Re: Reconstruction and Hearing Aids

[Guest guest]

Hi Diane,

I didn't have any pain when my prosthesis came out. Hope that is true

for you.

As for hearing aids, I've worn one a long as I can remember. I would

definitely recommend you check it out. Even if the reconstruction

works, I'll still wear a hearing aid in my left ear, since I am

severly hoh in that ear as well.

Like Tom Hansen said, the digitals are amazing. I just got my first

digital the day before my surgery. I really like it. The sound

discrimination is much better than the older analogue hearing aids

I've been wearing.

Shop around for a good hearing aid dispenser. Ask for referrals.

There are great folks and shisters. It's definitely buyer beware. I

had decided to visit a new audiologist this time. She wanted to sell

me a really expensive aid with a lot of power. She told me that what

I wanted (as I had done a lot of research) wouldn't work for me. On

top of the hearing aid cost, she wanted to charge for the making of

the mold. She just turned me off. I left there and called my old

audiologist. She fit me right in. She was not intimidated by the

research I had done. She validated my thinking and gave me a quote I

was really pleased with.

Someone else on this forum has the same type of hearing aid. It is

the Unitron Unison 4 power aid. Wow. I LOVE it. For the past year

I've been watching TV with closed captioning because I couldn't make

out all of the words. Now, I can hear speech so much better. I

imagine that after I get the packing out of my right ear, I won't have

to use the closed captioning at all. Everything is much clearer.

Hope this helps.

Connie

> Quoting Connie and Hank Schwedes <conniedcj@y...>:

>

> > I have such mixed emotions. After being hard of hearing all my life,

> > I had reconstruction on my left ear at age 20 (21 years ago). I was

> > so excited at the time. The surgery worked -- for about a month.

> > Then the prosthesis came out. I was crushed. I remember crying after

> > hearing music for the first time post surgery. And then it was gone.

> > I had to do a lot of readjustment in my thinking -- pull myself up by

> > my boot straps -- and be thankful that with a hearing aid, I could

hear.

> >

> > The thing is that I didn't know if I wanted to go through that again.

> > While I appreciate the fact that the doc wants help me to hear

> > better, I was really surprised, shocked after surgery. It's my fault

> > that I didn't say anything to the doc about my feelings. I figured it

> > was a non-issue for 6 more months.

> >

> > Anyway, my husband and mom are really excited for and I just can't

> > bring myself to feel anything. I felt a little angry at myself that I

> > didn't verbalize my feelings before. Believe it or not, now I feel

> > " stuck with it. " I'm afraid that it won't work.

> >

> > So, I'm wondering about the experiences of the folks in this group.

> > Has reconstruction worked? Did anyone have a failed attempt, which

> > later worked? Have things really changed in the last 20 years on the

> > reconstruction front?

> >

> > Thanks for listening.

> > Connie

>

> Connie,

>

> [WARNING: Might be a little graphic. Stop reading now if you're

squinchy.]

>

> I'm almost in the same boat right now. My prosthesis is in the

process of

> coming out. It's hanging on, but a large part of it is sticking out

through

> my ear drum. Ugh. I feel like I'm harboring the Alien. It's still

> working for the most part, I have about 30% hearing in that ear. When

> yours came out, did it hurt? Was there a lot of bleeding? Any

infection?

> I guess I'm trying to figure out what to expect. My otologist seems to

> think that it could hold on for a long time. Although in the last six

> months, it's gone from just pressing against the TM to having the head

> totally exposed. Actually, it was kind of cool to see it on the video

> screen.

>

> I just don't know if I want to go through another reconstruction.

My first

> one was engulfed with a recurrence of cholesteatoma and had to be

replaced

> 18 months after it was implanted. This one has been hanging on for

nearly

> four years. I'm like you, I just don't know if I want to go through

this

> again. My health insurance will pay for reconstruction after

> reconstruction, but won't cover a single lousy hearing aid. It's not

> right. I don't know if I can deal with another surgery -- if I have a

> choice, anyway.

>

> Anyone out there have experience with this? Have you had a hearing aid

> then later had reconstruction? How is the sound quality with an aid

vs. an

> implant? How often do you have to buy aid batteries and how

expensive are

> they?

>

> --

> Diane Brunet

> http://www.sassysuds.com

[Guest guest]

Hi Connie and Diane,

I have been wearing the Unitron Unison 4 power aid for a year now

and I have to say it is AMAZING. I have about 5% hearing in my left

ear and when I was told about the Unitron I was skeptical. I had worn

the inner ear analogue one for about 10 years and have to say, it

caused me more problems than my C-toma at times.

