My appointment to get testing to see if the Cochlear Implant could work for me is only two days away. Now I know this appointment is basically just a hearing test that serves two purposes. To see if I'm a candidate for the implant and also to be able to show the insurance company that I am indeed deaf. I've had share of hearing tests in my life so I know the outcome will simply be "You're deaf", but I'm hoping that will be fallowed by, "The Cochlear implant can work for you".
Right now I'm feeling a combination of both excitement and a bit of fear. I mean if this can work for me I'll be able to hear a voice for the first time in almost 20 years. I haven't heard any music that has come out since the 80's and I have no idea what most of the people I know sound like.
It's kind of funny to me because years ago when I came to terms with the fact that I was deaf (That was an emotional struggle but I got through it). Once that happened I pretty much stopped wondering what things sound like. I mean I remember what things sound like but if I see something that I've never heard before I didn't wonder what it sounds like anymore because of the simple fact that I knew there was no way I could really find out. So I just didn't think about those things for a long time.
Now that I decided to look into my options and after doing a lot of research over the past couple of weeks and reading about how many advances have been made in the last 10 years. I'm pretty hopeful and form that my curiosity of what things sound like has come back. For instance the other day I just happened to see the microwave in my kitchen and I wondered if it beeps or "dings" when the timer stops. I'm asking people things like, "Does this door make sound when it opens?" and "When the light flashes on the phone is the flashing synced with the sound of the phone ringing?" Little things like that are catching my attention because there's now at least a change I might someday found the answers to those questions.
At the same time I'm also getting a bit worried. If I find out the implant won't work for me ina couple of days. My newly reborn curiosity will probably cause a bit of depression. It'll almost be like becoming deaf all over again but probably not as bad as the first time because I've already gone through it before. Still, that's my biggest fear at the moment about this.
Now I'm being realistic about this. I'm not planning on having perfect hearing if the implant does work. But to even be able to to join the rest of society and talk on a cell phone would make a huge difference in my life. Back when I could hear well enough to talk on a phone a cell phone (Called mobile phone in those days) where a rare things because they where so expensive. They where also about the size of a brick. So a part of me has felt left out of all these technical advances. It would be nice to be able to join in it.
I've been talking to other people who have gotten a cochlear implant. Both in person and on line. In fact I found a couple of great sites.
Hearingjourney.com is a site by the only American company that makes Cochlear Implants called Advanced Bionics. They have a forum full of people who either have Cochlear implants or like me and are looking into getting them. They've been a big help in answering my questions and just sharing their experiences and advice. If anyone reading this is in the same position I'm currently in I strongly urge you to go there and check it out.
They also have a free Connect to Mentor program. You can browse profiles of people who have Cochlear Implants and send them a message and ask questions. This has also been very helpful and I highly recommend them as well.
Right now I'm feeling a combination of both excitement and a bit of fear. I mean if this can work for me I'll be able to hear a voice for the first time in almost 20 years. I haven't heard any music that has come out since the 80's and I have no idea what most of the people I know sound like.
It's kind of funny to me because years ago when I came to terms with the fact that I was deaf (That was an emotional struggle but I got through it). Once that happened I pretty much stopped wondering what things sound like. I mean I remember what things sound like but if I see something that I've never heard before I didn't wonder what it sounds like anymore because of the simple fact that I knew there was no way I could really find out. So I just didn't think about those things for a long time.
Now that I decided to look into my options and after doing a lot of research over the past couple of weeks and reading about how many advances have been made in the last 10 years. I'm pretty hopeful and form that my curiosity of what things sound like has come back. For instance the other day I just happened to see the microwave in my kitchen and I wondered if it beeps or "dings" when the timer stops. I'm asking people things like, "Does this door make sound when it opens?" and "When the light flashes on the phone is the flashing synced with the sound of the phone ringing?" Little things like that are catching my attention because there's now at least a change I might someday found the answers to those questions.
At the same time I'm also getting a bit worried. If I find out the implant won't work for me ina couple of days. My newly reborn curiosity will probably cause a bit of depression. It'll almost be like becoming deaf all over again but probably not as bad as the first time because I've already gone through it before. Still, that's my biggest fear at the moment about this.
Now I'm being realistic about this. I'm not planning on having perfect hearing if the implant does work. But to even be able to to join the rest of society and talk on a cell phone would make a huge difference in my life. Back when I could hear well enough to talk on a phone a cell phone (Called mobile phone in those days) where a rare things because they where so expensive. They where also about the size of a brick. So a part of me has felt left out of all these technical advances. It would be nice to be able to join in it.
I've been talking to other people who have gotten a cochlear implant. Both in person and on line. In fact I found a couple of great sites.
Hearingjourney.com is a site by the only American company that makes Cochlear Implants called Advanced Bionics. They have a forum full of people who either have Cochlear implants or like me and are looking into getting them. They've been a big help in answering my questions and just sharing their experiences and advice. If anyone reading this is in the same position I'm currently in I strongly urge you to go there and check it out.
They also have a free Connect to Mentor program. You can browse profiles of people who have Cochlear Implants and send them a message and ask questions. This has also been very helpful and I highly recommend them as well.
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