CI/HA now CI/awaiting activation of 2nd ci

[Guest guest]

Hi,

As some of you know, I removed my hearing aid after wearing it for 42 years last

week and became bilateral (Advanced Bionics). I am waiting for hookup of the

implant, completing the transformation to bilateral ci's. My complaints were

not being able to comprehend speech on the ha side, clarity of the TV not much

good (news, talk shows, and music instruments were all ok), also difficulty

hearing in extremely noisy areas and some soft voices or accented voices. I

wasn't struggling to much I thought. But, I guess some strangers might think I

was just " slow " to comprehend but family members and friends urged me to try to

get better hearing via the second implant. I finally got the surgery Dec. 11th.

Oh, right before putting me to sleep for the surgery, the Advanced Bionics

audiologist (Kerry) told me that I couldn't expect to hear " accents " any better.

lol, good time to tell me that. The doctor reminds me that 50% means either I

will or I won't retain residual hearing, and I said " is it to late to walk out

now " . lol They injected me and the next thing I know is I was waking up in the

same exact room feeling a whole lot worse --- it was post-surgery and the

hearing aid was in a little plastic " burial " container. I am hoping not

forever, I am hoping that if I want to wear a ITE hearing aid along with a ci in

the same ear, that the opinion will be there (especially for music, if needed).

So, I haven't worn a hearing aid now for nearly a week. During this period,

I've felt like I have gone back to about almost the same level of hearing that I

had before my first implant, when I wore just my hearing aid. Hearing in just

one ear is horrible. One ear just sitting there not hearing anything but the

furnace hum in the basement? God help me. Now I understand what it must have

been like for some many others prior to bilateral implants.

It's scary --- waiting for hookup, hoping the new ci will add more to my

hearing, versus just plunking my hearing aid in. I am supposed to try the

hearing aid today or tomorrow to see if it bring the residual hearing that I

have left after the surgery up to a louder, meaningful level. My ear is still a

bit sensitive near the inner eardrum area and I am not open to sticking an ear

mold in there just yet.

I was also told that because I kept the ear stimulated by a HA that made me a

perfect candidate for a CI in that ear, the benefit supposed that the second CI

wouldn't require as much training as the first CI did.

We get told a lot of things by professionals, friends, etc., but it's really up

to each of us to weigh it all and decide whether to take the risk of changing

our residual hearing if we want a second ci. We have to remember getting

surgery in the ear is a permanent change, and there are no guarantees how the

hearing will be post-surgical --- surgery is for better or worse.

My new surgeon (original one passed away) told me that there is 50% chance of

retaining some residual. I did retain some residual alright, goodie, I hear the

furnace humming. I can put my Bose headphones on with my iPod volume up all of

the way and hear drums as the 70's song " Shake Your Groove Thing " plays. So

far, I hear water in the tub when I shower. Doors closing sound far away.

There's been a definite drop in the residual hearing, but I don't know how much

just yet.

One of things that hurts me inside is that I have lost the ability to hear

ANYTHNG behind me, like my husband trying to get my attention verbally. My

husband's voice has changed with the ha lows removed, and God, how I miss the

way his voice sounded, I feel like I haven't heard his voice in a week, will I

ever hear it the same again.

So I am anxiously awaiting for hookup to see if I hear better than I did with

the old CI & HA combination.

June

AB Clarion 1.2, 1/97

hearing aid up until 12/11/97

awaiting activation

(copy also sent to C1 users group)

[Guest guest]

The best to you, June. Please keep us posted.