wayne

[Guest guest]

hi denise

i have been all over seeing epecialist .i live in ky. and i have been to

menphis and to fla.and here in ky. i've seen all the big guys about my menieres

and my hearing loss.

i had to get my hearing aids fixed to day and she did a hearing test to set my

aids the right ear was 16% and that is my good ear or was .i go monday to see a

ent about my hearing and maybe talk about a implant? o the aids that i have now

are 2 years old .and i have taking all kinds of meds. for my menieres with no

help .the e.n.t in menphis help a little but it didn't last but about 6 weeks he

would give me shots of med in the ear .can't think of the name of it

now............wayne

M Jansen <nucleus24@...> wrote:

Hi Wayne,

Are you seeing a hearing specialist about the Meniere's disease?

There are several things that can be done for it. Doesn't hurt to talk

to someone who specializes in it.

An implant center will tell you if you are a candidate for the

implant, but most will require that you try the best available hearing

aids first since that might be all you need. Most will let you have a 30

day trial with the digital aids. How old are the aids you are using.

There were at least 3 places that do implants in Ky. Heuser Hearing

Institute in Louisville, PH 502-589-6314, University of Ky.

859-323-5572, and University of Louisville, 502, 852-0339. Log onto the

Nucleus website: www.cochlear.com and go to " find a clinic " and enter the

state and city, Centers will pop up.

Good luck,

Nucleus Volunteer

thanks for getting back to me .my hearing has been a slow thing over a 5

years in both ears .but it started in 91 in my left with ringing .i was

thinking that it was from some of the meds. that i was taking from my

back surgery.i wasn't dizzy at that time and in 98 i had open heart

surgery and when i woke up from that i had ringing in both ears and was

having drop attacks bad about once a day and my hearing was going down in

both ears.i went to a e.n.t and that when i found out that i had meneres

in both ears my hear was about 80% at that time with out hearing aids.and

now with hearing aids it is 20% in the leftand 50% in the right ear i

have to digital hearing in both ears now.i have been all over and try

about the meds that you can think of for menieres .i can tell that my

understanding is getting wores in the last few months and i'm staying

dizzy about half dizzy all the time now. i live in ky. and the only place

that i know of doing the implant is in lexington at u.k. .i'm

thinking about trying out more hearing aid that are digital but that say

are better ?? don't guess it would hurt to try them out.?? i just wish i

knowed that the implant would work good for me......................wayne

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[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/30/2003 6:45:16 PM Pacific Standard Time,

nucleus24@... writes:

You are seeing someone about your hearing aids, but they are NOT an

implant center. Even your ENT who is treating you for Meniere's is

probably not an implant center,

it is my understanding that many implant center also serve as full-service

audiology clinic. So they are the best place to go.

Lee

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/2/2004 2:30:58 PM Pacific Standard Time,

nucleus24@... writes:

Unfortunately there are a lot of ENTs, family practitioners

and others who are not involved in implants who give out their opinion on

whether or not an implant will work. You need to get to an implant

center, talk to the surgeon who does the implanting, get tested there,

and use his or her opinion to base your decision.

This is absolutely the case! In my town there is an ENT doc that turned

absolutely everyone away that inquired about getting a CI. He told everyone

who

was referred to him by a local audiologist that they did not qualify and that

CI's didn't work anyway! Many people went away " sad " thinking a CI was not

for them. I personally confronted this doctor after getting my CI, pretty much

politely read him the riot act. He was in shock at how well I could hear him!

I also wrote a letter to the local medical group that he is a member of. In

addition to that I mentioned him (not by name) in a newspaper interview I did.

He is now older and wiser (lol) and will refer patients who are requesting a

CI evaluation to the proper centers and let the implant surgeons give the

verdict on the candidacy issue. : )

Deb H

Clarion CII 6/18/02

HiRes/Auria Jan 2003

[Guest guest]

, Good advice! I know a woman who needed a special operation prior to

getting the CI. The doctor at the CI center did both.

Ralph

CII 8/01

HiRes 2/03

If the woman you spoke about was told nothing could be done from an implant

center, it might be that she has other issues involved.

Mis-shaped cochlea, for instance. There are reasons why an implant can't be

done on some people, but go to the experts and find out what they have to say

about YOU and YOUR ears.