I was diagnoed with C-toma in my Right ear about 6 weeks ago and will

require surgery ( May 21,Canada healthcare is BAD) So far I still

have a great deal of hearing in that ear so I am praying that during

this long wait, I won't lose much more. If I should, I would

definetly go for another Digital Aid.

In the meantime, I am on a cancellation list for the surgery and HOPE

it happens before May. I have even gone as far as making an

appointment with another specialist for tomorrow in hopes to get in

Sooner. Not sure if it will work but, no harm in trying.

All the best to everyone,

Happy Holidays

> > Quoting Connie and Hank Schwedes <conniedcj@y...>:

> >

> > > I have such mixed emotions. After being hard of hearing all my

life,

> > > I had reconstruction on my left ear at age 20 (21 years ago).

I was

> > > so excited at the time. The surgery worked -- for about a

month.

> > > Then the prosthesis came out. I was crushed. I remember

crying after

> > > hearing music for the first time post surgery. And then it was

gone.

> > > I had to do a lot of readjustment in my thinking -- pull

myself up by

> > > my boot straps -- and be thankful that with a hearing aid, I

could

> hear.

> > >

> > > The thing is that I didn't know if I wanted to go through that

again.

> > > While I appreciate the fact that the doc wants help me to hear

> > > better, I was really surprised, shocked after surgery. It's my

fault

> > > that I didn't say anything to the doc about my feelings. I

figured it

> > > was a non-issue for 6 more months.

> > >

> > > Anyway, my husband and mom are really excited for and I just

can't

> > > bring myself to feel anything. I felt a little angry at myself

that I

> > > didn't verbalize my feelings before. Believe it or not, now I

feel

> > > " stuck with it. " I'm afraid that it won't work.

> > >

> > > So, I'm wondering about the experiences of the folks in this

group.

> > > Has reconstruction worked? Did anyone have a failed attempt,

which

> > > later worked? Have things really changed in the last 20 years

on the

> > > reconstruction front?

> > >

> > > Thanks for listening.

> > > Connie

> >

> > Connie,

> >

> > [WARNING: Might be a little graphic. Stop reading now if you're

> squinchy.]

> >

> > I'm almost in the same boat right now. My prosthesis is in the

> process of

> > coming out. It's hanging on, but a large part of it is sticking

out

> through

> > my ear drum. Ugh. I feel like I'm harboring the Alien. It's

still

> > working for the most part, I have about 30% hearing in that ear.

When

> > yours came out, did it hurt? Was there a lot of bleeding? Any

> infection?

> > I guess I'm trying to figure out what to expect. My otologist

seems to

> > think that it could hold on for a long time. Although in the

last six

> > months, it's gone from just pressing against the TM to having the

head

> > totally exposed. Actually, it was kind of cool to see it on the

video

> > screen.

> >

> > I just don't know if I want to go through another reconstruction.

> My first

> > one was engulfed with a recurrence of cholesteatoma and had to be

> replaced

> > 18 months after it was implanted. This one has been hanging on

for

> nearly

> > four years. I'm like you, I just don't know if I want to go

through

> this

> > again. My health insurance will pay for reconstruction after

> > reconstruction, but won't cover a single lousy hearing aid. It's

not

> > right. I don't know if I can deal with another surgery -- if I

have a

> > choice, anyway.

> >

> > Anyone out there have experience with this? Have you had a

hearing aid

> > then later had reconstruction? How is the sound quality with an

aid

> vs. an

> > implant? How often do you have to buy aid batteries and how

> expensive are

> > they?

> >

> > --

> > Diane Brunet

> > http://www.sassysuds.com

[Guest guest]

I had two prosthetic hearing bones put in in July and I had a Cat Scan on Wednesday to see if they have moved out of place. Did something similiar happen to you. I haven't been back to the doctor for the results yet. I can't stop[ worring. Donna Re: Reconstruction and Hearing Aids

