  • HearPeers Heroes

Kay,

In the US you will most likely receive a voucher for the rechargeable batteries for the Sonnet. Any guess on release date is just a guess as they have not been FDA approved yet. Med-El has released info on the rechargeable batteries on their international site and state that summer availability is expected internationally. The FDA process tends to slow that down for us. On the Med-El website there are three rechargeable battery kit options. One includes just the standard size, one includes just the micro size and one has a mix of both.

The Opus2 uses a different rechargeable battery called the DiCapo. Those batteries are supposed to last up to 16 hours but they only lasted 10 hours for me. So I carried around a spare one and switched out at around 3:30 everyday.

If the Sonnet standard rechargeable gives me at least 8 hours (it says up to 10 hours), then I may do that with those. If I can not get at least 8 hours though, I will stay using the disposable batteries which last 2 2/3 days for me.

There are varying reports on whether the Sonnet sounds the same as the Opus2 right now in the US with only one mic active. I have an Opus2 and love it but the Sonnet and the Opus2 do not sound the same to me even with only one mic active. I guess this varies from person to person.

  • HearPeers Heroes

Decisions decisions.

The sonnet sounds like a good choice. Thanks Mary Beth. My audiologist didn't recommend the rondo because of the tendency to fall off. This is such an important and expensive step I just want to make the best decision I can.

I had an aid with a larger bte battery and I'd like to keep it to the smaller size if I can. I had trouble with my glasses it rubbed and got very sore. I'll just do what I have to and make peace with it.

Thank you all for the input.

  • HearPeers Heroes

Kay,

Are you at a two processor center or a one processor center in the US? Two processor centers give us two processors for one ear. If you are torn, you could choose one Rondo and one Sonnet.

  • HearPeers Heroes

Mary Beth, I don't think I have that choice. I was told when the Rondo first came out both were given but not now. My audiologist said almost all who got them don't use the Rondo. I will have to get what insurance will cover.

  • HearPeers Heroes

Well don't fret. Med El is fabulous with support and any issues you might have. I have already returned my battery pack. No questions asked. I think I goofed it up. By trying to put the battery cover on in the dark. I put it on the wrong way a few times. So don't do what I did. (For my Sonnet) but best of luck. It is the most worth while thing I have ever done. Yes it is hard work. I won't kid you there. But the out come has far reached beyond any of my wildest expectations. So best of luck. Kara

  • 2 weeks later...

To Kara, Mary Beth & Kay, my implant was done on Feb 22nd 16 and activation on March 23, 16. I chose the Rondo along with the best of all worlds at that time. So my first 12 weeks has been a large experaince in my life. FYI last week I heard crickets and frogs for the first time in 25 years. Yes I am so happy I went ahead even after the day before my insurance Co called the hospital and said they would not cover the cost of the implant (that's what attorneys are for Right). anyway it is a lot of work but so rewarding if you stick with it daily. My best recomendtation to you is what ever you pick Rondo or Sonnet is use one or the other and don't worry about the large box of items that come with it. Learn what's behind your ear or the Rondo on your head and read out loud to yourself as much as possible. The person you will see a lot to reset your programs is the most important person in your early journey for at least the first 6 months. I used both the sonnet behind the ear and Rondo for the first 4 weeks (note I was not offered both like back in July 2015 special) because the Rondo (my choice) had a hard time staying on my head. I found no differencent in understanding etc except the sonnet was very uncomfortable to me. Now at 12 weeks I am playing golf and shooting completion guns with the rondo and it is staying on 90% on the time.

I am not aware of the things the girls listed here are talking about batteries rechargble's etc but have no problem changing out batteries every third morning when I know they will die. So best of luck and please remember the person rewriting your programs is the most important person in your world for the next year. Yes I still have backround noise etc but its getting better by the day. Also I still ware a hearing aid in my left ear that has helped me understand tones quicker from people I know. When I first was activated everyone sounded like Donald Duck including my wife of 45 years. Pat Tichenor from Michigan.

  • HearPeers Heroes

Thanks Kara and Mary Beth.

I am both excited and a little scared.

I hope the failure rate of these is small and I'm not making a big mistake.

On the other hand I can't understand most of what is said anyway.

  • HearPeers Heroes

Remember there is always hope. It's a journey. It takes time. The three P's patience perseverance practice. It may not be perfect at first. Good luck!!

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