Cochlear Implant...

People, who have seen my statuses or read my latest posts, will know I have a new digital hearing aid and love listening to music! Music is my world!

Because I now have a hearing aid, I have to go to the hospital now and then for fine tuning and checks on my hearing aid. Boring really, but essential!

At one of my appointments, Cochlear Implant was mentioned and we discussed about it.

A Cochlear Implant (CI) is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. 

I used to have one, for my left ear but because I have a rare condition which meant my skin rejected the implant sadly. I do wonder what my life will be like if my skin didn't reject it.

Based on my experiences and medical history I didn't want another one, this time for my right ear. But might go for it if doctors could do something to prevent the same thing happening because spending times in hospital and have repeat surgeries to try to close the wound isn't fun!

But now, my feelings and views have changed after months of using my hearing aid and listening to music. I now want a Cochlear Implant! It's a huge decision for me because of the high risks due to my medical history. If I have it again, and the same thing happen again, it would mean I can't use my hearing aid ever again. No music ever! But then if I have it and my skin didn't reject it, it would mean a huge thing to me!

I do know someone, who have same rare condition as me, with a Cochlear Implant. He must be really lucky so there must be hope for me, who know?

Another discussion next year when everything calm down I'll make another appointment.

I am not getting my hopes up because I've had so many surgeries for different reasons, only for it not to work etc. Not nice spending time in hospitals for nothing really.

So for me the best thing to do is to wait and see! Waiting can be so boring! :)

More progress....

This week has been interesting, hearing wise!

Watched a movie, someone was on the phone and I knew it was a man's voice! I was surprised when the movie showed a man, so I knew I did heard a man's voice! A small progress!

Also a phone went off in the movie, I looked over at my sofa thinking it was my iPhone beeping! It wasn't! It was the phone in the movie! Haha.

On my course this week, I was having difficulty focusing on the tutor when there were so many background noises going on. I mentioned it to someone else then next day, the loop system was switched on for me. Suddenly I could hear the tutor better and there were no background noises going on. That was brilliant and completely new to me! 

The Hearing Loop is a special type of sound system for use by people with hearing aids. The hearing loop provides a magnetic, wireless signal that is picked up by the hearing aid when it is set to ‘T’ (Telecoil) setting.

The hearing loop consists of a microphone to pick up the spoken word; an amplifier which processes the signal which is then sent through the final piece; the loop cable, a wire placed around the perimeter of a specific area i.e. a meeting room, a church, a service counter etc to act as an antenna that radiates the magnetic signal to the hearing aid.

Made many trips to city centre for my course, and I found myself listening to music on every trip. By now, I am listening to music daily! I can't go on buses without listening to music! A new thing in my life! I now understand why I always see people listening to music on their phone or iPod on bus trips!

I get mad when my hearing aid beeps, it mean I need to change batteries and I don't have any on me. I now keep batteries in each bag! Haha. Wearing my hearing aid more often now, and try to not to listen to music so close to bed-time or else I move my head thinking I do hear music when I am sleeping! That's how much I listen to music daily! :)

What a crazy year! And it's not the end of 2013 yet! Wonder what it will be like with my hearing aid in the year of 2014 will I hear better or hate my hearing aid?! Who know!