Hi Diane,I didn't have any pain when my prosthesis came out. Hope that is truefor you.As for hearing aids, I've worn one a long as I can remember. I woulddefinitely recommend you check it out. Even if the reconstructionworks, I'll still wear a hearing aid in my left ear, since I amseverly hoh in that ear as well.Like Tom Hansen said, the digitals are amazing. I just got my firstdigital the day before my surgery. I really like it. The sounddiscrimination is much better than the older analogue hearing aidsI've been wearing.Shop around for a good hearing aid dispenser. Ask for referrals. There are great folks and shisters. It's definitely buyer beware. Ihad decided to visit a new audiologist this time. She wanted to sellme a really expensive aid with a lot of power. She told me that whatI wanted (as I had done a lot of research) wouldn't work for me. Ontop of the hearing aid cost, she wanted to charge for the making ofthe mold. She just turned me off. I left there and called my oldaudiologist. She fit me right in. She was not intimidated by theresearch I had done. She validated my thinking and gave me a quote Iwas really pleased with. Someone else on this forum has the same type of hearing aid. It isthe Unitron Unison 4 power aid. Wow. I LOVE it. For the past yearI've been watching TV with closed captioning because I couldn't makeout all of the words. Now, I can hear speech so much better. Iimagine that after I get the packing out of my right ear, I won't haveto use the closed captioning at all. Everything is much clearer.Hope this helps.Connie> Quoting Connie and Hank Schwedes <conniedcj@y...>:> > > I have such mixed emotions. After being hard of hearing all my life,> > I had reconstruction on my left ear at age 20 (21 years ago). I was> > so excited at the time. The surgery worked -- for about a month. > > Then the prosthesis came out. I was crushed. I remember crying after> > hearing music for the first time post surgery. And then it was gone.> > I had to do a lot of readjustment in my thinking -- pull myself up by> > my boot straps -- and be thankful that with a hearing aid, I couldhear.> > > > The thing is that I didn't know if I wanted to go through that again.> > While I appreciate the fact that the doc wants help me to hear> > better, I was really surprised, shocked after surgery. It's my fault> > that I didn't say anything to the doc about my feelings. I figured it> > was a non-issue for 6 more months.> > > > Anyway, my husband and mom are really excited for and I just can't> > bring myself to feel anything. I felt a little angry at myself that I> > didn't verbalize my feelings before. Believe it or not, now I feel> > "stuck with it." I'm afraid that it won't work.> > > > So, I'm wondering about the experiences of the folks in this group. > > Has reconstruction worked? Did anyone have a failed attempt, which> > later worked? Have things really changed in the last 20 years on the> > reconstruction front?> > > > Thanks for listening.> > Connie> > Connie,> > [WARNING: Might be a little graphic. Stop reading now if you'resquinchy.]> > I'm almost in the same boat right now. My prosthesis is in theprocess of > coming out. It's hanging on, but a large part of it is sticking outthrough> my ear drum. Ugh. I feel like I'm harboring the Alien. It's still > working for the most part, I have about 30% hearing in that ear. When > yours came out, did it hurt? Was there a lot of bleeding? Anyinfection? > I guess I'm trying to figure out what to expect. My otologist seems to > think that it could hold on for a long time. Although in the last six > months, it's gone from just pressing against the TM to having the head > totally exposed. Actually, it was kind of cool to see it on the video > screen.> > I just don't know if I want to go through another reconstruction. My first > one was engulfed with a recurrence of cholesteatoma and had to bereplaced > 18 months after it was implanted. This one has been hanging on fornearly > four years. I'm like you, I just don't know if I want to go throughthis > again. My health insurance will pay for reconstruction after > reconstruction, but won't cover a single lousy hearing aid. It's not > right. I don't know if I can deal with another surgery -- if I have a > choice, anyway.> > Anyone out there have experience with this? Have you had a hearing aid > then later had reconstruction? How is the sound quality with an aidvs. an > implant? How often do you have to buy aid batteries and howexpensive are > they? > > -- > Diane Brunet> http://www.sassysuds.com

[Guest guest]

I have the Gaia dual digital made by Oticon, and it is

great. From what I have read on the internet Oticon

(out of Denmark) is one of the top hearing aid

companys world wide. I have had mine for about 2

weeks now, I will say it changes your prosective on

hearing and takes some time geting use to, however it

is well worth it. I would get a recomendation from

your Otologist on who to see, most of them have

someone in their office that all they do is hering

aids.

tom hansen

--- <donnainrome@...> wrote:

> I had two prosthetic hearing bones put in in July

> and I had a Cat Scan on Wednesday to see if they

> have moved out of place. Did something similiar

> happen to you. I haven't been back to the doctor

> for the results yet. I can't stop[ worring. Donna

> Re: Reconstruction and

> Hearing Aids

>

>

> Hi Diane,

> I didn't have any pain when my prosthesis came

> out. Hope that is true

> for you.

>

> As for hearing aids, I've worn one a long as I can

> remember. I would

> definitely recommend you check it out. Even if

> the reconstruction

> works, I'll still wear a hearing aid in my left

> ear, since I am

> severly hoh in that ear as well.