Nucleus Volunteer

[Guest guest]

, Ralph and Debbie,

All good answers here. I believe Wayne is getting excellent support. Thanks

All !!

Alice

[Guest guest]

Congratulations on your upcoming surgery, Wayne. I'm sure you are thrilled.

Regarding your answer to Velma, I love the reply you have ready for store

clerks who come running despite constant false security alarms. I do suggest

you

copyrite it, otherwise we are all gonna' steal it! I love your style! LOL

(PS - ever think your wife might have the bail money but will leave you there

anyway? hehe)

) Jackie

Lee? Lighten up - he is just kidding!!!

[Guest guest]

It's been interesting to read about newly hooked up CI/sighted people

learning to visually associate words and environmental sounds. I was slow to

learn to understand environmental sounds and words with the CI because with

my blindness I did not have the visual cues to speechread and identify sound

sources. In discouragement and frustration I requested auditory training

similar to what children received; . I did not get this training and it was

a slow, painful process trying to adapt to the CI.

[Guest guest]

> It's been interesting to read about newly hooked up CI/sighted

people

> learning to visually associate words and environmental sounds. I

was slow to

> learn to understand environmental sounds and words with the CI

because with

> my blindness I did not have the visual cues to speechread and

identify sound

> sources. In discouragement and frustration I requested auditory

training

> similar to what children received; . I did not get this training

and it was

> a slow, painful process trying to adapt to the CI.

>

Hi , You are such an inspiration to have to deal with all that,

and you are a very pleasant person, also. You remind me how fortuate

I have been. God Bless you.

[Guest guest]

,

If you decide to get another implant, perhaps you could request an

interpreter who can communicate with you in tactile sign so that you can

learn to associate the sounds/voices you're hearing through tactile means.

Should I be a candidate for a CI, this is what I plan to do until I feel

comfortable enough that I can hear and understand others without the need

for a tactile interpreter.

Re: Wayne

It's been interesting to read about newly hooked up CI/sighted people

learning to visually associate words and environmental sounds. I was slow to

learn to understand environmental sounds and words with the CI because with

my blindness I did not have the visual cues to speechread and identify sound

sources. In discouragement and frustration I requested auditory training

similar to what children received; . I did not get this training and it was

a slow, painful process trying to adapt to the CI.

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

I am new to this list. I am also a lurker and trying to learn all I can

before I get a cochlear implant.

I am also totally blind. If you don't mind, I have a few questions?

1 Have you been blind and deaf all of your life?

2 Did you have speech development before the Ci?

3 What are words and sounds like since your hookup?

4 Do you still wear one hearing aid? Thank you Larry

[Guest guest]

Hey Larry,

Just wanted to welcome you to the list! <smile> I'm sure you'll find alot of

helpful information here.

Again, welcome.

Re: Wayne

Dear ,

I am new to this list. I am also a lurker and trying to learn all I can

before I get a cochlear implant.

I am also totally blind. If you don't mind, I have a few questions?

1 Have you been blind and deaf all of your life?

2 Did you have speech development before the Ci?

3 What are words and sounds like since your hookup?

4 Do you still wear one hearing aid? Thank you Larry

[Guest guest]

,

If I had a tactile interpreter for hook up and after, it would be many hours

and costly.

Re: Wayne

>

>

> It's been interesting to read about newly hooked up CI/sighted people

> learning to visually associate words and environmental sounds. I was slow

to

> learn to understand environmental sounds and words with the CI because

with

> my blindness I did not have the visual cues to speechread and identify

sound

> sources. In discouragement and frustration I requested auditory training

> similar to what children received; . I did not get this training and it

was

> a slow, painful process trying to adapt to the CI.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

The CI center is responsible for providing an interpreter if you need one.

If using an interpreter will give you the most benefit and help you better

understand what you're hearing with your CI, why not? This is what I plan to

do. That, or bring my SSP.

