Re: Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

[Guest guest]

I know the issue with the stem cells, What people need to do is look to see what

stem cells is all about. It may be an issue with USA but I don't think it is

many other countries.

Pearson

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From: " " <howard@...>

Date: 2004/12/26 Sun AM 09:03:15 GMT-11:00

< >

Subject: Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

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Pearson

WA St. USA

[Guest guest]

Here is one of the articles that I read. From

http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=10 & id=1346202004

Stem-cell researchers hope for deafness cure within 15 years

JOHN INNES

SCIENTISTS hope that stem-cell research could lead to a cure for deafness in as

little as ten years.

Researchers from Sheffield University are using embryonic stem cells in efforts

to grow new cells in the inner ear.

Although in its early stages, the team from Sheffield University hopes it could

lead to a cure for deafness in ten to 15 years.

Dr Marcelo Rivolta, from the university’s Institute of Molecular Physiology,

outlined his research yesterday at a conference organised by the Royal National

Institute for Deaf People (RNID). He said the team was looking at cells

harvested from human embryonic stem cells and cells from the foetal cochlea.

He said that ten months of research had been shown that stems cells from the

sensory nerves could be regrown in the damaged area, potentially leading to the

return of hearing. He added: " It is a very challenging approach, but we are

confident it is possible. "

Such research has proved controversial, with some campaigners attacking the

creation of human embryos to harvest stem cells.

Dr Rivolta added that his team hoped to undertake the first tests on animals in

two years. " It could then be possible to do human trials in three to four years,

but that would depend on the animal trials. "

Last month, researchers in Canada said that stem cells taken from the back of

the eye might eventually be used to repair impaired vision.

============================================================

From: " " <howard@...>

Date: 2004/12/26 Sun AM 09:03:15 GMT-11:00

< >

Subject: Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

============================================================

Pearson

WA St. USA

[Guest guest]

,

Before I considered getting a CI, I thought about waiting for medical

technology to come along that would restore hearing. From what I've read,

stem cell research is in continual development and time estimates of 10-15

years are repeatedly given. If someone qualifies for a CI, it would make

more sense for that person to be implanted now instead of waiting for

something that may or may not happen in this lifetime. What do you think? Is

hair cell regeneration something you would consider? Thanks for posting this

article -- what an interesting read!

Implanted: 12/22/04

Activation date: 1/18/05 (24 days and counting!)

Deafblind/Postlingual

BTE hearing aid user 19 years

Severe-profound hearing loss 9 1/2 years

[Guest guest]

, I agree with you. When a CI can improve your hearing when hearing aids

don't help, defiantly get CI as soon as possible. If I'm qualified to get a CI,

I will defiantly get one. In some cases, 2 CI would be better for some people.

I was just was showing what is happening and could happen in the future. That is

why doctors, in most case, prefer to give one CI instead of two. In case someday

there may be something better to improve your hearing and you have the other

ear.

Of course CI is going to improved so much and maybe give you normal hearing...

Who knows?

============================================================

From: " Kozlik " <lisak70@...>

Date: 2004/12/26 Sun AM 09:52:24 GMT-11:00

< >

Subject: Re: Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

============================================================

Pearson

WA St. USA

[Guest guest]

Will this be possible if we have had surgical CI intervention?

Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

============================================================

Pearson

WA St. USA

[Guest guest]

The key word with all of this is Hope. There is no proof that the " cure' for

deafness will be found thru this research but attempting to find a " cure " is the

journey scientists should take. Not all deafness can be cured by stem cell

research though. There will always be people who do not hear regardless of

whether they perfect the use of stem cells for hearing loss. Sign language and

oral education for the deaf will still be needed.

Alice

[Guest guest]

, that's what I meant. Stem cells are a challenge to develoop. I

wasn't stating it as a moral issue. And the predictions are iffy.

Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

============================================================

Pearson

WA St. USA

[Guest guest]

The thing about ANY research is.... without research, where would we be?

Look at where cochlear implants were 20 years ago.

Look at what cataract surgery was 30 years ago. No lens implant. Coke

bottle glasses.

Gotta start somewhere.... and gotta keep going with it.

