Friday, November 20, 2009

To blog or not to blog


I have been debating on whether or not I should blog about this. So here goes nothing. I had surgery yesterday. Received my second cochlear implant! Today as I sit on the couch with my constant companion, Dakota, just resting as directed by the surgeon, (which is totally not the norm for me!), I keep thinking about all the things I need to do for my shows in December. Oh well, what gets done will get done. I know, at the moment, that it's important for me to rest. But, I sure can take advantage of some online time! :)

Last November, I received my first cochlear implant on my right ear. I have been deaf all my life. Even though I have always worn hearing aids, my hearing loss was slowly getting worse, from a severe hearing loss to a profound hearing loss. My tinnitus had gotten so bad, the roar was so loud in my head, that I had no alternative but to get the cochlear implant with the hope of ridding the ringing, and to hopefully maximize my hearing.

Oh my! What a difference it made!! This past year has been an AMAZING journey!!! With my first implant, I can hear things that I never heard before!!! I can now hear the birds chirping, the wind chimes, my dog sniffing!!!, the phone ringing, and oh, so much more! I even heard my dog, Dakota, chewing on a pin!! Thank God I heard that! I was able to retrieve it from her. Who knows what could have happened ?!

The new sounds I get through the cochlear implant is very different than the sounds I used to get through my hearing aid. The new sounds are more mechanical and a lot louder. It was quite an adjustment as it is not 'sound' as I know it. It took time, hard work and patience as my brain slowly opened up to the new sounds around me. But, it was the best thing I ever did for my hearing. I wish I had done this 20 years ago! The younger you are when you have it done, the better it is. But, that's OK. Better now than later.

I so look forward to hearing out of my new CI ear, which won't take place for 6 weeks. It has to go through the healing process first. I look forward to the day that my new CI ear is hooked up, as they call it, and to begin my new journey as a Bilateral Cochlear Implant recipient. I should feel more balanced as the incoming sounds would be the same in both ears. I do wonder what other new sounds I will hear and how my hearing in general will change. Although, I have been told that I would never hear like a hearing person, but it would be a lot better than what I have ever had before. I am happy enough with that. Isn't technology wonderful??!!!

6 comments:

  1. This is so awesome! Enjoy your recovery time! You DO know that surfing the net is under the definition of resting, don't you? ;-)

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  2. Congratulations, it's lovely to read how well you are doing! You can hear now! I read that deafness is a big disability barrier and makes communication very hard. Well done and good luck for the future.

    OH and a tip from someone who learned this the hard way. Small paragraphs are easy to read.

    Going to add you to my list of blogs to follow so keep at this blogging thing!!

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  3. Wonderful story! Hope all goes well and keep resting! Take care!

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  4. Marjorie Dawson

    Thank you so much for that tip! You are right, smaller paragraphs are easier to read! :-)

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  5. Blogging is self-expression. Sometimes, you even touch the person reading. You wrote a nice story!

    I hope you're doing well now! :)
    Have a great weekend! :)

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  6. It is wonderful all that you have shared! You are a natural born blogger and I'll be following you. :-)

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