Re: Wayne

>

>

> It's been interesting to read about newly hooked up CI/sighted people

> learning to visually associate words and environmental sounds. I was slow

to

> learn to understand environmental sounds and words with the CI because

with

> my blindness I did not have the visual cues to speechread and identify

sound

> sources. In discouragement and frustration I requested auditory training

> similar to what children received; . I did not get this training and it

was

> a slow, painful process trying to adapt to the CI.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Larry,

I was born hard-of-hearing and did not get my hearing aids until I was 18,

so I grew up speechreading and heard some sounds if they were right nest to

my ear. My vision loss started with night blindness as a small child and by

about 10 I was clumsy due to shrinking visual fields. For a number of years

after I had very narrow fields but saw clearly within that pinhole provided

I did a lot of scanning. About 1998 I began to lose the rest of my residual

vision and hearing. I am down to light perception and have a cochlear

implant. Yes, I had speech before the CI; because I did not have hearing

aids initially I was slow to learn to talk and missed out on much of the

incidental learning. In some ways I feel as if I missed the critical period

for learning language because my expressive vocabulary has remained

relatively simple. After the hook up I heard sounds but they held little

meaning. Through a slow process I began to associate some sounds, and the

voices changed from chipmunk to tinny to more natural. I still need people

speaking a little slower and close to me to understand them. Yes, I still

wear a hearing aid in the other ear. Initially it provided more info when I

had the CI, and to a degree it still helps, but it is now at a level I could

have a second CI.

Re: Wayne

> Dear ,

> I am new to this list. I am also a lurker and trying to learn all I

can

> before I get a cochlear implant.

> I am also totally blind. If you don't mind, I have a few

questions?

> 1 Have you been blind and deaf all of your life?

> 2 Did you have speech development before the Ci?

> 3 What are words and sounds like since your hookup?

> 4 Do you still wear one hearing aid? Thank you Larry

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

That's true. I had pretty good hearing until age 16, so perhaps this won't

be a problem. Good point!!

Re: Wayne

,

You can very easily plan to learn new sounds by having someone

turn things on and off and cue you when you are outside and hearing

" strange " sounds. But you have memory dont you? You be surprised at

what you recognize.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

The best defense against logic is stupidity.

--

& Gimlet (Guide Dawggie)

Portland, Oregon

N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

rlclark77@...

http://home.comcast.net/~rlclark77/

[Guest guest]

hi wayne

oh i m glad things are coming along just fine for you. a really good start. you

are going to pick this up fast. wait til after you have had this one month. i m

really enjoying this 6 weeks after hookup. the first month was getting used to

the the new sounds and all and this month im comfortable with it so a different

experince this month.

i have had ci folks tell me to give this ci 6 months to year..

keep us posted . i enjoy reading all about what you are going through, esp when

you include your family and your work . ( we have stuff rolling in our car too.

i think those sounds bother me more than anybody else in car )

joni

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I have already learned a lot by this list and will probably be a lurker.

I am amazed at the stories people have to tell about there CI's!!

I found out that my forms I submitted were taken by a friend to the

university hospital instead of Children's Hospital where the Ci would take

place. I decided to go for it. I have nothing to lose.

Do they really have hair cell implants, or am I misunderstanding?

I guess I will sign off for now. ttyl and thanks for the welcome.

Larry

[Guest guest]

,

I am very sorry to be so stupid but what is a tactile interpreter?

Larry

[Guest guest]

,

Yes, the group is doing very well at addressing my questions. I am very

glad to be a part of this group because it makes me more comfortable in

pursuing my decision to go for it! ttyl

Sincerely,

Larry

[Guest guest]

Larry,

I don't know enough about hair cell implants to comment, but perhaps Jerome

does. I know he has done quite a bit of research and may be able to answer

that question for me.

I'm so glad you've decided to go ahead with your CI evaluation! Good for

you! Please keep up posted on how everything progresses.

By the way, my CI evaluation is June 11th. I'm very excited and am trying to

be as patient as I can. <smile>

Re: Wayne

Hi ,

I have already learned a lot by this list and will probably be a lurker.

I am amazed at the stories people have to tell about there CI's!!

I found out that my forms I submitted were taken by a friend to the

university hospital instead of Children's Hospital where the Ci would take

place. I decided to go for it. I have nothing to lose.

Do they really have hair cell implants, or am I misunderstanding?

I guess I will sign off for now. ttyl and thanks for the welcome.

Larry

[Guest guest]

I'm no expert in this field. Just an ordinary hearing-impaired person

seeking more information for a better " informed " decision.

