- Progressive hearing loss began at age 30 and became severe-to-profound by age 35
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Implanted in 1997
The following story is one person's experience with a cochlear implant. Your experience may be very different. Success with a cochlear implant is influenced by many factors including how long a person has had hearing loss, the age a person receives an implant, medical and anatomical factors and more. Please consult your cochlear implant professional and/or the Bionic Ear Association with questions.
Coming up on eleven years with my S-Series processor and still going strong! How I envy all of the new implantees with their newest and latest technology BUT I would not give up one single moment of the last eleven years.
The newest adventure in my life as a person with a cochlear implant is an amazing one. A teacher that I worked with in the high school was taking a Signing course for her graduate work. Since the class was watching “The Sound and the Fury” as part of their class, she asked me if I would come talk to the class after they watched. Of course, loving to talk about my implant, I agreed to speak to them.
The class of about 50 special education teachers and a few just regular people interested in signing was very receptive. They were fascinated that I did not have “super hearing” and that I still work very hard every day at learning to hear in a very noisy world. They were also fascinated with all the assistive devices that are supplied with my AB processor. I have an auxiliary microphone, a phone attachment, and a device for listening to a personal CD player. I also showed them my alarm clock that shakes my pillow and my old TTY phone. Many students didn't know all of these helps even existed. I brag to them that the one assistive device I no longer need is the TTY phone. It was the one thing that made me feel so handicapped. Gone and good riddance!
The professor and the class enjoyed the presentation so much, I am now speaking to all the signing classes. The best part is that this deaf lady now gets paid for talking about her implant!
The ADVENTURE continues!
Original Story:
After being evaluated as a viable candidate, my surgery was set for October 22. I was hooked up to the hearing world on November 14th, 1997, which I now call my birthday because I have a whole new life.
I began losing my hearing at 30 and by 35, and, hearing aids were no longer helping. When I decided to have the implant, I only wanted to hear conversations again. But it has given me so much more. It has given me music and laughter and all the environmental sounds taken for granted. It has given me confidence and a great feeling of independence. I have re-entered the working world. Before my implant, I would never have dreamed that was even a possibility.
The time between surgery and hook-up is an emotional roller coaster ride. I questioned whether I did the right thing. Did it work? Will I be able to hear? I would count the days until I was to be hooked up. I would dream of hearing my grandchildren's voices, and then I would wake up deaf again. Each person implanted will go through this time differently. The benefit from this turmoil is that you will never take your implant for granted! I have the rest of my life to enjoy the sounds of the world. It's the simple things that bring the most joy-the rain on the porch roof and the dog snoring at your feet. These sounds make me feel part of the human race again.
After my initial hook-up, the sounds I heard were monitone-ish. I couldn't tell the difference between male and female voices. I did hear and understand most words in a quiet room. The sounds were very mellow, not at all like the harshness of my hearing aids. The environmental sounds were fascinating. Many of those sounds did not exist when I last heard-the microwave dinging and the phones ringing were all so exciting. I wanted to hear it all! Now after seven years, I still hear new sounds everyday. Sometimes I'm not sure what I'm hearing, so I ask or file it away for later. Then I just smile, because I did hear something. That's more than I could say before the adventure began.
At the high school where I work, I have told my story to four deaf students and described my first trip to the bathroom after hook-up:
- Turn on light: click
- Exhaust fan: whirring
- Tinkle: a flood coming
- Flush: Niagara Falls
- Wash hands: aerated water
- Soap dispenser: metal clinking
- Fan to dry hands: really loud
All those sounds were encountered just to go to the bathroom! Hearing people never even notice them. By the way, two of those students have been implanted.
Which brings me to my next point! There comes a time when your hearing improves, you must learn to tune out some sounds so that you can understand what you want to hear! Basically, you have been given the opportunity to hear; now you must learn to LISTEN.
My life wasn't always this rosy! Before my implant, I was becoming more isolated, and I no longer went to any social gatherings. Even when I went to the grocery store, I would look down the aisle to make sure there was no one I knew. When I did tell people I couldn't hear, most didn't believe me. They would just talk louder or speak to me like I was mentally challenged-none of which helped my understanding. A few minutes into our attempt at conversation, we would both become uncomfortable and just make our excuse to get out of the situation. To eliminate this trauma from my life, I just stayed home. Since two of my sons were grown and my youngest was away at college, there was no one to speak to but my husband (God bless him) and my dogs. Since my husband is a policeman and works twelve hours at a time, I was alone a lot. My dogs became my friends that I talked to. From the hermit who talked to dogs to the person that I am today is the difference a cochlear implant has made in my life.
Only three weeks after my implant, my youngest son was involved in a musical production at college. To sit in the audience and hear him sing brought tears to my eyes. While in high school, he was involved in drama and musicals. Each year, the cast would give me a copy of the script, and I would memorize the play along with the students. To actually hear my son sing was so overwhelming, and it made me realize what I had missed through the years.
My husband has always been a do-wop music fan. Unfortunately, I could not appreciate his love for the music. After getting the implant, we put the top down on his convertible, pop in a CD, and sing all the way to our destination! Yes, even with the top down, I can pick out the music and sing along. I never realized how much I missed the music until I heard again. It can be relaxing, uplifting, or happy. Emotions-that's what hearing comes down to-emotions.
Four months after my implant, I got a job at our local high school as an inclusion specialist. Most of my students are not mentally or physically handicapped, but emotionally disabled or behavior management students. On my very first day, the teacher I was working with introduced me to the students and told them of my implant. One young man asked me if I was like the Bionic Woman! I answered with a resounding, "YES! " During the first few weeks, they pulled a few fast ones on me. The PA system was difficult for me to understand. They would tell me that I was needed at the office, but then they would laugh, and I would know they were pretending. Then we would have a good laugh together!
There are many people in my life who are also thankful for my cochlear implant:
The most important thing that my implant fixed is the loneliness. When you cannot hear, you are so alone. I am no longer the woman who hides in the grocery store or looks at her feet in the elevator. I welcome the questions about "that button on your head," AND I can't wait for my next adventure to begin!
This wonderful little piece of technology is not perfect-it never will be, but it allows me to be part of the world around me.