But dont wait unless one wants to simply watch the world go by. As to

moral issues, arent there always moral issues? Life is not something one

can pause like a tape recorder.

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

When you're riding in a time machine way far into the future, don't stick

your elbow out the window, or it'll turn into a fossil.

--Jack Handley

& Gimlet (Guide Dawggie)

Portland, Oregon

N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

rlclark77@...

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

[Guest guest]

,

I agree...this is one reason why I decided to get one CI at a time. Even

though I know having bilateral CIs would be of great help to me as a

deafblind person, I didn't want to risk the possibility of being turned down

for one implant. The way I see it, one CI is better than none at all. Good

luck at your CI evaluation! Please be sure to let us know how that goes.

<smile>

Implanted: 12/22/04

Activation date: 1/18/05 (24 days and counting!)

Deafblind/Postlingual

BTE hearing aid user 19 years

Severe-profound hearing loss 9 1/2 years

[Guest guest]

And there are people who are Deaf believed this is normal for them and don't

want to hear.

Pearson

sville, WA

Re: Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

The key word with all of this is Hope. There is no proof that the " cure' for

deafness will be found thru this research but attempting to find a " cure " is the

journey scientists should take. Not all deafness can be cured by stem cell

research though. There will always be people who do not hear regardless of

whether they perfect the use of stem cells for hearing loss. Sign language and

oral education for the deaf will still be needed.

Alice

[Guest guest]

I sure will , They have change the date from January 5th to January 11th.

The surgeon will be out of town. Oh well... What's 6 days. (smile)

Pearson

sville, WA

Re: Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

,

I agree...this is one reason why I decided to get one CI at a time. Even

though I know having bilateral CIs would be of great help to me as a

deafblind person, I didn't want to risk the possibility of being turned down

for one implant. The way I see it, one CI is better than none at all. Good

luck at your CI evaluation! Please be sure to let us know how that goes.

<smile>

Implanted: 12/22/04

Activation date: 1/18/05 (24 days and counting!)

Deafblind/Postlingual

BTE hearing aid user 19 years

Severe-profound hearing loss 9 1/2 years

[Guest guest]

I believe that with sufficiently advanced technology, any physical

disability can be cured. Being deaf isn't any more normal than being blind.

We were born with five senses, we should have access to all.

Re: Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

>

>

>

> The key word with all of this is Hope. There is no proof that the " cure'

> for deafness will be found thru this research but attempting to find a

> " cure " is the journey scientists should take. Not all deafness can be

> cured by stem cell research though. There will always be people who do

> not hear regardless of whether they perfect the use of stem cells for

> hearing loss. Sign language and oral education for the deaf will still be

> needed.

>

> Alice

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I can't see the reasoning. CI Surgery today doesn't damage the inner ear.

Future medicine should undo the damage, if any.

Re: Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

>

> ,

>

> I agree...this is one reason why I decided to get one CI at a time. Even

> though I know having bilateral CIs would be of great help to me as a

> deafblind person, I didn't want to risk the possibility of being turned

> down

> for one implant. The way I see it, one CI is better than none at all. Good

> luck at your CI evaluation! Please be sure to let us know how that

> goes.

> <smile>

>

>

> Implanted: 12/22/04

> Activation date: 1/18/05 (24 days and counting!)

> Deafblind/Postlingual

> BTE hearing aid user 19 years

> Severe-profound hearing loss 9 1/2 years

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I agree with you but that is our thoughts. The Deaf Culture believed that they

are born with 4 senses and believed that not having hearing is abnormal. I

don't understand this but I do respect the Deaf Culture have their belief.

Pearson

sville, WA

Re: Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

>

>

>

> The key word with all of this is Hope. There is no proof that the " cure'

> for deafness will be found thru this research but attempting to find a

> " cure " is the journey scientists should take. Not all deafness can be

> cured by stem cell research though. There will always be people who do

> not hear regardless of whether they perfect the use of stem cells for

> hearing loss. Sign language and oral education for the deaf will still be

> needed.

>

> Alice

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Well, it's a matter of age and attitude. I started losing hearing at two or

three and gave aids up by teens. So from my perspective, if you're freaked

over a month of deafness, it nothing compared for these that have been deaf

for years.

Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

>

>

> Pam,

> I agree. I had to wait six weeks for activation of my CI, and it

> was really hard for me to function, even though I still had a HA on

> my unimplanted ear. The hearing in my implanted ear was virtually

> nil, but it still made a big difference in how I heard between the

> time of my surgery and activation of my CI (and bigger difference

> once I started to understand what I was hearing with the CI...I

> don't even wear a HA in my other ear anymore). That little bit of

> residual hearing is better than none. I would do the CI surgery

> again, but I'm not sure about bilateral CI's. I don't know if I

> want to go through having my head shaved, the surgery, and the

> recovery again, as well as having NO sound from that ear during the

> recovery period. In the long run it would probably be worth it, but

> I'm going to wait a few years at least and see what the research

> shows about bilateral CI's after more people get them.

> Beth

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

Actually, Deaf Culture does not view deafness as a disability. They are

proud to be Deaf. Most congenitally blind people like myself feel the same

way about blindness. That is, we do not have any wish to see. If I had to

live my life all over again, I would not choose to see normally because I've

grown accustomed to life as a blind person through reading Braille, using a

cane/guide dog, etc. Being blind is as normal to me as not being able to

hear is for someone who was born Deaf. The only exception concerns my

hearing since this is a sense I need to rely on for my own safety and

independence. I was born hearing and want to hear again.

Implanted: 12/22/04

Activation date: 1/18/05 (24 days and counting!)

Deafblind/Postlingual

BTE hearing aid user 19 years

Severe-profound hearing loss 9 1/2 years

[Guest guest]

<<So from my perspective, if you're freaked over a month of deafness, it

nothing compared for these that have been deaf for years.>>

,

Comparing Pam's loss of hearing over a 30 day period to those who have been

deafened for a long time is unfair. We all adjust to deafness differently.

When you lose one of your senses, its devastating emotionally whether it

happens for a day, a month or many, many years. I've had severe to profound

hearing loss for 9 1/2 years and I *still* continue to grieve over this

loss.

Implanted: 12/22/04

Activation date: 1/18/05 (24 days and counting!)

Deafblind/Postlingual

BTE hearing aid user 19 years

Severe-profound hearing loss 9 1/2 years

[Guest guest]

I definitely agree.. but was just sharing my own individual experience. I knew

if I had to live that way I would eventually adjust to it but for those few

weeks the contrast in hearing ability was amazing!

My point was only that the difference between a tiny shred of hearing and no

hearing is huge!

:-)

Pam

----- Original Message -----

From:

Well, it's a matter of age and attitude. I started losing hearing at two or

three and gave aids up by teens. So from my perspective, if you're freaked

over a month of deafness, it nothing compared for these that have been deaf

for years.

[Guest guest]

Take away text telephnes, closed captions, canes and dogs, etc. and see what

happens. Cause in poorer places it's that way. Sure, a person can be USED

to missing a sense but that doesn't make it normal.

Someone born deaf or blind has no idea what they miss. That doesn't mean

they have to be disinterested in activating these senses.

Re: Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

>

> ,

>

> Actually, Deaf Culture does not view deafness as a disability. They are

> proud to be Deaf. Most congenitally blind people like myself feel the same

> way about blindness. That is, we do not have any wish to see. If I had to

> live my life all over again, I would not choose to see normally because

> I've

> grown accustomed to life as a blind person through reading Braille, using

> a

> cane/guide dog, etc. Being blind is as normal to me as not being able to

> hear is for someone who was born Deaf. The only exception concerns my

> hearing since this is a sense I need to rely on for my own safety and

> independence. I was born hearing and want to hear again.

>

>

> Implanted: 12/22/04

> Activation date: 1/18/05 (24 days and counting!)

> Deafblind/Postlingual

> BTE hearing aid user 19 years

> Severe-profound hearing loss 9 1/2 years

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Howie,

Walk in your own shoes. Take away what you depend on. What then? And

why bring up " poorer places " ? That is not relevant. If we live thinking

that way, where would that get us? Ok, the poorer people would get even

less.

Do you recall hearing about a guy, born blind, who got sight back? He

was in agony.