It's very rare to see professionals who are acquainted with all brands of

implants knowing the pros and cons of each, they are usually stuck to what's

available on their work. Same with hearing aids... Honestly, I find

information in this list very valuable to assist people with good knowledge

for decision making.

Re: " hair cell " implant

Technically, cochlear implant should be called " hair cell " implant, isn't

it? Logically, it was made to replace the hair cells in our cochlea, isn't

it? And you can't put cochlear implant when you don't have cochlea, so that

means you are not implanting artificial cochlea, you are implanting

artificial hair cells... Or is my English bad? However, calling it " hair

cell " implant can be confusing...

Regards/

Jerome

Re: Wayne

Larry,

I don't know enough about hair cell implants to comment, but perhaps Jerome

does. I know he has done quite a bit of research and may be able to answer

that question for me.

I'm so glad you've decided to go ahead with your CI evaluation! Good for

you! Please keep up posted on how everything progresses.

By the way, my CI evaluation is June 11th. I'm very excited and am trying to

be as patient as I can. <smile>

Re: Wayne

Hi ,

I have already learned a lot by this list and will probably be a lurker.

I am amazed at the stories people have to tell about there CI's!!

I found out that my forms I submitted were taken by a friend to the

university hospital instead of Children's Hospital where the Ci would take

place. I decided to go for it. I have nothing to lose.

Do they really have hair cell implants, or am I misunderstanding?

I guess I will sign off for now. ttyl and thanks for the welcome.

Larry

[Guest guest]

Jerome:

English is bizarre. Breast implants don't replace breasts--they're implanted

in the breasts and penile implants don't---well you get the drift. Hair

implants do however replace the hairs?

Hal

[Guest guest]

Larry,

Am glad you are a part of this group. So am I. Interesting to hear similar

and different perspectives. If you are struggling with the hearing loss I

say go for it!

Re: Wayne

> ,

> Yes, the group is doing very well at addressing my questions. I am

very

> glad to be a part of this group because it makes me more comfortable in

> pursuing my decision to go for it! ttyl

>

> Sincerely,

>

> Larry

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Wouldn't a Pacmate work a lot more efficiently? Larry

[Guest guest]

Wayne,

My but you are one special person! I read your posts and i want to feel sorry

for myself, a little, here lately. because i have not progressed very well with

my implant. But boy you have pulled me up by my bootstraps.And made me looK

toward being positive again Reading your post that have been so positive and so

considerate of others! Wow, I usually am too but i have fallen and I must

climbed back up! Yes, you do deserve to enjoy the sounds again and don't feel

bad. as someone else said there are plenty to go around. So look forward to your

day! ;0)

Wanda

Sent from my iPad

On Sep 19, 2010, at 2:58 PM, wayne stephens <stephens_wayne@...> wrote:

>

> Thanks much, for your support

>

> May happness and good health be with you always,

> Wayne,

> Me,Tippy,Penny and We N.F.-Dukee

>

>

> From: alice@...

> Date: Sat, 18 Sep 2010 15:46:06 +0000

> Subject: Wayne

>

> I read your message a couple of times before I answered. You seem to feel some

guilt about getting a ci for yourself. I feel that it's important to share some

things with you. First of all, let me welcome you to CI Hear.

>

> You say you are " almost 70 yrs. old " . You know, the older I get and the closer

I get to 70, I look at it as 70 years young. Your quality of life has been

lessened by the loss of hearing - something that happens to many senior

citizens. Additionally, the lack of hearing creates a danger level for you. Many

people don't look at hearing loss as a danger but think about it. I won't go

into all the areas where this can be dangerous but think about yourself in a

parking lot with a car coming up behind you. There are other instances and many

of them in the home.

>

> Young people are not normally deprived of the CI technology today. In most

cases, they do come before older citizens. Twenty years ago, there were pioneers

out there who were brave and accepted this technology for themselves as it was

not a common thing to have. The CI was being tested. Many of those " pioneers "

are here on this list. These pioneers were not young but they paved the way for

the youth. Because of their success with the CI, the age was lowered and more

and more young people were implanted.

>

> Wayne - you are deserving of a cochlear implant just as younger people are.

Your life will be improved no matter how many years are left. Each individual is

worth the opportunity this technology offers. Not everyone deserves it for the

same reason. For you (and me) there is no reason to sit back in that rocking

chair and melt away. Retirement is meant to enjoy your life for as long as you

can. That means you can hear your family members, television, the phone, your

oven timer, the microwave, someone at the door and don't forget those dangers

that are in your life.

