Jackie_L Posted June 19 Report Share Posted June 19 Hi all, I've just begun the process to see if I'm a potential match to donate a kidney to my mother. I know the surgical team there is not very familiar with cochlear implants so they couldn't really answer any of my questions about surgery post implant. I'm wondering if anyone here has either donated an organ while wearing CIs, or if they've had any longer/major surgeries post implant ?? If so, how did it go? What did you do to make sure the surgical team was well informed and carried out your wishes for communication? I'm newly bilateral, so without my CIs I'm completely deaf. I worry about waking up from surgery disoriented and unable to communicate in the OR if the surgical team doesn't put my processors back on properly. Or, during an emergency situation, if they have to wake me and communicate something to me. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted June 19 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted June 19 @Jackie_L I have had several surgeries post implant. I print out the medical considerations and discuss them with my surgeon ahead of time. This link may help. https://www.medel.com/en-us/important-safety-information As far as communication on surgery day…. I wear my Rondos under a nammucap and discuss the best approach with the surgeon, anesthesiologist and OR nurses. Sometimes we have left both Rondos on and sometimes we have left only one Rondo on- mostly depending on the anesthesiologist draping for the surgery. It has all worked out fine. Wishing you well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie_L Posted June 19 Author Report Share Posted June 19 6 minutes ago, Mary Beth said: @Jackie_L I have had several surgeries post implant. I print out the medical considerations and discuss them with my surgeon ahead of time. This link may help. https://www.medel.com/en-us/important-safety-information As far as communication on surgery day…. I wear my Rondos under a nammucap and discuss the best approach with the surgeon, anesthesiologist and OR nurses. Sometimes we have left both Rondos on and sometimes we have left only one Rondo on- mostly depending on the anesthesiologist draping for the surgery. It has all worked out fine. Wishing you well @Mary Beth That's great to hear, thank you for this! I hadn't thought of asking to keep the Rondo on during surgery under a cap. That's a really great suggestion. I will definitely be asking that if I get through this process. Thank you! Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NathalieM Posted June 19 Report Share Posted June 19 Hi @Jackie_L - I just had a partial thyroidectomy done a couple of weeks ago and had no issues. Like @Mary Beth mentioned, make sure you communicate your needs clearly during the surgery's pre-registration, and re-iterate your needs in the surgery room (there's a bit of time before you go under). Clearly label a case with your name so they can place your processors in there during the surgery if needed (since my surgery was close to my ears, they didn't want to leave them in during surgery and I didn't either). I'm also completely deaf without my implants - they left my implants in so I could communicate with them right up until I was sedated under anesthesia then took them out & placed into my case. During my recovery, they put the implants back in and I had no issues at all. My case also had a set of disposable batteries in the event that the batteries were depleted (I wear 2 SONNET2 - so this might not help for Rondos?). Best of luck - that is a major surgery! Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Posted June 19 Report Share Posted June 19 @Jackie_L just chiming in as I had a major surgery squished in between my CI surgeries. My first CI surgery was June 2021. The next surgery was April 2022, and my second CI surgery was November 2022. I didn’t change anything really. Only thing I did change was make the switchover to disposable batteries for my Sonnet 2 (I was bimodal at the time) and made sure I had extra batteries for my Sonnet 2 and hearing aid in case I had a longer than expected hospital stay. I’d opted to use my Sonnet 2 w/disposables so I didn’t have to fuss about with rechargeables or my Rondo 3/charging pad and it reduced the number of things I had to pack and take with; plus most people are familiar with hearing aids and batteries so having a hearing-aid-looking-CI with batteries made it easy for them. Also, due to the nature of the surgery and recovery… it was just easier all around. If it was a day surgery I would have just used my Rondo 3. As for the surgery itself, my last CI surgery was surgery #14 for me (not counting simple procedures that I don’t consider surgeries) so I just did my normal mentions with the care team similar to what @Mary Beth and @NathalieM shared. When wheeled into the OR I’m the one to take my stuff off after getting into place for the surgery and put everything in their respective case, then they keep the cases with me while I’m out. While in recovery, if I’ve gotten the instructions through well enough, they either hand me my glasses and devices right away or if they have questions first they write it on a handheld white board or on paper and if I can answer I mumble out as best I can. If I have to motion for my glasses/devices I do and that reminds them to get my stuff to me. NathalieM and Jackie_L 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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