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

Failure Is Not An Option.

It's bundled with your software.

--Anonymous

& Gimlet (Guide Dawggie)

Portland, Oregon

N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

rlclark77@...

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

[Guest guest]

I'll concede that one.

Re: Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

>

> <<So from my perspective, if you're freaked over a month of deafness, it

> nothing compared for these that have been deaf for years.>>

>

> ,

>

> Comparing Pam's loss of hearing over a 30 day period to those who have

> been

> deafened for a long time is unfair. We all adjust to deafness differently.

> When you lose one of your senses, its devastating emotionally whether it

> happens for a day, a month or many, many years. I've had severe to

> profound

> hearing loss for 9 1/2 years and I *still* continue to grieve over this

> loss.

>

>

> Implanted: 12/22/04

> Activation date: 1/18/05 (24 days and counting!)

> Deafblind/Postlingual

> BTE hearing aid user 19 years

> Severe-profound hearing loss 9 1/2 years

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

<<Someone born deaf or blind has no idea what they miss. That doesn't mean

they have to be disinterested in activating these senses.>>

,

Agreed. On the other hand, since a person born blind or deaf has no idea

what they are missing, perhaps that's why they don't view the loss of a

sense as debilitating as those of us born with them do.

As far as closed captions, canes/dog guides, etc. are concerned, universal

access does not cure the attitudinal barriers we face here in the States and

worldwide. Despite the ADA, adaptive computer technology, etc. that I use in

my daily life, *I* still need to overcome incorrect and hurtful stereotypes.

I need to help others understand that a person with a disability

(disabilities) can lead a happy and productive life despite sensory loss.

Believe it or not, I've had people tell me that they could never live with

deafblindness. One person even told me that if they became deafblind, they

would commit suicide. Excuse me?? What does that say about the value of my

life and the thousands of other deafblind people who are living successful,

productive lives??

While universal access certainly makes our lives easier and allows us to

compete on an equal basis (or as equal as possible), it does not solve the

problem of people who continue to believe false/incorrect stereotypes about

our abilities. Even after passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act,

people with disabilities still have a long way to go in showing the general

public that we deserve a rightful, equal place in society.

Implanted: 12/22/04

Activation date: 1/18/05 (24 days and counting!)

Deafblind/Postlingual

BTE hearing aid user 19 years

Severe-profound hearing loss 9 1/2 years

[Guest guest]

Just wanted to clarify a point made in my last post. I don't blame others

for having a real fear of deafblindness -- especially for a D/deaf person

who relies on their vision for communication and safety. When I was told

that I had and would continue to lose my hearing, I was scared to death.

What shocked me was the comment made by someone who said that if they ever

lost their vision and hearing, they would commit suicide. I don't blame this

person for feeling this way (after all, losing my hearing was one of the

most difficult losses I've had to face in my life), but I was surprised that

this person said this directly to me. For fear of this being considered

off-topic, I will refrain from further comment.

Implanted: 12/22/04

Activation date: 1/18/05 (24 days and counting!)

Deafblind/Postlingual

BTE hearing aid user 19 years

Severe-profound hearing loss 9 1/2 years

[Guest guest]

Yes, but then we haven't really seen much of a trial.. There may be blind

that handle it better. I doubt a sense should be activated so fast anyway..

Re: Re: 2015:a cochlear odyssey

>

> Howie,

> Walk in your own shoes. Take away what you depend on. What then? And

> why bring up " poorer places " ? That is not relevant. If we live thinking

> that way, where would that get us? Ok, the poorer people would get even

> less.

>

> Do you recall hearing about a guy, born blind, who got sight back? He

> was in agony.

>

> *---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

> Failure Is Not An Option.

> It's bundled with your software.

> --Anonymous

> & Gimlet (Guide Dawggie)

> Portland, Oregon

> N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

> rlclark77@...

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

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Howie,

That may be so but in the end, it always comes down to many factors in

an individual's life. No two people will react to a single event the same

way regardless of how close they may be.

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

Blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves, for we shall never cease to be

amused.

& Gimlet (Guide Dawggie)

Portland, Oregon

N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

rlclark77@...

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