>

> Congratulations! You are about to give yourself a wonderful gift. I look

forward to reading about your journey as you experience the joys of life thru

hearing.

>

> Alice

>

> http://www..net

>

>

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > I'm new to this forum. I have being testing for 2 months and almost 70 yrs

old. Oct 13 is last test with Clev Clinc then

>

> > surgery.{ I really wish I could give candidate for implants to someone much

younger.}. I really do miss what what people are saying, I miss music and so

feel so isolated. But Medicare will pay for me and much younger,who will

benefit, will not get payed for.'m not conservative or Rup. But those who have

more time to live should be first.

>

> >

>

> > Bless and thanks, love always Wayne

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Me,Tippy,Penny and We N.F.-Dukee

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > From: mjkapples@...

>

> > Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2010 19:41:05 -0700

>

> > Subject: ci old timer-thankful for 22 years of ci hearing-I " m glad

I didn't wait

>

> >

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> > I am a ci old timer of 22 years. I received my first ci in 1989 after 11

years

>

> >

>

> > of silence at the age of 37. I was re-implanted in 1998 due to failing

>

> >

>

> > electrodes, which is quite rare as the failure rate is less than 1%. I just

>

> >

>

> > considered it my " re-tooling " . In 2008 I was blessed to receive a ci in the

>

> >

>

> > opposite ear, which had been deaf for 54 years. I love my 2 ci ears and my

>

> >

>

> > bilateral ci hearing. I've upgraded the first ci ear 3 times since my

re-implant

>

> >

>

> > taking advantage of improved ci technology. My second ci ear upgraded from

the

>

> >

>

> > Freedom processor to the Nucleus 5 earlier this year. Each time I've

upgraded,

>

> >

>

> > my ci hearing skills have improved.

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > My world of sound has blossomed in the 22 years I've had cochlear implants.

>

> >

>

> > Granted the technology has improved incredibly over the years. Never do I

regret

>

> >

>

> > that my first ci ear has older ci technology compared to my second ci ear. I

>

> >

>

> > would have missed precious communication/conversations with my husband,

>

> >

>

> > children, friends, and even strangers over the years. I still remember my

then

>

> >

>

> > 12 year old son telling me several months after my first ci- " Mom, now I can

>

> >

>

> > talk to you easily! " I would have missed listening to my 5 year old daughter

>

> >

>

> > reading to me in 1989. Priceless!! I would have missed the incredible

>

> >

>

> > environmental sounds in my world if I'd waited for ci technology to get as

>

> >

>

> > sophisticated as it is today. Just think I would have missed the birds

singing,

>

> >

>

> > leaves rustling,my dog panting, the crunch an apple makes when I bite into

it as

>

> >

>

> > well as the little, daily sounds in my world. I would have missed so much

>

> >

>

> > without my cochlear implants if I'd waited. Each day I rejoice over the

sound

>

> >

>

> > blessings my cochlear implants give me. I cannot even imagine what my life

would

>

> >

>

> > have been like if I'd decided to wait for ci technology to get more

>

> >

>

> > sophisticated. My world would have been filled with silence while

waiting-how

>

> >

>

> > difficult and frustrating it would have been. Instead, I took advantage of

the

>

> >

>

> > current ci technology in 1989 and felt blessed that Cochlear has a policy in

>

> >

>

> > making new ci technology backwardly compatible for us ci old timers. Oh, how

my

>

> >

>

> > ci skills have improved over the past 22 years!

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Today, I look forward to when the Nucleus 5 processor becomes backwardly

>

> >

>

> > compatible to my first ci ear's N24 ci implant-hopefully sometime next year.

>

> >

>

> > Then both of my ci ears will be on the same page with ci technology.

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > I'm aware that there are people who want to wait for ci technology to become

>

> >

>

> > even more sophisticated than it is today before they get a ci. I'm so glad

that

>

> >

>

> > I didn't wait for my cochlear implants as my life has been so enriched with

>

> >

>

> > them.

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> >

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> >

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> > I also look forward to what the future holds for 2 ci ears.

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> > with double ci joy over 22 years of ci hearing,

>

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> > Margo

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