Re: Bilateral, how many of you?

[Guest guest]

Dolly,

I'm a bilateral CI user. I received my first CI in December, 2004 and my

second in February of this year. What do I think of being bilateral? I love

it!! <smile>

Left ear - Nucleus 24 Contour Advance with 3G

Implanted: 12/22/04 Activated: 1/18/05

Right ear - Nucleus Freedom

Implanted: 2/1/06 Activated: 3/1/06

[Guest guest]

According to my sources (Cochlear Americas and Let Them Hear

Foundation) there are about 500 adults and 500 children with

bilaterals in the US. This includes all brands.

Lydia

Mom of , almost 10 years old, bilateral CI user

[Guest guest]

Hi Dolly--- Let me think--- I got my first implant in 2002 and I went bilateral

10 months later, in 2003. When I went to Orlando in Feb of 2006 for the Cochlear

Celebration, I had asked one of the Cochlear reps how many Nucleus bilaterals at

that time; she told me 700. At our Minuteman implant Club here in New England we

have Let me count here upwards towards 20 with bilaterals-- Lydia help me

here!!! That is about 10 percent of our membership right now. Ill know more for

sure on that number after tomorrow.

Snoopy with her BICIs and loving it.

Bilateral, how many of you?

My goodness, there seems to be many adults and children who are now bilateral

or becoming one.

May I asks how many are bilateral now? I am happy for those of you who are

lucky to be able to become bilateral.

I been enjoying reading all the CI Moments and thanks for sharing it with us.

Dolly Dolphin eyes popping out on all the bilateral adults

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

My guess is 50 in New England. I base that on Children's Hospital

having done over 20, perhaps 30, and then double that to count adults.

But that is a wild guess! We will ask tomorrow!

Lydia

[Guest guest]

Thank you Lydia for this information.

Dolly Dolphin

Original Message

According to my sources (Cochlear Americas and Let Them Hear

Foundation) there are about 500 adults and 500 children with

bilaterals in the US. This includes all brands.

[Guest guest]

Hi M,

Thank you for sharing your bilateral history.

You must had a wonderful time at Orlando this year.

Some day I hope to go to one of the yearly celebration. Next year it is in

Oklahoma, right?

Dolly Dolphin

Original Message

Hi Dolly--- Let me think--- I got my first implant in 2002 and I went bilateral

10 months later, in 2003. When I went to Orlando in Feb of 2006 for the Cochlear

Celebration, I had asked one of the Cochlear reps how many Nucleus bilaterals at

that time; she told me 700. At our Minuteman implant Club here in New England we

have Let me count here upwards towards 20 with bilaterals-- Lydia help me

here!!! That is about 10 percent of our membership right now. Ill know more for

sure on that number after tomorrow.

Snoopy with her BICIs and loving it.

[Guest guest]

Hi K,

I knew you and W. were bilateral.

Thank you for sharing your story of being a bilateral. I am sure your Guide Dog

is one happy dog that you now can hear the darn cars coming from both

directions.

I know your white cane must be happy it won't get run over now, maybe step on by

seeing people but not run over.

Original Message

Dolly,

I'm a bilateral CI user. I received my first CI in December, 2004 and my

second in February of this year. What do I think of being bilateral? I love

it!! <smile>

[Guest guest]

Hi Dolly,

Thanks for your good wishes and for your colorful description of the

waiting-to-be-accepted process. I think that's the worst time,

followed closely by the period between surgery and activation. I wish

you the best!

e

[Guest guest]

I'm not I'm one of the unlucky ones that is unable to go bilateral, because

of growth buildup up in the right ear. Patsy

[Guest guest]

I am bilateral.

Jane

Bilateral, how many of you?

My goodness, there seems to be many adults and children who are now bilateral

or becoming one.

May I asks how many are bilateral now? I am happy for those of you who are

lucky to be able to become bilateral.

I been enjoying reading all the CI Moments and thanks for sharing it with us.

Dolly Dolphin eyes popping out on all the bilateral adults

[Guest guest]

Hi Dolly and everyone:

I received my first CI in 1996. I received my second bilateral CI in

2003, at a time when there were not a whole lot of us in the

bilateral condition. I believe I heard that at that time there were

around 3,000 of us. I am so very thrilled to read here of the many

adults and children who are now in the process of getting or already

have the second CI. The difference is so huge in terms quality of

sound, listening in noise, and localization.

The benefits have been discussed here on this list often - and I can

only add my own personal testimony that this is the BEST option I

could have chosen for myself. I had to stop wearing my hearing aid

due to a vertigo condition. The loss of what little bilateral

hearing I enjoyed made a big difference in my ability to hear.

Like Carol who wrote about her " CI moment " hearing her cell vibrating

on the seat besides her - this also happened to me not long ago when

I was returning from a meeting. AMAZING and so special. Only

because I had my RIGHT ear implanted. Had my original LEFT ear been

my only ear for sound, I would NOT have heard that vibrating phone!

For parents who are on this list, I assure you that you have given

your child a huge advantage in deciding to go bilateral. I imagine

myself in the classroom, and the simple advantage of hearing on both

sides allows the child the ability to participate more fully. It

also is so helpful in noisey environments of the school.

Take care everyone......and good luck to all of you seeking your

second CI.

A grateful bilateral CI recipient in WI

Carol

>

> My goodness, there seems to be many adults and children who are now

bilateral or becoming one.

>

> May I asks how many are bilateral now? I am happy for those of you

who are lucky to be able to become bilateral.

>

> I been enjoying reading all the CI Moments and thanks for sharing

it with us.

>

> Dolly Dolphin eyes popping out on all the bilateral adults

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you Carol for answering my question on your Bilateral CI.

I appreciated to all of you who had responded to my question.

Dolly Dolphin

Original Message

Hi Dolly and everyone:

I received my first CI in 1996. I received my second bilateral CI in

2003, at a time when there were not a whole lot of us in the

bilateral condition. I believe I heard that at that time there were

around 3,000 of us. I am so very thrilled to read here of the many

adults and children who are now in the process of getting or already

have the second CI. The difference is so huge in terms quality of

sound, listening in noise, and localization.

The benefits have been discussed here on this list often - and I can

only add my own personal testimony that this is the BEST option I

could have chosen for myself. I had to stop wearing my hearing aid

due to a vertigo condition. The loss of what little bilateral

hearing I enjoyed made a big difference in my ability to hear.

Like Carol who wrote about her " CI moment " hearing her cell vibrating

on the seat besides her - this also happened to me not long ago when

I was returning from a meeting. AMAZING and so special. Only

because I had my RIGHT ear implanted. Had my original LEFT ear been

my only ear for sound, I would NOT have heard that vibrating phone!

For parents who are on this list, I assure you that you have given

your child a huge advantage in deciding to go bilateral. I imagine

myself in the classroom, and the simple advantage of hearing on both

sides allows the child the ability to participate more fully. It

also is so helpful in noisey environments of the school.

Take care everyone......and good luck to all of you seeking your

second CI.

A grateful bilateral CI recipient in WI

Carol

[Guest guest]

Getting caught up and see I'm very late on this topic.

I had both ears done at the same time in the test trial for bilaterals. I

hated one sided hearing with the HA in high school but loved my bilateral HAs in

1983 even if I couldn't understand much speech without lipreading with them.

I had surgery on Dec. 9, 2002 and hookup was Jan. 9, 2003. It's been an

experience I'd do again and I wished I had done it sooner. To go from stressed

out to a much calmer happier person was a big difference but to go from 0% to

96% in a few months was unbelievable. I never dreamed it was possilbe, not with

my hearing history.

Sharon Myers

BICI user

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