>

> Like Tom Hansen said, the digitals are amazing. I

> just got my first

> digital the day before my surgery. I really like

> it. The sound

> discrimination is much better than the older

> analogue hearing aids

> I've been wearing.

>

> Shop around for a good hearing aid dispenser. Ask

> for referrals.

> There are great folks and shisters. It's

> definitely buyer beware. I

> had decided to visit a new audiologist this time.

> She wanted to sell

> me a really expensive aid with a lot of power.

> She told me that what

> I wanted (as I had done a lot of research)

> wouldn't work for me. On

> top of the hearing aid cost, she wanted to charge

> for the making of

> the mold. She just turned me off. I left there

> and called my old

> audiologist. She fit me right in. She was not

> intimidated by the

> research I had done. She validated my thinking

> and gave me a quote I

> was really pleased with.

>

> Someone else on this forum has the same type of

> hearing aid. It is

> the Unitron Unison 4 power aid. Wow. I LOVE it.

> For the past year

> I've been watching TV with closed captioning

> because I couldn't make

> out all of the words. Now, I can hear speech so

> much better. I

> imagine that after I get the packing out of my

> right ear, I won't have

> to use the closed captioning at all. Everything

> is much clearer.

>

> Hope this helps.

> Connie

>

>

>

>

> > Quoting Connie and Hank Schwedes

> <conniedcj@y...>:

> >

> > > I have such mixed emotions. After being hard

> of hearing all my life,

> > > I had reconstruction on my left ear at age 20

> (21 years ago). I was

> > > so excited at the time. The surgery worked --

> for about a month.

> > > Then the prosthesis came out. I was crushed.

> I remember crying after

> > > hearing music for the first time post surgery.

> And then it was gone.

> > > I had to do a lot of readjustment in my

> thinking -- pull myself up by

> > > my boot straps -- and be thankful that with a

> hearing aid, I could

> hear.

> > >

> > > The thing is that I didn't know if I wanted to

> go through that again.

> > > While I appreciate the fact that the doc

> wants help me to hear

> > > better, I was really surprised, shocked after

> surgery. It's my fault

> > > that I didn't say anything to the doc about my

> feelings. I figured it

> > > was a non-issue for 6 more months.

> > >

> > > Anyway, my husband and mom are really excited

> for and I just can't

> > > bring myself to feel anything. I felt a

> little angry at myself that I

> > > didn't verbalize my feelings before. Believe

> it or not, now I feel

> > > " stuck with it. " I'm afraid that it won't

> work.

> > >

> > > So, I'm wondering about the experiences of the

> folks in this group.

> > > Has reconstruction worked? Did anyone have a

> failed attempt, which

> > > later worked? Have things really changed in

> the last 20 years on the

> > > reconstruction front?

> > >

> > > Thanks for listening.

> > > Connie

> >

> > Connie,

> >

> > [WARNING: Might be a little graphic. Stop

> reading now if you're

> squinchy.]

> >

> > I'm almost in the same boat right now. My

> prosthesis is in the

> process of

> > coming out. It's hanging on, but a large part

> of it is sticking out

> through

> > my ear drum. Ugh. I feel like I'm harboring

> the Alien. It's still

> > working for the most part, I have about 30%

> hearing in that ear. When

> > yours came out, did it hurt? Was there a lot of

> bleeding? Any

> infection?

> > I guess I'm trying to figure out what to expect.

> My otologist seems to

> > think that it could hold on for a long time.

> Although in the last six

> > months, it's gone from just pressing against the

> TM to having the head

> > totally exposed. Actually, it was kind of cool

> to see it on the video

> > screen.

> >

> > I just don't know if I want to go through

> another reconstruction.

> My first

> > one was engulfed with a recurrence of

> cholesteatoma and had to be

> replaced

> > 18 months after it was implanted. This one has

> been hanging on for

> nearly

> > four years. I'm like you, I just don't know if

> I want to go through

> this

> > again. My health insurance will pay for

> reconstruction after

> > reconstruction, but won't cover a single lousy

> hearing aid. It's not

> > right. I don't know if I can deal with another

> surgery -- if I have a

> > choice, anyway.

> >

> > Anyone out there have experience with this?

> Have you had a hearing aid

> > then later had reconstruction? How is the sound

> quality with an aid

> vs. an

> > implant? How often do you have to buy aid

> batteries and how

> expensive are

> > they?

> >

> > --

> > Diane Brunet

> > http://www.sassysuds.com

>

>

>