Dorothy Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 Hi, it's me again. I got fed up with waiting for Memorial Hermann, Houston, TX to decide if they would allow MedEl implants. So, next Friday, the 16th, I will be seeing a new doctor who practices at a new hospital that uses MedEl. I'm trying not to get my hopes build up, but I could certainly use more than a few good thought coming my way! Hal in Maryland, Cara Mia, Julesrdh and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julesrdh Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 Sometimes there is bumps in the road to get us to where we are suppose to be. Hang in there ! [emoji846]Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Jdashiell and Hal in Maryland 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted February 9, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 Sending good thoughts your way! Hal in Maryland 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted February 9, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 Best if luck @Dorothy we are all on this journey and we all have issues or obstacles that try to stop us from obtaining our goals! Never give up!! Jewel and Jdashiell 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorothy Posted February 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 Thank you, Kara, I will keep trying to do whatever I need to do, the only thing I have to lose is the rest of my natural hearing! Jewel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted February 10, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted February 10, 2018 Lol! So give me a bit of back ground. What’s your story? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal in Maryland Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Implanted Left in 2009. I use a HA right (I get very little from the HA). I qualify for a second implant but I'm not sure I want to go through the process again. I'd love to hear opinions from other HearPeers. My story: I began losing my hearing at age 20 something. I was fitted with Hearing aids that worked very well. My audiograms showed progressive loss year-after-year. Finally, in 2009 (at 65 y/o) I had my first (and only - to date) implant. My first processor was Opus II and now I use the Sonnet. I was implanted at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland. Using the telephone is still a challenge. With my Caption-Call phone, I can manage pretty well. Face-to-face communications are the best. I tried HearPeers years ago. I rejoined and I'm trying again. Hal Jdashiell 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted February 11, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Welcome back @Hal in Maryland! I also had a progressive hearing loss. My first CI was implanted in February 2015 at NYEE in NYC and activated in March. It was life changing. I stayed bimodal for a short time but the HA was no help at all so then used the CI alone. I received my second implant 8 months after the first. And being bilateral is soooooo awesome! Here are some things I enjoy about having bilateral CIs... -listening is just easier -everything sounds fuller -I no longer have to position myself so that my better side is near the speakers -listening in noise is much better -musical pitch is greatly improved -listening to music with headphones and hearing different music in the right and left ears is amazing If you have not checked it out yet......look at InnoCaption online. It’s a free US caption service that uses actual people to caption our cell phone calls. We speak for ourselves, Wishing you the best. Hal in Maryland 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Pittsburgh Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Hello Hal By all means go and have it done I am having my 2nd implant done on March 22 thus making me bilateral I have the CI on the left ear year and a half ago in that short time I’ve notice I was loosing hearing in the right ear HA not doing a thing what happen is the CI takes over and we become use to what is being heard we forget what it was like to hear in both ears like we use to and you are not hearing other people and sound around you .i was told only about 10% of the CI recipients go for the bilateral as they become so use to hearing in one ear There no questions about it GO FOR IT!!!! You have a lifetime of hearing ahead of toy Happy hearing Dave Mary Beth and Hal in Maryland 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted February 11, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 And one benefit of being bilateral for me is the safety net of knowing that if something happens to my internal implant, I will still be able to hear while that gets all sorted out. It’s comforting. Hal in Maryland and Jewel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted February 12, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted February 12, 2018 Welcome back! Well as Dave said I am also going bilateral in March. No specific date yet. But I can only dream what it’s likw to hear in stereo. I’m 40 and want to love a long life and hear as well as possible. Some say it’s a luxury to hear with two ears, Well I want that luxury. So many take it for granted and think nothing of it. But I really want to be able to hear my very best. Good luck to you! The journey is a wild ride. Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Cara Mia Posted February 16, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted February 16, 2018 On 2/11/2018 at 0:57 PM, Hal in Maryland said: Implanted Left in 2009. I use a HA right (I get very little from the HA). I qualify for a second implant but I'm not sure I want to go through the process again. I'd love to hear opinions from other HearPeers. Hal Hi Hal, good to have you back on HP. I understand your hesitations about having the second surgery very well. I am so glad that I overcame my hesitation to got the second ear implanted. I managed to convince myself, that even I am lucky with the easy-as-pie surgery, all possible inconvenience and issues are temporary when the happiness with worry-free hearing is (virtually) endless. I also did very well with just one CI even without help from my HA, but two CIs are much better. Good luck in finding your path in our sounding world! Hal in Maryland and Mary Beth 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal in Maryland Posted February 17, 2018 Report Share Posted February 17, 2018 Thank you Cara Mia and Mary Beth for your encouragement. I will see my audiologist at Johns Hopkins in June. I'll discuss bilateral options it with him then. Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Jdashiell Posted February 21, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted February 21, 2018 On 2/11/2018 at 3:57 PM, Hal in Maryland said: Implanted Left in 2009. I use a HA right (I get very little from the HA). I qualify for a second implant but I'm not sure I want to go through the process again. I'd love to hear opinions from other HearPeers. My story: I began losing my hearing at age 20 something. I was fitted with Hearing aids that worked very well. My audiograms showed progressive loss year-after-year. Finally, in 2009 (at 65 y/o) I had my first (and only - to date) implant. My first processor was Opus II and now I use the Sonnet. I was implanted at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland. Using the telephone is still a challenge. With my Caption-Call phone, I can manage pretty well. Face-to-face communications are the best. I tried HearPeers years ago. I rejoined and I'm trying again. Hal I am also another one with progressive hearing loss. My audiograms were always pretty much flat across all frequencies for 20+ years or so and progressively worsened. It got to the point I was and candidate for CIs, which I expected over the years. I kept asking what is beyond HA's when I get to the point HAs no longer work. I 2016 I had my first CI on my right ear. It went perfectly. I was so happy - I was ready to be implanted on the left side. So one year later, 2017, to the day, I had my left CI implantation. It did not go well, not all of the electrodes made it in to the Cochlea. So I wanted a REDO, immediately to correct it. unfortunately, my surgeon did not research enough and after the re-implantation the same results were obtained. I was not a happy camper, to say the least. I went to a different surgeon who does A LOT more research and is performing my 3rd implantation in a few weeks. I feel good about my decision and am looking forward to better results. MedEl is helping too by developing a tool to assist in the surgery process. I have another friend whose first CI had the same as my Left side and was reluctant to redo it. She went to another facility and surgeon and is now a happy camper! SO...I recommend "going through the process again" - Do your research in advance. The folks here at HearPeers are a big help Joe Hal in Maryland 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorothy Posted April 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 Hello again! I finally have a date for my implant surgery, April 27th! I'm excited that it's going to happen after a long wait, but also a little apprehensive! Any advice as to what to expect, before, during and after? Thanks Mary Beth and Jewel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted April 9, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 Great news Dorothy. Best of luck it will come fast! Dorothy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Pittsburgh Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 Good for you. I had my first implant in October,2016 and I went bilateral March 22,2017 keep open mind,think positive Great things are about to to and your world of hearing ,keep in touch thru Hear Peers we are here to help and give encouragement as this is an journey Dave Dorothy and Jewel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Pittsburgh Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 Good for you. I had my first implant in October,2016 and I went bilateral March 22,2017 keep open mind,think positive Great things are about to to and your world of hearing ,keep in touch thru Hear Peers we are here to help and give encouragement as this is an journey Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted April 9, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 Wishing you the best @Dorothy You will find lots of helpful tips under our topics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted April 9, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 Good, luck, @Dorothy! I think you were right to seek out a doctor with experience with your choice of implants. This is no time to be a learning experience! Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal in Maryland Posted May 28, 2018 Report Share Posted May 28, 2018 My annual CI appointment At Johns Hopkins is coming up in less than 2 weeks. I plan to discuss a 2nd implant. My first implant was in 2009. You have all been so helpful explaining the advantage of going bilateral -- Thank you. What are some of the drawbacks of getting a 2nd implant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 28, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 28, 2018 Hi @Hal in Maryland! Except for undergoing a second surgery and having to bring your second CI up to speed, there have been no drawbacks at all. Listening with two balanced CIs is so much fuller (especially noticeable with music) and so much easier (especially noticeable in groups and in noise). Last week one of my processors had a glitch during work. It ended up being a battery pack (not battery) that needed to be replaced. Fortunately for me, I just turned off that processor and continued to hear well with my other processor until I returned home at the end of the day. I felt like a walking, breathing and hearing back up system. Smile. But honestly after the second side catches up with the first and things are balanced, life with 2 CIs is so much better than life with 1 CI. Just wait until you listen to music with headphones and hear different music in each ear! I love that! It feels like I am sitting in the middle of the band. So cool! Wishing you the best at your appointment. Keep us posted. Hal in Maryland 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal in Maryland Posted May 28, 2018 Report Share Posted May 28, 2018 Thank you Mary Beth. Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol Posted May 29, 2018 Report Share Posted May 29, 2018 Hi Everyone, Just joined today. I am scheduled for surgery for a Med-EL ci in Toronto on thursday My 31. Nervous but excited too. Mary Featherston 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Pittsburgh Posted May 29, 2018 Report Share Posted May 29, 2018 Good for you. I had my first implant in October,2016,my second implant March 2018. Good Luck. Keep up posted on your recovery and rehab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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